UNC EXSS 380 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
What processes sensory information ? - Answers :Central Nervous System
What information is being provided to the CNS for processing? - Answers :Sensory
input from periphery
How does the CNS respond to sensory input from periphery? - Answers :Used to make
appropriate motor output
What phenomenon is the CNS considered to be & why? - Answers :"Black Box"
- Internal processes are inferred (inability to measure internal processes)
What is one primarily focused on for information processing? - Answers :Reaction Time
reaction time (RT) - Answers :Temporal delay between presentation of stimulus and
response initiation
What is reaction time made up of? - Answers :The three stages of information
processing
What are the 3 stages of information processing? - Answers :1. stimulus identification
2. response selection
3. response initiation / programming
Stimulus Identification - Answers :Stimulus must be recognized
What are the two substages of Stimulus Identification? - Answers :1. Stimulus Detection
2. Pattern Recognition
Stimulus Detection - Answers :- Sensory organs must detect & transmit info
-Input must be interpreted
Pattern Recogniton - Answers :- movement tasks connected w/ multiple stimuli
Response Selection - Answers :decision on what to do after collecting and processing
information
-Hick's Law: as # of stimulus-response alternatives increases, so does choice RT (can
be reduced by practice)
What is the response selection stage influenced by? - Answers :environmental cues
What is the time required to select an appropriate response dependent on? - Answers
:1. # of stimulus-response alternatives
2. Stimulus-Response Compatibility
, Response / Initiation Programming - Answers :cannot be initiated until the stimulus is
identified & the appropriate response is selected
- most voluntary responses are received from "motor memory" (Feedfoward/motor
programs)
-Henry & Rogers: as movement complexing increases, RT increases
What is the evidence of information processing? - Answers :1. Donder's Subtractive
Method
What are the 3 tasks of increasing complexity in Donder's Subtractive Method? -
Answers :1. Simple Reaction Time
2. Go/No-go Reaction Time
3. Choice Reaction Time
Simple Reaction Time - Answers :-Single visual stimulus
-Simple reaction task
-quickest RT
Ex: Press a key with right index finger following light stimulus
go/no-go reaction time - Answers :- two light stimuli (discriminatory)
Ex: press button when green light shows but not red
choice reaction time - Answers :two types of stimuli and two types of responses
-longest RT
EX: press button w/ left hand when there's green light; press button w/ right hand when
there's red button
As movement complexity increases, Reaction time... - Answers :increases
Who was the classical experiment of RT conducted by? - Answers :Henry & Rogers
(1960)
long-term memory - Answers :sensory info & motor plans transferred to long-term
storage via practice
-large capacity allows for changes in motor programs
Short Term Sensory Store (STSS) - Answers :- Unlimited information received, huge
capacity, held for brief periods of time
-contains somatosensory, auditory, visual stimuli, kinesthesia, etc.
Short-term memory - Answers :"working memory"
-integrated and processed via conscious effort
-longer wait to recall joint position (proprioception) = cannot remember
What processes sensory information ? - Answers :Central Nervous System
What information is being provided to the CNS for processing? - Answers :Sensory
input from periphery
How does the CNS respond to sensory input from periphery? - Answers :Used to make
appropriate motor output
What phenomenon is the CNS considered to be & why? - Answers :"Black Box"
- Internal processes are inferred (inability to measure internal processes)
What is one primarily focused on for information processing? - Answers :Reaction Time
reaction time (RT) - Answers :Temporal delay between presentation of stimulus and
response initiation
What is reaction time made up of? - Answers :The three stages of information
processing
What are the 3 stages of information processing? - Answers :1. stimulus identification
2. response selection
3. response initiation / programming
Stimulus Identification - Answers :Stimulus must be recognized
What are the two substages of Stimulus Identification? - Answers :1. Stimulus Detection
2. Pattern Recognition
Stimulus Detection - Answers :- Sensory organs must detect & transmit info
-Input must be interpreted
Pattern Recogniton - Answers :- movement tasks connected w/ multiple stimuli
Response Selection - Answers :decision on what to do after collecting and processing
information
-Hick's Law: as # of stimulus-response alternatives increases, so does choice RT (can
be reduced by practice)
What is the response selection stage influenced by? - Answers :environmental cues
What is the time required to select an appropriate response dependent on? - Answers
:1. # of stimulus-response alternatives
2. Stimulus-Response Compatibility
, Response / Initiation Programming - Answers :cannot be initiated until the stimulus is
identified & the appropriate response is selected
- most voluntary responses are received from "motor memory" (Feedfoward/motor
programs)
-Henry & Rogers: as movement complexing increases, RT increases
What is the evidence of information processing? - Answers :1. Donder's Subtractive
Method
What are the 3 tasks of increasing complexity in Donder's Subtractive Method? -
Answers :1. Simple Reaction Time
2. Go/No-go Reaction Time
3. Choice Reaction Time
Simple Reaction Time - Answers :-Single visual stimulus
-Simple reaction task
-quickest RT
Ex: Press a key with right index finger following light stimulus
go/no-go reaction time - Answers :- two light stimuli (discriminatory)
Ex: press button when green light shows but not red
choice reaction time - Answers :two types of stimuli and two types of responses
-longest RT
EX: press button w/ left hand when there's green light; press button w/ right hand when
there's red button
As movement complexity increases, Reaction time... - Answers :increases
Who was the classical experiment of RT conducted by? - Answers :Henry & Rogers
(1960)
long-term memory - Answers :sensory info & motor plans transferred to long-term
storage via practice
-large capacity allows for changes in motor programs
Short Term Sensory Store (STSS) - Answers :- Unlimited information received, huge
capacity, held for brief periods of time
-contains somatosensory, auditory, visual stimuli, kinesthesia, etc.
Short-term memory - Answers :"working memory"
-integrated and processed via conscious effort
-longer wait to recall joint position (proprioception) = cannot remember
