Test Bank for Psychology A Journey 5th Edition by Coon
Chapter 4: Sensation and Perception
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Regarding sensation and perception, which of the following statements is FALSE?
a. We are constantly surrounded by electromagnetic radiation, heat, pressure, vibrations,
molecules, and mechanical forces.
b. The senses are enough to give people a completely accurate “picture” of reality.
c. During the process of perception, our brain assembles sensations into a meaningful
“picture” of events.
d. Unless your senses translate information into a form your brain can understand, you will
experience only a void of silence and darkness.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: The Trees Have Eyes / Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1
KEY: Concept MSC: * (New Question)
2. The primary function of the senses is to act as devices that convert one kind of energy into another,
which are referred to as
a. visual adapters.
b. biological assimilators.
c. phosphenes.
d. biological transducers.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Concept
3. Sense receptors are biological transducers, which means that they
a. select from a broad range of stimulation.
b. analyze the environment into important features.
c. convert one form of energy to another.
d. detect only a limited range of energies.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Concept
4. The sensory receptors of your eyes are able to convert light energy into neural energy, which can then
be utilized by the brain. Thus, the sensory receptors in your eyes act as
a. visual adapters.
b. biological assimilators.
c. phosphenes.
d. biological transducers.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Concept
1
,5. When Fatima detects the physical energies in her environment with her eyes, ears, and other sensory
organs, she is engaging in the process known as
a. sensation.
b. perception.
c. adaptation.
d. cognition.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
6. Armand is engaging in the process by which the brain organizes sensations into meaningful patterns.
This process is known as
a. reception.
b. adaptation.
c. perception.
d. cognition.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
7. In order to take your psychology quiz, you must read and process the information. The initial step of
your eyes detecting the black marks on the page depends on the process of
a. perception.
b. sensation.
c. sensory adaptation.
d. sensory accommodation.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
8. In order to take your psychology quiz, you must read and process the information. The ability to
organize the black marks on the paper into meaningful patterns involves the process of
a. perception.
b. sensation.
c. sensory adaptation.
d. sensory accommodation.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
9. When listening to your professor’s lecture, hearing the various sounds of the professor’s words would
involve the process of
a. perception.
2
, b. sensation.
c. assimilation.
d. accommodation.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
10. When listening to your professor’s lecture, interpreting the meaning of the professor’s words is an
example of
a. perception.
b. sensation.
c. assimilation.
d. accommodation.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
11. Our sensory systems act as data reduction systems. This means that they
a. can change one form of energy to another.
b. transmit information to the brain in the form of codes.
c. select and analyze information and send only the most important data to the brain.
d. are only sensitive to a small range of sensations that will require additional interpretation
by the brain.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Fact
12. Because our senses select, analyze, and filter information until only the most important information
remains, our senses are considered systems.
a. convergent
b. data reduction
c. somesthetic
d. replicating
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Fact
13. Regarding the sensory abilities of humans, which of the following statements is FALSE?
a. Our sensory receptors do not transduce all of the energies they encounter.
b. Many types of stimuli cannot be sensed directly because we lack sensory receptors to
transduce the energy.
c. Some sense receptors transduce only part of their target energy range.
d. Because our sense organs are able to convert one kind of energy into another, they are
known as feature detectors.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1..1.2 KEY: Fact
14. The study of the relationship between physical stimuli and the sensations they evoke in a human
observer is called
3
, a. physiological psychology.
b. neurological psychology.
c. psychophysics.
d. sensory deprivation.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.2 KEY: Fact
MSC: * (New Question)
15. Dr. Azure measures sound waves and electromagnetic radiation and relates them to the sensations
people experience as loudness and brightness, respectively. Dr. Azure is conducting research in the
area of
a. physiological psychology.
b. neurological psychology.
c. psychophysics.
d. sensory deprivation.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.2 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
16. Regarding the sensation of various species, which of the following statements is FALSE?
a. The eyes of honeybees transduce parts of the electromagnetic spectrum that are invisible
to humans.
b. Bats’ ears transduce sound waves that humans cannot hear.
c. Research has shown that the human eye transduces all of the electromagnetic spectrum to
the brain, but the brain is unable to perceive it.
d. Sharks have special organs that can sense the bioelectric fields of other living things.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.2 KEY: Fact
17. Your eyes transduce only a tiny fraction of the entire range of electromagnetic energies, which we call
the
a. perceptual limit.
b. visible spectrum.
c. biological transduction range.
d. spectral analysis limitation.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.2 KEY: Fact
18. The ears of bats can transduce and hear sound waves that humans cannot. This allows them to fly in
complete darkness by using
a. feature detectors.
b. depth cues.
c. hyperopia.
d. echolocation.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.2 KEY: Fact
4
Chapter 4: Sensation and Perception
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Regarding sensation and perception, which of the following statements is FALSE?
