Question 1

The simple process of detecting the presence of stimuli is often referred to as
A) seeing.
B) hearing.
C) sensation.
D) perception.
E) attention.

Accepted Answer

Sensation refers to the process of detecting and encoding information from the environment through the use of sensory receptors. Seeing and hearing are specific examples of sensations, but sensation itself encompasses all five senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell) as well as other internal sensations, such as hunger or thirst. Perception, on the other hand, refers to the process of interpreting and organizing sensory information into meaningful representations. Attention is the process of selectively focusing on certain aspects of the environment while ignoring others.

Question 2

Which ossicle is attached to the round window?
A) malleus
B) incus
C) hammer
D) both A and C
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

E is correct because the ossicles are attached to the tympanic membrane and oval window, not the round window.

Question 3

The frequency of sound waves is to the complexity of sound waves as the
A) pitch of sound is to the timbre.
B) amplitude of sound is to the loudness.
C) pitch of sound is to the amplitude.
D) timbre of sound is to the loudness.
E) loudness of sound is to the timbre.

Accepted Answer

The frequency of sound waves determines the pitch of the sound, while the complexity of sound waves (which includes harmonics and overtones) contributes to the timbre or quality of the sound. Therefore, the relationship between frequency and complexity is similar to the relationship between pitch and timbre.

Question 4

For humans, sounds are those molecular vibrations between about __________ hertz.
A) 20 and 200
B) 2,000 and 20,000
C) 200 and 2,000
D) 200 and 8,000
E) 20 and 20,000

Accepted Answer

According to the question, the range of molecular vibrations for humans to perceive sounds is being asked for. Among the given choices, option E (20 and 20,000 hertz) is the best answer as it covers the complete range of audible frequencies for humans.

Question 5

Modern neuroscientific theory considers sensory systems to be
A) analog, parallel, and general.
B) functionally segregated, serial, and parallel.
C) hierarchical, functionally segregated, and parallel.
D) functionally segregated, serial, and sequential.
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

Modern neuroscientific theory considers sensory systems to be hierarchical, functionally segregated, and parallel. This means that there is a system of organization where each level of processing is specialized for a specific function, and that sensory information is processed in parallel through multiple pathways.

Question 6

Which of the following contains the receptors of the vestibular system?
A) the basilar membrane
B) the semicircular canals
C) the ossicles
D) the vestibular nucleus
E) the cochlea

Accepted Answer

The semicircular canals contain the receptors of the vestibular system, which are specialized hair cells that detect changes in head rotation and movement. The basilar membrane and cochlea are part of the auditory system, while the ossicles transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the cochlea. The vestibular nucleus is a group of neurons in the brainstem that receive information from the vestibular organs and help coordinate balance and eye movements.

Question 7

A hierarchical system is one in which
A) there is one absolute top.
B) there is one absolute bottom.
C) each element has specific levels or ranks with respect to one another.
D) no two elements are at the same level.
E) there is no cortical involvement.

Accepted Answer

A hierarchical system is one in which elements have specific levels or ranks with respect to one another. This implies that there are different levels and not all elements are at the same level. It does not necessarily require one absolute top or bottom, and cortical involvement is not relevant to the definition.

Question 8

The auditory system is organized
A) retinotopically.
B) geographically.
C) tonotopically.
D) somatotopically.
E) volumetrically.

Accepted Answer

The auditory system is organized tonotopically, meaning that different frequencies of sound are processed and represented in specialized areas of the auditory cortex in a spatially organized manner. This organization allows for efficient processing and perception of complex sounds.

Question 9

Because sensory systems are characterized by functional segregation while perception is largely holistic, there is a
A) binding problem.
B) need for feedback circuits.
C) flaw in serial coding.
D) flaw in parallel coding.
E) segregation problem.

Accepted Answer

The binding problem refers to the challenge of explaining how the brain integrates the different sensory signals into a unified perception. As sensory systems process information independently, it is unclear how the brain manages to bind perceptual attributes like color, shape, and location into a single object or event.

Question 10

A system in which information is conducted in a single route through its various components - like a string through beads - is called a
A) parallel system.
B) functional system.
C) hierarchical system.
D) serial system.
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

A serial system is one in which information flows in a single route through its various components, in a sequential or linear manner. This is similar to a string passing through beads, where each bead represents a component of the system and the string represents the flow of information. The other options, parallel, functional, and hierarchical systems, involve different configurations of information flow through multiple components or levels.

Question 11

A major principle of sensory system organization is
A) hierarchical organization.
B) functional segregation.
C) parallel processing.
D) all of the above
E) both A and B

Accepted Answer

All of the choices are major principles of sensory system organization. Hierarchical organization refers to the idea that sensory processing occurs through a series of increasingly complex and specialized brain regions. Functional segregation means that different sensory modalities are processed by different areas of the brain. Parallel processing refers to the idea that multiple aspects of a sensory stimulus are processed simultaneously, such as color, shape, and movement in visual processing.

Question 12

Each cortical level of a sensory system (primary, secondary, or association) is itself composed of different areas that mediate different psychological processes. This principle of sensory system organization is referred to as
A) functional segregation.
B) parallel processing.
C) the binding problem.
D) hierarchical organization.
E) serial processing.

Accepted Answer

The principle of sensory system organization that is referred to as functional segregation states that each cortical level of a sensory system (primary, secondary, or association) is composed of different areas that mediate different psychological processes.

