AP Psychology Practice Test 2026 - Free AP Psychology Practice Questions and Study Guide

Question: 1 / 530

What does the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve match according to the frequency theory?

The volume of a tone

The pitch of a tone

Frequency theory of hearing proposes that the rate at which nerve impulses travel up the auditory nerve corresponds to the frequency of a tone, which translates directly into our perception of pitch. When a sound wave vibrates at a particular frequency, it causes hair cells in the cochlea to fire at a rate that matches that frequency. For instance, a high-pitched sound would result in a faster firing rate of nerve impulses, while a low-pitched sound would have a slower firing rate. This matching mechanism allows our auditory system to interpret the frequency of sound waves as different pitches, making the understanding of tone perception closely linked to the concept of pitch in frequency theory.

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The duration of a tone

The intensity of a tone

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