Jason and Mark were talking in class, but so was everyone else.As they continued to discuss their day's adventures, it suddenly became clear to them that the teacher was staring at them.They didn't realise that the class had been called to order and what was once only one conversation among many was now disruptive.Jason apologised quickly and the teacher resumed her normal activities.This is a good example of how a consumer's ability to detect a difference between two stimuli is ________.
A)absolute
B)negligible
C)relative
D)embedded

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The situation described in the passage shows how the ability to detect a difference between two stimuli is relative. The conversation between Jason and Mark was not perceived as disruptive when everyone else was talking, but it became so when the teacher called the class to order. This change in the context of the stimuli altered the perception of what was acceptable behavior in the classroom. Therefore, option C, relative, is the best choice. Option A, absolute, cannot be correct because the perception of what is acceptable behavior depends on the context. Option B, negligible, is not supported by the description in the passage, as the sudden awareness of the teacher's stare shows that the students did notice a difference in the situation. Option D, embedded, is not applicable in this context.

Jason and Mark Were Talking in Class, but So Was