Sound which impinges on the inner ear and the auditory nerve arrives as a fairly meaningless stimulus. At this point, it should be viewed as:

A. perception.
B. sensation.
C. an auditory stimulus item.
D. free of environmental noise.

I think it is perception

Perception involves interpretation, but the stimulus is "meaningless." The referent of "it" is not clear. B if "it" is the reaction of the ear and nerve, but C if "it" refers to the sound itself.

To determine the correct answer, let's break down the options provided:

A. Perception: Perception refers to the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information to give it meaning. It involves making sense of the incoming stimuli and using previously acquired knowledge and experiences to understand and interpret them. Perception is more than just the initial sensory input; it involves cognitive processes and higher-level understanding.

B. Sensation: Sensation refers to the process of detecting and receiving sensory information from the environment through our sensory organs, such as the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin. It is the initial physical detection of stimuli, without any interpretation or meaning attached to them.

C. An auditory stimulus item: This answer choice suggests that sound impinging on the inner ear and auditory nerve can be considered as an auditory stimulus item. While this might technically be true, it does not capture the full process of perception and understanding associated with sound perception.

D. Free of environmental noise: This answer choice is unrelated to the question and does not accurately describe the process of sound perception.

Considering the above definitions, the most appropriate answer is B. Sensation. When sound impinges on the inner ear and the auditory nerve, it is detected as sensory information through the sensory organs. At this point, it is a raw sensory input without any interpretation or meaning, making it a sensation rather than a perception.