Which of the following is the best example of the phi phenomenon as studied in AP Psychology?

• A. Detecting a faint sound in a noisy environment
• B. Noticing a change in the color of a stationary object over time
• C. Recognizing a familiar face in a crowd
• D. Perceiving movement when two adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the phi phenomenon is a perceptual illusion where the brain perceives continuous motion between separate objects that are shown in rapid succession.
2. Recall that this phenomenon is related to visual perception and how the brain interprets stimuli that are close in space and time as movement.
3. Analyze each option to see which one involves perceiving motion from stationary stimuli presented in sequence.
4. Identify that 'perceiving movement when two adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession' fits the definition of the phi phenomenon because it creates the illusion of motion between the lights.
5. Conclude that the other options involve different psychological concepts such as auditory detection, color perception, or facial recognition, which are not examples of the phi phenomenon.