When she goes into her mother's kitchen, Amelia doesn't know how long she will be able to stay in the room because of the overpowering smell of onions. But when her sister comes home an hour later and complains about the smell, Amelia realizes that she no longer smells the onions at all. This is an example of:
A) sensory adaptation.
B) a just noticeable difference.
C) a correct rejection.
D) a miss.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This scenario demonstrates sensory adaptation, which occurs when our sensory receptors become desensitized to a constant or repetitive stimuli, causing us to stop noticing it over time. In this case, Amelia's sense of smell adapted to the onion odor in her mother's kitchen and it is no longer noticeable to her.

When She Goes into Her Mother's Kitchen, Amelia Doesn't Know