Psychology Exam test queries and
answers graded A+
Sensation - ANS✅✅Sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus
energies.
Perception - ANS✅✅Organizing and interpreting sensory information to able us to recognize
meaningful objects & events.
Bottom-Up Processing - ANS✅✅Begins with sensory receptors and works up to brain sensory info.,
analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory
information
top-down processing - ANS✅✅guided by higher-level mental processses on our experiences and
expectations.
Psychophysics - ANS✅✅Study of relationships between physical characteristics of stimuli.
absolute threshold - ANS✅✅minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50
percent of the times.
signal detection theory - ANS✅✅Predicts when we will detect weak signals.
Weber's Law - ANS✅✅the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a
constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount)
Subliminal - ANS✅✅below one's absolute threshold for conscious awareness
Priming - ANS✅✅the activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations in memory
difference threshold - ANS✅✅also called the jnd; smallest distinction between two stimuli that can
consistently be detected
,sensory adaptation - ANS✅✅Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation.
transduction - ANS✅✅conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the
transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brains
can interpret.
wavelength - ANS✅✅the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the
next
Cornea - ANS✅✅Protects the eye and bends light to provide focus.
intensity - ANS✅✅the amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which we perceive as brightness
or loudness, as determined by the wave's amplitude.
pupil - ANS✅✅the opening through which light enters the eye
Iris - ANS✅✅Muscle that expands and contracts to change the size of opening (pupil) for light.
Lens - ANS✅✅transparent structure behind the pupil that bends and focuses light rays on the
retina
Retina - ANS✅✅light-sensitive inner surface of the eye
Accommodation - ANS✅✅the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far
objects on the retina
Nearsighted vs. farsighted vision - ANS✅✅Visual image that is focused in front of the retina
resulting in blurry vision is nearsightedness rather than visual image focused behind the retina is
farsightedness.
Rods - ANS✅✅detect black, white, gray; neccesary for peripheral and twilight vision.
Cones - ANS✅✅detect fine details and colors; function in well-lit conditions.
, Blind Spot - ANS✅✅the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a "blind" spot
because no receptor cells are located there
feature detectors - ANS✅✅nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific feature of the stimulus
such as shape, angle, or movement.
Parallel processing - ANS✅✅The processing of several aspects of a problem simultaneously.
Young-Helmholtz Tricromatic theory - ANS✅✅the eye contains 3 receptors that are sensitive to
red, blue, and green.
Hering's Opponent-Process Theory - ANS✅✅opposing retinal processes enable color vision; red-
green; yellow-blue; white-black
Audition - ANS✅✅the sense or act or hearing
Amplitude - ANS✅✅Loudness
Frequency - ANS✅✅the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time
Pitch - ANS✅✅a tone's experienced highness or lowness.
Outer ear - ANS✅✅Collects and sends sound to eardrum.
Middle ear - ANS✅✅the chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones
(hammer, anvil, and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea's oval
window
Inner ear - ANS✅✅contains cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs.
Cochlea - ANS✅✅a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves
trigger nerve impulses
answers graded A+
Sensation - ANS✅✅Sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus
energies.
Perception - ANS✅✅Organizing and interpreting sensory information to able us to recognize
meaningful objects & events.
Bottom-Up Processing - ANS✅✅Begins with sensory receptors and works up to brain sensory info.,
analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory
information
top-down processing - ANS✅✅guided by higher-level mental processses on our experiences and
expectations.
Psychophysics - ANS✅✅Study of relationships between physical characteristics of stimuli.
absolute threshold - ANS✅✅minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50
percent of the times.
signal detection theory - ANS✅✅Predicts when we will detect weak signals.
Weber's Law - ANS✅✅the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a
constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount)
Subliminal - ANS✅✅below one's absolute threshold for conscious awareness
Priming - ANS✅✅the activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations in memory
difference threshold - ANS✅✅also called the jnd; smallest distinction between two stimuli that can
consistently be detected
,sensory adaptation - ANS✅✅Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation.
transduction - ANS✅✅conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the
transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brains
can interpret.
wavelength - ANS✅✅the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the
next
Cornea - ANS✅✅Protects the eye and bends light to provide focus.
intensity - ANS✅✅the amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which we perceive as brightness
or loudness, as determined by the wave's amplitude.
pupil - ANS✅✅the opening through which light enters the eye
Iris - ANS✅✅Muscle that expands and contracts to change the size of opening (pupil) for light.
Lens - ANS✅✅transparent structure behind the pupil that bends and focuses light rays on the
retina
Retina - ANS✅✅light-sensitive inner surface of the eye
Accommodation - ANS✅✅the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far
objects on the retina
Nearsighted vs. farsighted vision - ANS✅✅Visual image that is focused in front of the retina
resulting in blurry vision is nearsightedness rather than visual image focused behind the retina is
farsightedness.
Rods - ANS✅✅detect black, white, gray; neccesary for peripheral and twilight vision.
Cones - ANS✅✅detect fine details and colors; function in well-lit conditions.
, Blind Spot - ANS✅✅the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a "blind" spot
because no receptor cells are located there
feature detectors - ANS✅✅nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific feature of the stimulus
such as shape, angle, or movement.
Parallel processing - ANS✅✅The processing of several aspects of a problem simultaneously.
Young-Helmholtz Tricromatic theory - ANS✅✅the eye contains 3 receptors that are sensitive to
red, blue, and green.
Hering's Opponent-Process Theory - ANS✅✅opposing retinal processes enable color vision; red-
green; yellow-blue; white-black
Audition - ANS✅✅the sense or act or hearing
Amplitude - ANS✅✅Loudness
Frequency - ANS✅✅the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time
Pitch - ANS✅✅a tone's experienced highness or lowness.
Outer ear - ANS✅✅Collects and sends sound to eardrum.
Middle ear - ANS✅✅the chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones
(hammer, anvil, and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea's oval
window
Inner ear - ANS✅✅contains cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs.
Cochlea - ANS✅✅a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves
trigger nerve impulses
