Questions and Answers
The detection and encoding of stimulus energies by the nervous system is called:
Bottom-up processing involves analysis that begins with the:
During a hearing test, many sounds were presented at such a low level of intensity that Mr. Antall could hardly ever detect them. These sounds were below Mr. Antall's:
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:
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Sensory adaptation refers to:
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While reading a novel, Raoul isn't easily distracted by the sounds of the TV or even by his brothers' loud arguments. This best illustrates:
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While a student provided directions to a construction worker, two experimenters rudely interrupted by passing between them carrying a door. The student's failure to notice that the construction worker was replaced by a different person during this interruption illustrates:
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The fact that fear may increase your sensitivity to an almost imperceptible pain stimulus is of most relevance to:
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The process by which our sensory systems convert stimulus energies into neural messages is called:
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The amount of light entering the eye is regulated by the:
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Accommodation refers to the:
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Place theory suggests that:
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The semicircular canals are most directly relevant to:
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With her eyes closed, Sierra can accurately touch her mouth, nose, and chin with her index finger. Sierra's accuracy illustrates the importance of:
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Which of the following would play a role in quickly alerting you to a gas leak in your home?
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Study Notes
Sensation and Perception Concepts
- Sensation refers to the detection and encoding of stimulus energies by the nervous system.
- Bottom-up processing begins with sensory receptors and works upwards to brain integration.
- Absolute threshold is the minimum intensity at which a stimulus can be detected, like faint sounds in a hearing test.
Key Theories in Psychology
- Weber's law states that the difference in perception is proportional to the intensity of the initial stimulus; heavier bags require proportionally more weight to feel heavier.
- Sensory adaptation is the process of diminishing sensitivity to an unchanging stimulus, such as becoming less aware of a constant sound over time.
Attention and Awareness
- Selective attention enables focus on a particular stimulus while ignoring others, exemplified by reading despite distractions.
- Change blindness demonstrates the failure to notice a change in a visual stimulus when an interruption occurs.
Pain and Sensitivity
- Signal detection theory explains how emotions, like fear, can heighten sensitivity to stimuli, making subtle changes in pain perception more noticeable.
Processing Sensory Information
- Transduction is the conversion of stimulus energies into neural messages; it occurs in sensory receptors.
- The iris controls the amount of light entering the eye, regulating vision.
Visual and Auditory Processing
- Accommodation is the lens's ability to change shape to focus images clearly on the retina.
- Place theory relates the pitch of sounds to specific stimulation areas in the cochlea’s basilar membrane.
Balance and Body Position
- Semicircular canals are essential for the vestibular sense, helping maintain balance.
- Kinesthesis is the sense of body position and movement, vital for coordination and spatial awareness.
Olfactory Sensation
- Olfactory receptors are crucial for detecting scents, which can alert individuals to environmental hazards like gas leaks.
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Description
Test your knowledge of sensation concepts from Unit 3 of AP Psychology. This quiz covers important terms and processes related to how we detect and interpret sensory information. Challenge yourself with multiple-choice questions to deepen your understanding.