Complete Chapter 2 Quiz: Sensation and Perception – For Ethiopian University Freshmen
This quiz is based on General Psychology (Psyc 1011), Chapter 2: Sensation and Perception. All 70 questions are designed for mid-exam and final-exam levels. They require deep reasoning, multi-step thinking, and clear understanding of thresholds, attention, depth cues, illusions, and perceptual laws.
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Section 1: Multiple-Choice Questions (30 Questions)
1. A student claims that “sensation is the same as perception because both involve the eyes and ears.” Which statement best corrects this misunderstanding?
Sensation and perception are related but fundamentally different processes in psychology.
- Sensation is the brain’s interpretation; perception is raw data from senses.
- Sensation is detection of stimuli; perception is giving meaning to those stimuli.
- Perception happens before sensation in the nervous system.
- Only perception involves the brain; sensation occurs only in the eyes.
2. In a quiet room, a student can just detect a ticking watch at 6 meters. This distance represents which sensory concept?
The absolute threshold is the minimum stimulus intensity detectable 50% of the time.
- Just noticeable difference (JND)
- Subliminal threshold
- Absolute threshold
- Difference threshold
3. According to Weber’s Law, if the JND for lifting weight is 2%, how much extra weight must be added to a 250 g object for the change to be noticeable?
Weber’s Law states that the JND is a constant proportion of the original stimulus.
Weber’s Law: \( \Delta I = k \cdot I \)
- 2 g
- 5 g
- 10 g
- 25 g
4. After entering a friend’s room that smells of incense, you stop noticing the smell after 5 minutes. This illustrates:
Sensory adaptation is the reduced response to constant stimulation over time.
- Perceptual constancy
- Sensory adaptation
- Absolute threshold shift
- Figure-ground reversal
5. A student hears her name mentioned in a noisy cafeteria even while focused on a book. This is best explained by:
Selective attention allows us to focus on meaningful stimuli while filtering background noise.
- Sensory adaptation
- Retinal disparity
- Cocktail party effect
- Linear perspective
6. Which Gestalt principle explains why you see a series of dashes as a continuous line?
- Proximity
- Similarity
- Continuity
- Closure
Section 2: Matching Questions (15 Items)
Match each term in Column A with its correct definition in Column B.
| Column A: Terms | Column B: Definitions |
|---|---|
| 1. Sensation | A. Minimum stimulation needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time |
| 2. Perception | B. The brain’s organization and interpretation of sensory input |
| 3. Absolute Threshold | C. Detection of physical energy by sensory organs |
| 4. Difference Threshold | D. Minimum change in stimulus detectable 50% of the time |
| 5. Sensory Adaptation | E. Decreased sensitivity to constant stimulation |
| 6. Figure-Ground | F. Perceiving objects as distinct from background |
| 7. Retinal Disparity | G. Slight difference between images on two retinas |
| 8. Convergence | H. Eyes turning inward to focus on near objects |
| 9. Linear Perspective | I. Parallel lines appear to converge with distance |
| 10. Size Constancy | J. Perceiving object size as stable despite retinal image changes |
| 11. Moon Illusion | K. Moon appears larger at horizon than overhead |
| 12. Closure | L. Filling in gaps to perceive complete shapes |
| 13. Proximity | M. Grouping items that are close together |
| 14. Weber’s Law | N. JND is a constant proportion of original stimulus |
| 15. Cocktail Party Effect | O. Focusing on one auditory stream amid noise (e.g., hearing your name) |
Section 3: True/False Questions (10 Questions)
1. Sensory adaptation occurs for all senses, including pain from severe injury.
2. In the Müller-Lyer illusion, the line with outward-pointing arrows appears shorter due to misinterpretation as an outside building corner.
Section 4: List-and-Explain Questions (7 Questions)
1. List and explain the four main factors that influence selective attention.
Section 5: Fill-in-the-Blank Questions (10 Questions)
1. The tendency to perceive objects as stable in size, shape, and brightness despite changes in sensory input is called ________.
✅ This quiz fully covers Chapter 2: Sensation and Perception. Practice regularly! For more resources, visit ethiotemari.com.