PSY 201 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY LATEST UPDATE 2026
Sensation - Answers Detection of simple properties of stimuli (color, brightness, etc.), how we detect
and then encode neural signals.
Perception - Answers Process of organizing and interpreting sensory info, goes beyond given info,
how we select, organize and interpret information.
Thresholds - Answers Each sense has an Absolute threshold that is the minimum stimulation required
to detect a stimuli 50% of the time.
Approximate absolute thresholds for Vision - Answers Candle flame 30 miles away.
Approximate absolute thresholds for Smell - Answers One drop of perfume diffused through three
rooms.
Approximate absolute thresholds for Hearing - Answers Ticking watch 20 feet away in a quiet setting.
Approximate absolute thresholds for Taste - Answers Teaspoon of sugar in 2 gallons of water.
Approximate absolute thresholds for Touch - Answers Wing of fly falling onto cheek from 1 cm away.
Difference threshold - Answers How much stimuli change to detect change 50% of the time.
Signal detection theory - Answers Presence of signal how/when amid background noise; asks why do
people respond differently to same stimuli under different circumstances.
Subliminal perception - Answers The processing of info below conscious awareness.
Sensory Adaptation - Answers Reduced sensitivity resulting from constant stimulation such as cold
water, house odors.
Inattentional blindness - Answers Failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed
elsewhere.
Pop-out phenomenon - Answers Highly familiar or distinct stimuli are processed automatically.
Perceptual set - Answers A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another, caused by
schemas.
Schemas - Answers Cognitive structure of social/physical world that helps organize and interpret
unfamiliar info.
Context effects - Answers A given stimulus may trigger radically different perception because of
immediate context.
Bottom-up processing - Answers Progression from individual elements to whole object mainly
through new, test objects.
Top-Down Processing - Answers Progression from whole to elements, from experience, motivation
and expectations.
Gestalt principle - Answers Look at what are the potential principles that describe how our visual
organizes a scene.
Figure-ground - Answers Organize visual fields into objects (the figure) that stand out from the
surrounding (the ground).
Depth perception - Answers 3-D ability of seeing to judge distance.
Classical conditioning - Answers Learning process that involves associating an unconditioned stimulus
with a conditioned stimulus.
Unconditioned stimulus (US) - Answers Condition automatically occurring triggers a response.
Unconditioned response (UR) - Answers Unlearned, naturally occurring response to US.
Conditioned stimulus (CS) - Answers Neutral stimulus that triggers a response after conditioning.
Conditioned response (CR) - Answers Learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.
Operant conditioning - Answers Learned association between actions and consequences.
Reinforcer - Answers Any event that strengthens or increases the frequency of a response.
Primary reinforcer - Answers Naturally reinforcing stimulus such as a biological need.
Conditioned reinforcer - Answers Stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association
with a primary reinforcer.
Cognition - Answers Acquisition of mental info that subsequently guides behavior.
Memory - Answers Persistence of learning over time through storage and retrieval of information.
Sensory memory - Answers Immediate recording of sensory info.
Working memory - Answers Type of short-term memory involving conscious, active processing of
incoming info.
Long-term memory - Answers Relatively permanent/limitless storehouse for memory, such as
knowledge, skills, and experience.
Sensation - Answers Detection of simple properties of stimuli (color, brightness, etc.), how we detect
and then encode neural signals.
Perception - Answers Process of organizing and interpreting sensory info, goes beyond given info,
how we select, organize and interpret information.
Thresholds - Answers Each sense has an Absolute threshold that is the minimum stimulation required
to detect a stimuli 50% of the time.
Approximate absolute thresholds for Vision - Answers Candle flame 30 miles away.
Approximate absolute thresholds for Smell - Answers One drop of perfume diffused through three
rooms.
Approximate absolute thresholds for Hearing - Answers Ticking watch 20 feet away in a quiet setting.
Approximate absolute thresholds for Taste - Answers Teaspoon of sugar in 2 gallons of water.
Approximate absolute thresholds for Touch - Answers Wing of fly falling onto cheek from 1 cm away.
Difference threshold - Answers How much stimuli change to detect change 50% of the time.
Signal detection theory - Answers Presence of signal how/when amid background noise; asks why do
people respond differently to same stimuli under different circumstances.
Subliminal perception - Answers The processing of info below conscious awareness.
Sensory Adaptation - Answers Reduced sensitivity resulting from constant stimulation such as cold
water, house odors.
Inattentional blindness - Answers Failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed
elsewhere.
Pop-out phenomenon - Answers Highly familiar or distinct stimuli are processed automatically.
Perceptual set - Answers A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another, caused by
schemas.
Schemas - Answers Cognitive structure of social/physical world that helps organize and interpret
unfamiliar info.
Context effects - Answers A given stimulus may trigger radically different perception because of
immediate context.
Bottom-up processing - Answers Progression from individual elements to whole object mainly
through new, test objects.
Top-Down Processing - Answers Progression from whole to elements, from experience, motivation
and expectations.
Gestalt principle - Answers Look at what are the potential principles that describe how our visual
organizes a scene.
Figure-ground - Answers Organize visual fields into objects (the figure) that stand out from the
surrounding (the ground).
Depth perception - Answers 3-D ability of seeing to judge distance.
Classical conditioning - Answers Learning process that involves associating an unconditioned stimulus
with a conditioned stimulus.
Unconditioned stimulus (US) - Answers Condition automatically occurring triggers a response.
Unconditioned response (UR) - Answers Unlearned, naturally occurring response to US.
Conditioned stimulus (CS) - Answers Neutral stimulus that triggers a response after conditioning.
Conditioned response (CR) - Answers Learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.
Operant conditioning - Answers Learned association between actions and consequences.
Reinforcer - Answers Any event that strengthens or increases the frequency of a response.
Primary reinforcer - Answers Naturally reinforcing stimulus such as a biological need.
Conditioned reinforcer - Answers Stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association
with a primary reinforcer.
Cognition - Answers Acquisition of mental info that subsequently guides behavior.
Memory - Answers Persistence of learning over time through storage and retrieval of information.
Sensory memory - Answers Immediate recording of sensory info.
Working memory - Answers Type of short-term memory involving conscious, active processing of
incoming info.
Long-term memory - Answers Relatively permanent/limitless storehouse for memory, such as
knowledge, skills, and experience.
