AP Psychology
Reading Guide #5
Fall Semester 2014
Bacile
Unit V: Sensation & Perception
Corresponding Modules: 16-21
Topic: Sensation & Perception (6-8%)
UNIT V READING GUIDE: Sensation and Perception
Directions: As you read the assigned pages from the Myers textbook, you should complete the following reading guide. Please note that in
order to receive credit, ALL answers MUST be in COMPLETE SENTENCES. DO NOT copy word-for-word from the book, or from another
student – plagiarism of any kind will result in a zero. Also, keep in mind that reading quizzes will be frequent!
Chapter FIVE: Sensation
1.
How are sensation and perception different? How do they work together? Provide an example that answers both of these
questions.
2.
A genie suddenly appears in your room and says, “I have a riddle for you. If you answer correctly, I will make your wildest dreams come
true. Suppose I give you two bags & ask you to correctly identify which bag is heavier without looking inside…can you do it?” In order to
make your wildest dreams come true, you decide to humor the genie. Holding a bag in each hand, you notice no difference in their
weights. Does this mean that the bags have the same weight? Use psychological terminology to defend your answer.
3.
Draw a diagram of the eye. On your diagram, label the iris, lens, pupil, cornea, retina, fovea, blind spot and optic nerve.
4.
Because you are such a wonderful person, you regularly volunteer at a children’s hospital. A little boy who has only seen in black &
white since birth is undergoing an operation tomorrow – this operation will allow him to see color for the first time. Before the
operation, he asks you, “Can you explain the two theories of color vision to me? I just want to know what to expect after the operation.” He
smiles and gives you a hug. How do you answer his question?
5.
Draw a diagram of the ear. On your diagram, label the ear drum, hammer, anvil, stirrup, cochlea, semicircular canals and auditory
nerve.
6.
Explain, in a nutshell, how we transform sound waves into perceived sound.
7.
What does the biopsychosocial perspective on pain teach us?
8.
How does our system for sensing smell differ from our sensory systems for vision, touch and taste?
9.
Your mother insists that she called you to eat dinner as you intently watched Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. What psychological
principle explains the fact that you did not perceive her request? Explain.
10. What is the cocktail party effect? Provide an example of this psychological phenomenon as it applies to your everyday life.
11. How does the study of illusions inform our understanding of normal perception?
12. What does the term gestalt mean? What are the Gestalt principles of grouping? Give an everyday example for each principle.
13. What does the visual cliff experiment demonstrate about depth perception? Explain your answer.
14. Due to a freak gasoline accident, Derek lost an eye and can now only see out of his right eye. What two binocular cues will he no longer
be able to use? Describe each one.
15. What type of evidence demonstrates that, indeed, “there is more to perception than meets the senses?”