4. Sensation and Perception

What is the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information?

• Sensation

• Perception

• Transduction

• Acuity

Perception occurs in all 5 senses except for taste and smell.

• True

• False

Transduction refers to the process of:

• Converting physical signals into neural signals

• Forming a mental representation of a physical stimulus

• Stimulating a sense organ

• Sensitivity to sensory stimuli decreasing over time

The sense of touch relies on this type of physical signal:

• Molecules on objects

• Pressure

• Vibrations

• Reflected light

Which of the following is NOT true regarding our senses?

• They are more sensitive to changes in stimulation

• They detect all available sensory signals

• They allow for acclimatization

• They rely on physical stimuli

Which of the following is true regarding absolute thresholds?

• The transition across an absolute threshold is sudden

• A stimulus must be detected 30% of the time to reach it

• They help assess sensitivity

• Touch does not have absolute thresholds

Which of the following scenarios is an example of a Just Noticeable Difference (JND)?

• Maria picks up two bags of groceries and notices that one feels slightly heavier than the other.

• After staring at the same image for a while, Jake stops noticing its colors as vividly as when he first saw it.

• There is a loud boom from thunder, and it wakes Michael up at 4:00 am.

• Ben hears a loud crash outside and quickly turns his attention toward the noise.

Which of the following physical dimensions determine light wave perception?

• Length

• Complexity

• Frequency

• All of the Above

Which of the following bends and focuses light onto the retina?

• Iris

• Cornea

• Lens

• Pupil

In which of the following scenarios would cones be inactive?

• Jaron is looking at a colorful painting in a well-lit gallery and appreciates the vivid reds and blues.

• Greg is walking through his house at night with the lights off and can barely make out the furniture shapes.

• Michael is walking over to Freud’s house on a bright and sunny afternoon (Michael has actually visited Freud’s house)

• Amy is using her phone to zoom in on a small, detailed picture and examines the colors closely.