Question 13

The loudness, pitch, and timbre of a sound are directly related to the __________, respectively, of the vibrations that produced it.
A) frequency, amplitude, and complexity
B) amplitude, complexity, and frequency
C) amplitude, frequency, and complexity
D) complexity, frequency, and amplitude
E) none of the above

Accepted Answer

The loudness of a sound is directly related to its amplitude, which is the height of the sound wave. The pitch of a sound is directly related to its frequency, which is the number of waves that pass a particular point in a given amount of time. The timbre of a sound is directly related to its complexity, which is the number and relative strength of the overtones in the sound wave. Therefore, option C, amplitude, frequency, and complexity, is the correct answer.

Question 14

The malleus, incus, and stapes
A) are small bones that transmit vibrations from the ear drum to the oval window.
B) are small bones that transmit vibrations from the oval window to the round window.
C) were the three ships of Christopher Columbus.
D) are small bones in the inner ear.
E) both B and D

Accepted Answer

The malleus, incus, and stapes are three small bones located in the middle ear that transmit vibrations from the ear drum to the oval window. This process is part of the mechanism of hearing. Option B is incorrect because the vibrations are transmitted from the oval window to the inner ear, not the other way around. Option C is irrelevant and option D is partially correct but incomplete.

Question 15

Which of the following auditory structures has the appearance of a snail and has a name that is derived from the Greek word for land snail?
A) ossicles
B) cochlea
C) malleus
D) tectorial membrane
E) olive

Accepted Answer

The structure that has the appearance of a snail and has a name derived from the Greek word for land snail is the cochlea. The word "cochlea" comes from the Greek word "kokhlias," which means "spiral-shaped." The ossicles (A) are three tiny bones in the middle ear that help transmit sound vibrations. The malleus (C) is one of the three ossicles. The tectorial membrane (D) is a gelatinous structure that extends over the hair cells of the cochlea. The olive (E) is a structure in the brainstem that is involved in sound localization.

Question 16

Which of the following is part of the organ of Corti?
A) the semicircular canals
B) the hair cells
C) the basilar membrane
D) all of the above
E) both B and C

Accepted Answer

The organ of Corti is part of the cochlea in the inner ear and consists of specialized hair cells and the basilar membrane. Therefore, the correct answer is E (both B and C) as the hair cells and the basilar membrane are both components of the organ of Corti. The semicircular canals, on the other hand, are part of the vestibular system, which is responsible for balance and spatial orientation.

Question 17

Resting on the auditory hair cells is the
A) cochlea.
B) basilar membrane.
C) organ of Corti.
D) tectorial membrane.
E) auditory nerve.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Resting on the auditory hair cells is...

Question 18

The visual system is to retinotopic as the auditory system is to
A) homotopic.
B) spatiotopic.
C) intensity topic.
D) tonotopic.
E) timbre topic.

Accepted Answer

The term "tonotopic" refers to the organization of the auditory system based on the frequency of sound, with neighboring frequencies being represented by neighboring neurons in the auditory pathway. This is similar to how the visual system is organized retinotopically, with neighboring regions of the retina being represented by neighboring neurons in the visual pathway.

Question 19

Areas of neocortex that receive most of their input from the thalamic relay nuclei of one sensory system are classified as
A) association cortex.
B) tertiary cortex.
C) motor cortex.
D) secondary sensory cortex.
E) primary sensory cortex.

Accepted Answer

The areas of neocortex that receive most of their input from the thalamic relay nuclei of one sensory system are classified as primary sensory cortex. This includes the primary visual cortex, primary auditory cortex, and primary somatosensory cortex.

Question 20

An area of cerebral cortex that receives substantial input from more than one sensory system is classified as
A) hierarchical cortex.
B) primary sensory cortex.
C) secondary sensory cortex.
D) association cortex.
E) both A and B

Accepted Answer

Association cortex receives input from multiple sensory systems and is involved in integrating and processing information from these sensory systems to form complex perceptions and behaviors. Hierarchical cortex is a term used to describe the organization of cortical areas based on their level of processing, whereas primary and secondary sensory cortices are primarily involved in initial processing of sensory information.

Quiz 7: Mechanisms of Perception

The simple process of detecting the presence of stimuli is often referred to as

Which ossicle is attached to the round window?

The frequency of sound waves is to the complexity of sound waves as the

For humans, sounds are those molecular vibrations between about __________ hertz.

Modern neuroscientific theory considers sensory systems to be

Which of the following contains the receptors of the vestibular system?

A hierarchical system is one in which

The auditory system is organized

Because sensory systems are characterized by functional segregation while perception is largely holistic, there is a

A system in which information is conducted in a single route through its various components - like a string through beads - is called a

A major principle of sensory system organization is

Each cortical level of a sensory system (primary, secondary, or association) is itself composed of different areas that mediate different psychological processes. This principle of sensory system organization is referred to as

The loudness, pitch, and timbre of a sound are directly related to the __________, respectively, of the vibrations that produced it.

The malleus, incus, and stapes

Which of the following auditory structures has the appearance of a snail and has a name that is derived from the Greek word for land snail?

Which of the following is part of the organ of Corti?

Resting on the auditory hair cells is the

The visual system is to retinotopic as the auditory system is to

Areas of neocortex that receive most of their input from the thalamic relay nuclei of one sensory system are classified as

An area of cerebral cortex that receives substantial input from more than one sensory system is classified as