Question 1

Which of the following best describes the difference between sensation and perception?

Accepted Answer

Sensation is the act of using our sensory systems to detect environmental stimuli, while perception is the conscious recognition and interpretation of those stimuli.

Question 2

According to Fechner’s Law, the just noticeable difference (JND) is:

Accepted Answer

A constant proportion of the original stimulus intensity, expressed as $ \Delta I / I = k $.

Question 3

Which scenario best illustrates sensory adaptation?

Accepted Answer

You stop noticing the feeling of your shirt tag after wearing it for a few hours.

Question 4

Why does food taste different when you have a cold or flu?

Accepted Answer

Because the sense of smell, which contributes to flavor, is impaired due to nasal congestion.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of inattentional blindness?

Accepted Answer

Failing to notice a gorilla walking through a basketball game while focused on counting passes.

Question 6

Which statement about rods and cones is correct?

Accepted Answer

Cones are responsible for color vision and are concentrated in the fovea, while rods are more numerous and sensitive to light, especially in the periphery.

Question 7

Which of the following best explains why turning down the car radio might help you find a parking spot?

Accepted Answer

Reducing auditory distractions allows for increased cognitive resources to be allocated to visual processing.

Question 8

Which theory explains how we perceive color through three types of receptors sensitive to different wavelengths?

Accepted Answer

Trichromatic theory

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT a monocular cue for depth perception?

Accepted Answer

Binocular disparity

Question 10

Which part of the auditory system is responsible for converting sound waves into neural impulses?

Accepted Answer

The cochlea, specifically the hair cells on the basilar membrane

Question 11

A person who cannot recognize faces but can identify objects likely has:

Accepted Answer

Prosopagnosia

Question 12

Which formula represents the absolute threshold for a sensory system?

Accepted Answer

$ S_{abs} = \min(S) $

Question 13

Which Gestalt principle explains why we perceive objects that are close together as belonging to a group?

Accepted Answer

Proximity

Question 14

Which of the following best describes the opponent-process theory of color vision?

Accepted Answer

Color pairs work to inhibit each other, such as red-green and blue-yellow.

Question 15

Which of the following is a function of the vestibular system?

Accepted Answer

Maintaining balance and body posture

Question 16

Which type of hearing loss is caused by a problem delivering sound to the cochlea?

Accepted Answer

Conductive hearing loss

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the process of transduction in sensory systems?

Accepted Answer

The transformation of physical stimuli into electrical neural signals by receptor cells.

Question 18

Which of the following is true about super-tasters?

Accepted Answer

They are more sensitive to bitter tastes and make up a higher proportion of women.

Question 19

Which pathway in the visual system is primarily responsible for object recognition?

Accepted Answer

The 'what' pathway to the temporal lobe

Question 20

Which of the following best illustrates top-down processing?

Accepted Answer

Using prior knowledge and expectations to interpret ambiguous sensory information.

Chapter 5: Sensation and Perception – Study Notes

Study Guide - Practice Questions

Study Guide - Flashcards