Question 1

Stereotypes are mental conceptions that can strongly influence the way we interpret the behaviors of individuals belonging to specific racial or ethnic groups.A stereotype is most similar to a

Accepted Answer

A)  signal detector. 
B)  sensory adaptation. 
C)  perceptual set. 
D)  difference threshold.

Question 2

In one study,a pictured woman was perceived by some as balancing a box on her head and by others as sitting under a window.The study best illustrated that perceptions are influenced by

Accepted Answer

A)  sensory adaptation. 
B)  masking stimuli. 
C)  context effects. 
D)  subliminal sensation.

Question 3

Sensory adaptation helps us to focus our attention on ________ stimuli.

Accepted Answer

A)  familiar 
B)  subliminal 
C)  novel 
D)  intense

Question 4

The tendency to perceive a moving light in the night sky as belonging to an airplane rather than a moving meteor best illustrates the impact of

Accepted Answer

A)  signal detection. 
B)  sensory adaptation. 
C)  perceptual set. 
D)  bottom-up processing.

Question 5

Weber's law is relevant to an understanding of

Accepted Answer

A)  absolute thresholds. 
B)  difference thresholds. 
C)  sensory adaptation. 
D)  subliminal persuasion.

Question 6

The local fire department sounds the 12 o'clock whistle.The process by which your ears transform the sound waves from the siren into neural impulses is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  an absolute threshold. 
B)  signal detection. 
C)  transduction. 
D)  sensory adaptation.

Question 7

Patients who have negative expectations about the outcome of a surgical procedure may experience increased postoperative pain.This best illustrates the importance of

Accepted Answer

A)  subliminal stimulation. 
B)  sensory adaptation. 
C)  difference thresholds. 
D)  top-down processing.

Question 8

In 1972,a British newspaper published pictures of a "Loch Ness Monster." Many people readily perceived a floating tree trunk in the photographs as the partially submerged monster.This best illustrates the powerful influence of

Accepted Answer

A)  bottom-up processing. 
B)  sensory adaptation. 
C)  subliminal stimulation. 
D)  perceptual set.

Question 9

The brain area that helps us recognize a familiar human face is located in the

Accepted Answer

A)  right hemisphere. 
B)  left hemisphere. 
C)  cerebellum. 
D)  pons.

Question 10

Hearing sad music can tilt the mind toward hearing a spoken word as die rather than as dye.This best illustrates that perception is influenced by

Accepted Answer

A)  subliminal stimuli. 
B)  Weber's law. 
C)  emotion. 
D)  sensory adaptation.

Question 11

The study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli and our psychological experience of them is called

Accepted Answer

A)  transduction. 
B)  signal detection. 
C)  psychophysics. 
D)  Weber's law.

Question 12

A quarter appears larger to a group of children who really want the money than to another group of children who don't.This best illustrates the importance of

Accepted Answer

A)  masking stimuli. 
B)  top-down processing. 
C)  sensory adaptation. 
D)  subliminal stimulation.

Question 13

The process of receiving and representing stimulus energies by the sensory receptors and the nervous system is called

Accepted Answer

A)  priming. 
B)  sensory adaptation. 
C)  top-down processing. 
D)  sensation.

Question 14

Giulio's bag of marbles is twice as heavy as Jim's.If it takes 5 extra marbles to make Jim's bag feel heavier,it will take 10 extra marbles to make Giulio's bag feel heavier.This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  bottom-up processing. 
B)  perceptual set. 
C)  sensory adaptation. 
D)  Weber's law.

Question 15

Transduction refers to the process of

Accepted Answer

A)  organizing and interpreting sensory information. 
B)  activating mental associations. 
C)  transforming stimulus energies into neural impulses. 
D)  drawing on our experience and expectations to construct perceptions.

Question 16

If you move your watchband up your wrist an inch or so,you will feel it for only a few moments.This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  a perceptual set. 
B)  priming. 
C)  sensory adaptation. 
D)  Weber's law.

Question 17

In an experiment,researchers expose participants to subliminal recordings designed to boost their self-esteem.Based on existing research,you would be correct in predicting that the recordings will

Accepted Answer

A)  interfere with the participants' capacity for sensory adaptation. 
B)  have no more impact on participants' self-esteem than a placebo. 
C)  improve participants' capacity for auditory transduction. 
D)  have a positive and long-lasting impact on participants' mood states.

Question 18

Hearing a sequence of sounds of different pitches is to ________ as recognizing the sound sequence as a familiar melody is to ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  absolute threshold;difference threshold 
B)  sensory adaptation;signal detection 
C)  signal detection;sensory adaptation 
D)  sensation;perception

Question 19

A neutral face is perceived as ________ attractive and likeable to people made to feel mildly upset.A hill looks ________ steep to those who feel others understand them.

Accepted Answer

A)  more;less 
B)  less;more 
C)  less;less 
D)  more;more

Question 20

Information processing guided by higher-level mental processes is called

Accepted Answer

A)  prosopagnosia. 
B)  signal detection. 
C)  top-down processing. 
D)  transduction.

Exam 17: Perceptual Interpretation