You arrive at your office and are startled by the sounds of building construction outside your window. As you settle in to your work for the day, you forget about the construction noises. When a visitor comes to your office later that day, the first thing she comments on is how disruptive the construction noise must be to your concentration. You realize that you have not even noticed it for over an hour. This is due to

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sensory adaptation is the process by which the brain filters out constant stimuli, allowing us to focus on more important or changing stimuli. In this case, the individual has adapted to the construction noise and no longer perceives it as a disruption. Sensory transduction refers to the conversion of sensory stimuli into neural signals, resting potential refers to the electrical charge of a neuron at rest, and action potential firing refers to the process of neurons transmitting signals. None of these processes are directly related to the individual's ability to ignore the construction noise.

You Arrive at Your Office and Are Startled by the Sounds