Question 1

If a person hears two sounds that fluctuate in intensity,the point at which he or she can detect the contrast in the sounds is referred to as the
A)difference threshold.
B)amplitude.
C)absolute threshold.
D)saturation.

Accepted Answer

The difference threshold, also known as the just noticeable difference, is the minimum amount of difference between two stimuli that a person can detect 50% of the time. In this scenario, the two fluctuating sounds are the stimuli and the point at which the person can detect a difference in intensity between them is the difference threshold. Therefore, choice A is the best answer.

Question 2

Rachel jogs in the morning.Her friend,who is jogging behind her,only has a 50 percent chance of calling out to her when she is 15 feet away from her.In this scenario,Rachel's _____ for detecting her friend's call is at a distance of 15 feet.
A)absolute threshold
B)frequency
C)amplitude
D)perceptual set

Accepted Answer

Absolute threshold refers to the minimum stimulation needed for a person to detect a particular stimulus. In this scenario, Rachel's ability to detect her friend's call when she is 15 feet away from her can be considered as her absolute threshold for auditory senses. Her friend's call is the stimulus, and Rachel's ability to detect it at that distance is her absolute threshold. Therefore, option A) is the best choice.

Question 3

The _____ theory of perception states that detection of sensory stimuli depends on a variety of factors besides the physical intensity of the stimulus and the sensory abilities of the observer.
A)opponent process
B)trichromatic
C)signal detection
D)activation-synthesis

Accepted Answer

The statement refers to the signal detection theory, which posits that perception is influenced by individual factors such as motivation, expectations, and prior experiences, in addition to physical stimuli and sensory abilities. The opponent process theory pertains to color vision, the trichromatic theory pertains to the processing of color in the retina, and the activation-synthesis theory pertains to the neurobiological basis of dreaming.

Question 4

Jonathan has a plate that holds 20 cup cakes.He would notice if one of them went missing.However,on a table with 200 cup cakes,he would notice only if five cup cakes went missing.This phenomenon is best explained by
A)the Ponzo illusion.
B)Weber's law.
C)Throndike's law.
D)the Stroop effect.

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon can be explained by Weber's law, which states that the just noticeable difference (JND) between two stimuli is proportional to the magnitude of the stimuli. In this case, the JND for Jonathan is higher when there are 200 cupcakes compared to when there are 20 cupcakes. This means that it takes a larger difference in the number of cupcakes for Jonathan to notice a change in the former scenario.

Question 5

Josh,a teenager,is attending his first party.He wants to ask a girl,Fiona,to dance but does not know whether she will say yes.He notices that Fiona is pretty,a little shy,and wants to dance.He also sees that she is not surrounded by friends.Which component of the signal detection theory is Josh illustrating by gathering these details about Fiona?
A)information acquisition
B)criterion
C)false alarm
D)sensory failure

Accepted Answer

Josh is gathering information about Fiona, such as her appearance, behavior, and social situation, in order to make a decision about whether to ask her to dance. This is an example of information acquisition, which is a component of signal detection theory that involves gathering relevant information to make a decision.

Question 6

Jenny detects a change in brightness when a 25W light bulb is replaced with a 100W light bulb but not when it is replaced with a 50W light bulb.However,she detects a change if the same 50W light bulb is replaced with a 200W light bulb.The differences in Jenny's ability to perceive these changes can be explained by
A)the Stroop effect.
B)Thorndike's law.
C)the Ponzo illusion.
D)Weber's law.

Accepted Answer

This scenario demonstrates Weber's law, which states that the smallest noticeable difference in stimulus intensity (i.e., the just noticeable difference, or JND) is a constant proportion of the initial stimulus intensity. In this case, the difference between the 25W and 100W light bulbs exceeds the JND, while the difference between the 25W and 50W bulbs does not. The same is true for the difference between the 50W and 200W bulbs. This suggests that the JND for brightness is a constant proportion of the initial brightness, which is in line with Weber's law.

Question 7

Which of the following statements is true of difference thresholds?
A)They increase as a stimulus becomes stronger.
B)They are irrelevant and competing stimuli.
C)They are the minimum amount of stimulus energy that a person can detect.
D)They increase the ability to perceive information below the level of conscious awareness.

