Question 1

Marika is hearing-impaired because her auditory receptors and the structure in which they are located were damaged by a strange virus.The virus must have infected the:

Accepted Answer

The cochlea is the structure responsible for translating sound waves into electrical signals that the brain can interpret. If it becomes damaged, as in Marika's case, the individual can experience hearing loss or impairment. The other structures listed, such as the pinna, semicircular canals, and tympanic membrane, are not directly involved in translating sound waves into electrical signals and thus would not cause hearing loss if damaged.

Question 2

When one uses knowledge of the world to generate expectations about what one is perceiving, one is using:

Accepted Answer

Top-down processing refers to the use of pre-existing knowledge and experiences to interpret and make sense of sensory information. This means that one generates expectations about what they are perceiving based on their previous knowledge of the world.

Question 3

The key idea behind the place theory of hearing is that:

Accepted Answer

The key idea behind the place theory of hearing is that the pitch we hear is related to the place where the cochlea's basilar membrane is stimulated. This means that different frequencies of sound waves will stimulate different locations on the basilar membrane, which in turn sends signals to the brain that are interpreted as different pitch perceptions.

Question 4

The part of the ear called the eardrum is also referred to by the technical term:

Accepted Answer

The eardrum is technically known as the tympanic membrane, which separates the outer ear from the middle ear. The pinna refers to the visible part of the outer ear, while the cochlea and basilar membrane are part of the inner ear.

Question 5

The theory of pitch perception that is best able to explain why older people have difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds is known as the:

Accepted Answer

The place theory suggests that different frequencies of sound waves activate different areas of the cochlea, allowing for the perception of different pitches. As people age, the hair cells in the cochlea that are responsible for detecting higher frequencies begin to degrade, which results in decreased sensitivity to high-pitched sounds. This theory therefore best explains why older people have difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds.

Question 6

Frequency theory runs into problems because:

Accepted Answer

Neurons in the auditory pathway go through refractory periods, meaning they cannot fire at high frequencies without a period of rest in between. This limits the maximum frequency that can be perceived through frequency coding.

Question 7

The coiled, fluid-filled tube in which sound waves trigger neural impulses is called the:

Accepted Answer

The cochlea is a part of the inner ear responsible for transforming sound waves into neural impulses that can be interpreted by the brain. It is shaped like a coiled tube and is filled with fluid. The other options, such as the Eustachian tube, semicircular canal, and auditory canal, are also structures in the ear but are not directly involved in this process.

Question 8

Svetlana is having trouble detecting sounds of a certain pitch.However, there is no damage to her basilar membrane.Her hearing problem is probably best explained by:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Svetlana is having trouble detecting sounds of...

Question 9

The external flap of tissues that helps capture sound and funnel it down into the auditory canal is called the:

Accepted Answer

The external flap of tissues that helps capture sound and funnel it down into the auditory canal is called the pinna. The tympanic membrane is also known as the eardrum, the basilar membrane is located within the inner ear and is responsible for transducing sound into neural signals, and the auditory canal is the tube-like structure that connects the pinna to the eardrum.

Question 10

According to frequency theory, pitch perception is partially determined by:

Accepted Answer

Frequency theory suggests that the pitch is perceived based on the frequency of the neural impulses generated by the hair cells in the cochlea. As sound waves enter the ear, they vibrate the basilar membrane and the hair cells start generating neural impulses at a rate that corresponds to the frequency of the sound wave. Therefore, the frequency theory suggests that the pitch perception is based on the frequency of neural impulses traveling along the auditory pathways.

Question 11

Research into auditory perception has shown that high frequency sounds cause the basilar membrane to become:

Accepted Answer

High frequency sounds cause the basilar membrane to vibrate most strongly near the oval window, which is the end closest to the middle ear where the sound is transmitted. This creates a tonotopic map where high frequencies are perceived in the basal end of the cochlea and low frequencies in the apical end.

Question 12

Place theory of pitch perception runs into problems because:

Accepted Answer

The place theory of pitch perception is based on the assumption that hair cells in the basilar membrane act independently and each respond to a specific frequency of sound. However, recent research has shown that these hair cells are not completely independent and can influence each other's response, causing problems for the place theory.

Question 13

Due to refractory periods, frequency theory has problems when it comes to:

Accepted Answer

Frequency theory suggests that the rate of neural impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a sound wave. However, the refractory period limits the rate at which neural impulses can fire, particularly at high frequencies. Therefore, frequency theory has problems with high frequency sounds.

Question 14

Simon took his car to a mechanic because he heard a strange sound whenever he turned the steering wheel to the left.The mechanic was able to quickly identify the problem, just by listening to the sound the car made.The mechanic's quick identification of the problem illustrates:

Accepted Answer

The mechanic used top-down processing, which involves using background knowledge and expectations to interpret sensory information. In this case, the mechanic's experience and knowledge about cars allowed him to quickly identify the problem based on the sound.

Question 15

When groups of neurons generate impulses rapidly in succession, to provide additional clues about pitch, they are creating:

Accepted Answer

When groups of neurons fire rapidly in succession, they create a volley of impulses, which helps provide additional clues about pitch. This is known as volley theory. Therefore, the correct choice is D - volleys.

Question 16

The structure within the cochlea that contains the auditory receptors is called the:

Accepted Answer

The auditory receptors, also known as hair cells, are located on the basilar membrane within the cochlea. The pinna is the outer ear, the tympanic membrane is the eardrum, and the auditory canal connects the outer ear to the middle ear.

Question 17

After a small section of his basilar membrane was damaged, Dimitri experienced a noticeable loss of hearing for high-pitched sounds only.Dimitri's hearing loss is best explained using the theory of pitch perception known as the:

Accepted Answer

The place theory of pitch perception states that different frequencies of sound waves activate different areas of the basilar membrane, and that the location of activation corresponds to the perceived pitch of the sound. Therefore, damage to a specific section of the basilar membrane can cause a loss of hearing for a particular range of pitches. In Dimitri's case, his hearing loss for high-pitched sounds only suggests that only a small section of his basilar membrane is damaged, which is consistent with the place theory of pitch perception.

Question 18

The three small bones that help intensify sound during hearing are contained in the:

Accepted Answer

The three small bones (malleus, incus, and stapes) are located in the middle ear. They work together to amplify and transmit sound waves to the inner ear, where they are converted into electrical signals that the brain interprets as sound.

Question 19

According to the place theory of pitch perception, pitch is partially determined by:

Accepted Answer

According to the place theory of pitch perception, pitch is partially determined by the location of the activated hair cells on the basilar membrane. The basilar membrane is organized so that high-frequency sounds generate maximum displacement at one end and low-frequency sounds generate maximum displacement at the other end. Therefore, the location of the hair cells that are activated by a sound wave contributes to the perception of its pitch.

Question 20

The cochlea is contained in the:

Accepted Answer

The cochlea is a spiral-shaped organ located in the inner ear, specifically in the vestibulocochlear (auditory) nerve, and it's responsible for hearing. The semicircular canals are also located in the inner ear, but they're responsible for balance and spatial orientation. The auditory canal is part of the outer ear, and it's where sound enters the ear. Finally, the middle ear contains the eardrum, three small bones (ossicles), and the Eustachian tube, which helps regulate air pressure.

Quiz 5: Sensation and Perception