Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

K E Y T E R M S
sound p. 114
eardrum p. 114
cochlea 
(KOKE-lee-uh) p. 114
basilar membrane p. 114
hair cells p. 115
place theory of 
hearing p. 116
frequency theory of 
hearing p. 116
semicircular canals p. 117
skin senses p. 121
gate-control theory 
of pain p. 122
1.
auditory canal; 
2.
false—it vibrates when sound waves hit it, and 
transmits the sound;
3.
oval window; 
4.
fr
equency;
5.
semicir
cular 
canals;
6.
gate-contr
ol
How do smell and taste function?
• Smell depends on olfactory cells (the receptor cells of 
the nose), and taste is centered in the tongue’s taste 
buds. (p. 118) 
What are the skin senses, and how do they relate to the experi-
ence of pain?
• The skin senses are responsible for the experiences of 
touch, pressure, temperature, and pain. Gate-control 
theory suggests that particular nerve receptors, when 
activated, open a “gate” to specifi c areas of the brain 
related to pain, and that another set of receptors closes 
the gate when stimulated. (p. 120)
• Among the techniques used frequently to alleviate pain 
are medication, hypnosis, biofeedback, relaxation 
techniques, surgery, nerve and brain stimulation, and 
cognitive therapy. (p. 123)
E VA LU AT E
1.
The tubelike passage leading from the outer ear to the 
eardrum is known as the 
.
2.
The purpose of the eardrum is to protect the sensitive 
nerves underneath it. It serves no purpose in actual 
hearing. True or false?
3.
The three middle ear bones transmit their sound to the 
.
4.
The 
theory of hearing states that the entire 
basilar membrane responds to a sound, vibrating more or 
less, depending on the nature of the sound.