Accepted Answer

Difference thresholds, also known as just noticeable differences (JND), refer to the minimum difference in magnitude between two stimuli before one can perceive this difference. This threshold increases as the stimulus becomes stronger, according to Weber's Law, which states that the size of the just noticeable difference is a constant proportion of the original stimulus value.

Question 8

Mary requests her neighbor to turn down the volume of his television so that Mary does not hear it.The volume at which Mary cannot hear the television most of the time is
A)below her absolute threshold.
B)above her difference threshold.
C)above the level of noise.
D)below her expected level of noise.

Accepted Answer

The volume at which Mary cannot hear the television most of the time is below her absolute threshold. The absolute threshold is the minimum level of stimulus intensity needed for a stimulus to be detected. In this case, if the television volume is below Mary's absolute threshold, she will not be able to hear it.

Question 9

Craig likes to add two spoons of sugar to his coffee.When he adds three spoons of sugar to his coffee,he does not notice a difference.Craig also likes to add two spoons of sugar to his milk.In this case,however,he notices a difference when he adds three spoons of sugar.This phenomenon is best explained by
A)the Ponzo illusion.
B)the Stroop effect.
C)Weber's law.
D)Thorndike's law.

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is best explained by Weber's law, which states that the just noticeable difference (JND) between two stimuli is proportional to the magnitude of the stimuli. In this case, the JND for Craig's coffee is higher than the JND for his milk, causing him to notice a difference when adding an extra spoon of sugar to his milk but not to his coffee.

Question 10

Thomas,a war veteran,still experiences occasional aches in the arm that was amputated when he was injured in a war.In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,Thomas's condition best illustrates the phenomenon of
A)extra sensory perception.
B)synaesthesia.
C)phantom limb pain.
D)incubation.

Accepted Answer

Phantom limb pain is the sensation of feeling pain or discomfort in a limb that has been amputated. This phenomenon is thought to occur due to the brain's attempt to interpret signals from sensory receptors that were previously connected to the amputated limb. In Thomas's case, his occasional aches in the amputated arm are an example of phantom limb pain.

Question 11

In the context of sensation and perception,_____ is the minimum amount of stimulus energy that a person can detect.
A)noise
B)amplitude
C)perceptual set
D)absolute threshold

Accepted Answer

The absolute threshold is the minimum amount of stimulus energy required for a person to detect a stimulus at least 50% of the time. It represents the boundary between not being able to detect a stimulus (subthreshold) and being able to detect it (suprathreshold).

Question 12

Gary lives near an intersection.In his hall,he can hear cars honking.However,in his bedroom,he cannot hear any cars honking.In this scenario,the volume of car honks in Gary's bedroom fall below his
A)expectation.
B)arbitrary value.
C)absolute threshold.
D)upper limit.

Accepted Answer

The absolute threshold refers to the minimum stimulus intensity required for detection by an individual. In this scenario, the volume of car honks in Gary's bedroom falls below his absolute threshold, meaning the sound is not strong enough for his auditory system to perceive it.

Question 13

Daniel wants to find out if he can notice the difference in light intensity when he adds some lit candles to a set of lit candles.When he adds 24 candles to his set,he notices the difference in intensity half the time.When he adds 11 candles to his set,he notices the difference a quarter of the time.In this scenario,Daniel's absolute threshold for detecting the change in light intensity is at _____ candles.
A)11
B)35
C)13
D)24

Accepted Answer

The answer of Daniel wants to find out if he...

Question 14

_____ is the term given to irrelevant and competing stimuli.
A)Noise
B)Pinna
C)Threshold
D)Saturation

Accepted Answer

Noise refers to any irrelevant and competing stimuli in the environment that can interfere with the processing of relevant information.

Question 15

While eating dinner,Steve tries to overhear the conversation in his neighbouring booth.However,he is unable to hear the conversation.In this scenario,the conversation in Steve's neighbouring booth likely falls below Steve's
A)absolute threshold.
B)perceptual set.
C)saturation point.
D)amplitude ratio.

