Psychology Absolute Threshold Quiz

Questions and Answers

What is the absolute threshold?

The smallest amount of energy that will produce a sensation (correct)

The sensation produced by sounds

The maximum amount of energy that can be perceived

The total sensation experienced by an organism

What is the auditory nerve responsible for?

Carrying impulses from the inner ear to the brain

Define binocular fusion.

The process of combining images from both eyes into a single image

What does color blindness result from?

Malfunction in the cones Signup and view all the answers

What are cones in the retina sensitive to?

Color Signup and view all the answers

What does constancy refer to in perception?

The tendency to perceive objects in the same way regardless of changes Signup and view all the answers

What is a decibel?

A measure of the physical intensity of sound Signup and view all the answers

Define the difference threshold.

The smallest change in a physical stimulus that produces a change in sensation in half the trials Signup and view all the answers

What is extrasensory perception (ESP)?

An ability to gain information by means other than ordinary senses Signup and view all the answers

What does gestalt refer to in perception?

The experience from organizing bits of information into meaningful wholes Signup and view all the answers

What is an illusion?

Perception that misrepresents physical stimuli Signup and view all the answers

Define kinesthesis.

The sense of movement and body position Signup and view all the answers

What role does the lens in the eye play?

It focuses light on the retina Signup and view all the answers

What is motion parallax?

The apparent movement of stationary objects relative to one another when the observer changes position Signup and view all the answers

What does the olfactory nerve carry?

Smell impulses from the nose to the brain Signup and view all the answers

What is parapsychology?

The systematic study of ESP and unusual phenomena Signup and view all the answers

Define pitch in terms of sound.

The sensation associated with a sound's frequency Signup and view all the answers

What does psychophysics study?

The relationships between sensory experiences and physical stimuli Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the pupil?

Regulates the amount of light entering the eye Signup and view all the answers

What is referred pain?

The sensation of pain in an area away from the actual source Signup and view all the answers

What does the retina contain?

Light-sensitive receptor cells Signup and view all the answers

Define retinal disparity.

The differences between images on the two retinas Signup and view all the answers

What are rods in the retina sensitive to?

Light, but not to color Signup and view all the answers

What does signal-detection theory study?

The mathematical relationships between motivation, sensitivity, and sensation Signup and view all the answers

What is stereopsis?

The use of retinal disparity to give depth information Signup and view all the answers

What is subliminal advertising?

The attempt to influence people with messages below normal thresholds of detection Signup and view all the answers

What is the vestibular system responsible for?

Regulating the sense of balance Signup and view all the answers

What does Weber's law state?

The larger or stronger a stimulus, the larger the change required to notice a difference Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Sensation and Perception Concepts

Absolute threshold: Minimum energy required to elicit a sensation.
Difference threshold: Smallest change in a stimulus perceived as different, detectable 50% of the time.
Decibel: Measurement of sound intensity, correlating with loudness perception.

Auditory and Visual Systems

Auditory nerve: Transmits sound impulses from the inner ear to the brain.
Olfactory nerve: Carries smell signals from the nose to the brain.
Binocular fusion: Merges images from both eyes into a unified perception.
Retina: Inner layer of the eye containing light-sensitive cells (rods and cones).

Visual Processing and Color

Cones: Color-sensitive retinal cells needing bright light, crucial for daytime vision.
Rods: Light-sensitive cells working well in low light, important for night vision.
Color blindness: Inability to differentiate colors due to cone dysfunction.

Perceptual Mechanisms

Constancy: Perception of objects as consistent across various vantage points and conditions.
Motion parallax: Apparent movement of stationary objects with observer's position changes; closer objects appear to move more than distant ones.
Retinal disparity: Variations between images captured by each eye, aiding depth perception.
Stereopsis: Uses retinal disparity for three-dimensional visual understanding.

Sensory Experience and Psychophysics

Psychophysics: Examines relationships between physical stimuli and sensory experiences.
Signal-detection theory: Analyzes how motivation and sensitivity affect the detection of stimuli.
Weber's Law: Larger stimuli require proportionally larger changes for detection.

Pain and Perception

Referred pain: Pain perceived in a different location than the actual source, often from internal organs.
Illusion: Misinterpretation of physical stimuli leading to distorted perceptions.

Extra-Sensory and Unique Perceptions

Extrasensory perception (ESP): Gathering information beyond standard sensory channels.
Parapsychology: Researches ESP and other extraordinary perceptual phenomena.
Subliminal advertising: Attempts to influence behavior with imperceptible messages.

Balance and Movement

Kinesthesis: Awareness of body movement and position via receptors in muscles and joints.
Vestibular system: Inner ear structure regulating balance through semicircular canals.

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Description

Test your knowledge of key terms related to the absolute threshold in psychology. This quiz covers definitions such as absolute threshold, auditory nerve, and binocular fusion, among others. Perfect for students looking to deepen their understanding of sensory perception.