Question 1

Temporal theory accounts for the encoding of sounds under _________ Hz.

Accepted Answer

Temporal theory accounts for the encoding of sounds under 4,000 Hz, explaining how the timing of nerve impulses corresponds to the frequency of a sound.

Question 2

Axons from ________ first synapse in the superior olive in the pons, which in turn forms connections via the lateral lemniscus with the inferior colliculus.

Accepted Answer

The ventral cochlear nucleus is the first to send axons that synapse in the superior olive in the pons, which then connects via the lateral lemniscus to the inferior colliculus.

Question 3

Nicholas plays guitar and Anthony plays bass for their rock band. The guitar produces higher frequencies than the bass does. When they turn up their amplifiers to 80 dB, how will the instruments sound to their neighbors?

Accepted Answer

The guitar produces higher frequencies than the bass, which means that it will sound louder to the human ear, even if both instruments are amplified to the same level. Therefore, Nicholas's guitar will sound louder than Anthony's bass when they turn up their amplifiers to 80 dB.

Question 4

Complex stimuli such as clicks, noise bursts, and sounds with specific frequency patterns particularly activate

Accepted Answer

The answer of  Complex stimuli such as clicks, noise bursts,...

Question 5

The analysis of equal loudness contours indicates that

Accepted Answer

High frequencies are perceived as louder than low frequencies at the same physical sound level. This is because the human ear is more sensitive to high frequencies, and equal loudness contours demonstrate that higher sound pressure levels are required at low frequencies to achieve the same perceived loudness as at high frequencies.

Question 6

Matthew did not awaken when his rather noisy roommate came back to their dorm room in the very early hours of the morning. It is most likely that Matthew's failure to hear the disturbance resulted from

Accepted Answer

The reticular formation is responsible for regulating arousal and adjusting sensory input to match the current state of consciousness. In this case, it is likely that Matthew's reticular formation adjusted his hearing sensitivity to match his deep sleep state, making him less responsive to the noise. The other options, such as inner ear damage, temporary deficits in glutamate, and stimulation of the superior olivary nucleus, are less likely explanations for why Matthew did not hear the noise.

Question 7

The difference in arrival times at each ear for sounds coming from directly in front of you or behind you is about _________ msec.

Accepted Answer

Sounds coming directly from in front or behind a listener arrive at both ears at the same time, resulting in a 0.0 msec difference in arrival times.

Question 8

The difference in arrival times at each ear for sounds coming from a point perpendicular to your head on either side is about _________ msec.

Accepted Answer

The answer of  The difference in arrival times at each...

Question 9

Whitney is studying for a quiz and writes in her notes that primary auditory cortex is located in the _____ lobe.

Accepted Answer

The primary auditory cortex is responsible for processing auditory information and is located in the temporal lobe. The frontal lobe is responsible for executive functions such as decision making, planning, and reasoning. The parietal lobe is involved in sensory processing and spatial awareness, while the occipital lobe is responsible for visual processing.

Question 10

Brittany played a middle C note on the piano, which corresponds to about 261 Hz. It is likely that this tone will

Accepted Answer

Middle C, which corresponds to 261 Hz, falls within the range of frequencies that are best processed according to temporal theory. This theory suggests that the brain detects pitch based on the frequency of neural impulses that are firing in synchrony with the sound wave. For frequencies between 100-4000 Hz, such as middle C, this theory is most effective. Place theory is better suited for high frequencies, and low frequencies are processed by a combination of both place and temporal theories. The idea that the tone would produce nausea due to being infrasound (sound below the range of human hearing, typically below 20 Hz) is not applicable in this case. Finally, the notion that the tone would produce a peak response at the base of the basilar membrane is not accurate, as middle C would produce a peak response near the middle of the basilar membrane.

Question 11

If I increase the volume on my stereo by 10 dB, from 60 dB to 70 dB, my family will probably perceive the loudness of the music as

Accepted Answer

Perception of loudness is not a linear relationship with sound intensity measured in decibels (dB). Here, increasing the volume by 10 dB means doubling the sound intensity. However, a perceived doubling in loudness requires an increase in sound intensity by a factor of 10. Therefore, increasing the volume by 10 dB would make the music seem about 2 times louder than before.

Question 12

The subjective perception of loudness

Accepted Answer

The subjective perception of loudness changes at a slower rate than the intensity of a stimulus. This is because the perceived loudness of a stimulus is influenced by many factors, including the frequency of the sound, the duration of the sound, and the individual's hearing sensitivity. Therefore, even small changes in intensity may not result in a noticeable change in perceived loudness.

Question 13

A single auditory neuron can usually respond to a range of sound intensity of about _______ dB.

Accepted Answer

A single auditory neuron can typically respond to a range of sound intensity of about 40 dB, allowing it to detect variations in loudness within this range.

Question 14

Arrival time of sound at the two ears is processed initially by binaural neurons in the

Accepted Answer

The arrival time of sound at the two ears is processed initially by binaural neurons in the superior olive. The cochlea is responsible for the detection of soundwaves and conversion into electrical signals, while the ventral cochlear nucleus is responsible for separating sounds into their frequency components. Therefore, choices A and B are incorrect. Choice C is a duplicate of Choice B.

Question 15

Juan is studying for a quiz and records that the axons from the _____ cochlear nucleus will first synapse in the ____ in the pons before being sent to the inferior colliculi.

Accepted Answer

The axons from the ventral cochlear nucleus first synapse in the superior olive in the pons before being sent to the inferior colliculi. This pathway is part of the auditory system, which processes sound information from the ears to the brain.

Question 16

High frequencies are processed by _________ areas of A1, or primary motor cortex.

Accepted Answer

High frequencies are processed by the caudal areas of the primary auditory cortex (A1), not the primary motor cortex.

Question 17

The fact that auditory cortex is tonotopically organized means that

Accepted Answer

Tonotopic organization means that neurons responding to similar frequencies are located next to each other in the auditory cortex. It does not relate to the assignment of different areas of cortex to each ear or different numbers of neurons assigned to different levels of loudness. Similarly, it does not relate to the organization of neurons by amplitude.

Question 18

Rigoberto is studying for a quiz and records that the axons from the inferior colliculi synapse in the _________ of the thalamus.

Accepted Answer

The axons from the inferior colliculi, which relay auditory information, synapse in the medial geniculate nucleus (MGN) of the thalamus. Option B, the lateral geniculate nucleus, is associated with visual processing, while options C and D are both involved in the processing of auditory information but are not direct targets of axons from the inferior colliculi.

Question 19

According to place theory,

Accepted Answer

Place theory suggests that different parts of the basilar membrane are activated by different frequencies, with the peak of the wave correlating with the sound's frequency.

Question 20

It is particularly difficult to localize sounds that originate at

Accepted Answer

Sounds that originate directly in front or behind us (12 and 6 o'clock) are particularly difficult to localize because the sound waves arrive at both ears simultaneously, making it hard to discern the direction from which the sound is coming.

Quiz 7: Nonvisual Sensation and Perception