Accepted Answer

Absolute threshold refers to the minimum amount of stimulus needed for a person to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time. In the scenario described, Steve is unable to hear the conversation, which suggests that it falls below his absolute threshold for hearing.

Question 16

In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,a person's ability to sense future events is known as
A)antipathy.
B)levitation.
C)precognition.
D)telekinesis.

Accepted Answer

The ability to sense future events is known as precognition, which is not supported by scientific evidence but is often referred to in popular culture and mythology. Antipathy refers to a strong dislike or aversion towards someone or something. Levitation refers to the act of rising into the air without any external support. Telekinesis refers to the supposed ability to move objects through psychic powers without physical contact.

Question 17

Subliminally presented stimuli
A)can sometimes be subconsciously perceived.
B)have a strong effect on the brain.
C)can reverse the flow of information in a neuron.
D)cause absolute thresholds to increase.

Accepted Answer

Subliminally presented stimuli can sometimes be subconsciously perceived, meaning that they can be processed by the brain without our conscious awareness. However, subliminal stimuli do not have a strong effect on the brain, reverse the flow of information in a neuron, or cause absolute thresholds to increase.

Question 18

In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,a person's ability to read another person's mind is known as
A)telekinesis.
B)levitation.
C)antipathy.
D)telepathy.

Accepted Answer

Telepathy is the ability to read another person's thoughts or communicate mentally without using physical senses. This concept is often associated with paranormal or supernatural abilities, but there is currently no scientific evidence to support the existence of such abilities. Therefore, telepathy is still considered a pseudoscientific concept.

Question 19

_____ refers to detection of information below the level of conscious awareness.
A)Subliminal perception
B)Selective attention
C)Inattentional blindness
D)Emotion-induced blindness

Accepted Answer

Subliminal perception refers to the processing of sensory information without conscious awareness. This can include stimuli such as words, images, or sounds that are presented too quickly or too faintly to be consciously perceived, yet they can still have an impact on our behavior and attitudes.

Question 20

Which of the following examples best illustrates extrasensory perception (ESP)?
A)George sleeps through a meeting.
B)Tony runs faster than the others in a race.
C)Jeff reads another person's mind.
D)Richard reads a book.

Accepted Answer

ESP refers to the ability to perceive information through means other than the normal senses. Reading another person's mind would be an example of ESP. A, B, and D do not involve ESP.

Quiz 4: Sensation and Perception

If a person hears two sounds that fluctuate in intensity,the point at which he or she can detect the contrast in the sounds is referred to as the

Rachel jogs in the morning.Her friend,who is jogging behind her,only has a 50 percent chance of calling out to her when she is 15 feet away from her.In this scenario,Rachel's _____ for detecting her friend's call is at a distance of 15 feet.

The _____ theory of perception states that detection of sensory stimuli depends on a variety of factors besides the physical intensity of the stimulus and the sensory abilities of the observer.

Jonathan has a plate that holds 20 cup cakes.He would notice if one of them went missing.However,on a table with 200 cup cakes,he would notice only if five cup cakes went missing.This phenomenon is best explained by

Which of the following statements is true of difference thresholds?

Mary requests her neighbor to turn down the volume of his television so that Mary does not hear it.The volume at which Mary cannot hear the television most of the time is

Thomas,a war veteran,still experiences occasional aches in the arm that was amputated when he was injured in a war.In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,Thomas's condition best illustrates the phenomenon of

In the context of sensation and perception,_____ is the minimum amount of stimulus energy that a person can detect.

Gary lives near an intersection.In his hall,he can hear cars honking.However,in his bedroom,he cannot hear any cars honking.In this scenario,the volume of car honks in Gary's bedroom fall below his

_____ is the term given to irrelevant and competing stimuli.

While eating dinner,Steve tries to overhear the conversation in his neighbouring booth.However,he is unable to hear the conversation.In this scenario,the conversation in Steve's neighbouring booth likely falls below Steve's

In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,a person's ability to sense future events is known as

Subliminally presented stimuli

In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,a person's ability to read another person's mind is known as

_____ refers to detection of information below the level of conscious awareness.

Which of the following examples best illustrates extrasensory perception (ESP) ?