a. We are constantly surrounded by electromagnetic radiation, heat, pressure, vibrations,
molecules, and mechanical forces.
b. The senses are enough to give people a completely accurate “picture” of reality.
c. During the process of perception, our brain assembles sensations into a meaningful
“picture” of events.
d. Unless your senses translate information into a form your brain can understand, you will
experience only a void of silence and darkness.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: The Trees Have Eyes / Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1
KEY: Concept MSC: * (New Question)
2. The primary function of the senses is to act as devices that convert one kind of energy into another,
which are referred to as
a. visual adapters.
b. biological assimilators.
c. phosphenes.
d. biological transducers.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Concept
3. Sense receptors are biological transducers, which means that they
a. select from a broad range of stimulation.
b. analyze the environment into important features.
c. convert one form of energy to another.
d. detect only a limited range of energies.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Concept
4. The sensory receptors of your eyes are able to convert light energy into neural energy, which can then
be utilized by the brain. Thus, the sensory receptors in your eyes act as
a. visual adapters.
b. biological assimilators.
c. phosphenes.
d. biological transducers.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Concept
1
,5. When Fatima detects the physical energies in her environment with her eyes, ears, and other sensory
organs, she is engaging in the process known as
a. sensation.
b. perception.
c. adaptation.
d. cognition.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
6. Armand is engaging in the process by which the brain organizes sensations into meaningful patterns.
This process is known as
a. reception.
b. adaptation.
c. perception.
d. cognition.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
7. In order to take your psychology quiz, you must read and process the information. The initial step of
your eyes detecting the black marks on the page depends on the process of
a. perception.
b. sensation.
c. sensory adaptation.
d. sensory accommodation.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
8. In order to take your psychology quiz, you must read and process the information. The ability to
organize the black marks on the paper into meaningful patterns involves the process of
a. perception.
b. sensation.
c. sensory adaptation.
d. sensory accommodation.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
9. When listening to your professor’s lecture, hearing the various sounds of the professor’s words would
involve the process of
a. perception.
2
, b. sensation.
c. assimilation.
d. accommodation.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
10. When listening to your professor’s lecture, interpreting the meaning of the professor’s words is an
example of
a. perception.
b. sensation.
c. assimilation.
d. accommodation.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
11. Our sensory systems act as data reduction systems. This means that they
a. can change one form of energy to another.
b. transmit information to the brain in the form of codes.
c. select and analyze information and send only the most important data to the brain.
d. are only sensitive to a small range of sensations that will require additional interpretation
by the brain.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Fact
12. Because our senses select, analyze, and filter information until only the most important information
remains, our senses are considered systems.
a. convergent
b. data reduction
c. somesthetic
d. replicating
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.1 KEY: Fact
13. Regarding the sensory abilities of humans, which of the following statements is FALSE?
a. Our sensory receptors do not transduce all of the energies they encounter.
b. Many types of stimuli cannot be sensed directly because we lack sensory receptors to
transduce the energy.
c. Some sense receptors transduce only part of their target energy range.
d. Because our sense organs are able to convert one kind of energy into another, they are
known as feature detectors.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1..1.2 KEY: Fact
14. The study of the relationship between physical stimuli and the sensations they evoke in a human
observer is called
3
, a. physiological psychology.
b. neurological psychology.
c. psychophysics.
d. sensory deprivation.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.2 KEY: Fact
MSC: * (New Question)
15. Dr. Azure measures sound waves and electromagnetic radiation and relates them to the sensations
people experience as loudness and brightness, respectively. Dr. Azure is conducting research in the
area of
a. physiological psychology.
b. neurological psychology.
c. psychophysics.
d. sensory deprivation.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.2 KEY: Application
MSC: * (New Question)
16. Regarding the sensation of various species, which of the following statements is FALSE?
a. The eyes of honeybees transduce parts of the electromagnetic spectrum that are invisible
to humans.
b. Bats’ ears transduce sound waves that humans cannot hear.
c. Research has shown that the human eye transduces all of the electromagnetic spectrum to
the brain, but the brain is unable to perceive it.
d. Sharks have special organs that can sense the bioelectric fields of other living things.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.2 KEY: Fact
17. Your eyes transduce only a tiny fraction of the entire range of electromagnetic energies, which we call
the
a. perceptual limit.
b. visible spectrum.
c. biological transduction range.
d. spectral analysis limitation.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.2 KEY: Fact
18. The ears of bats can transduce and hear sound waves that humans cannot. This allows them to fly in
complete darkness by using
a. feature detectors.
b. depth cues.
c. hyperopia.
d. echolocation.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy
REF: Sensory Processes-The First Step OBJ: 4.1.2 KEY: Fact
4
