When she walks 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) just noticeable difference
C) a correct rejection
D) a false alarm

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This scenario describes sensory adaptation, where the brain becomes accustomed to a constant or consistent sensory stimulus and eventually stops perceiving it. In this case, Amelia's sense of smell has adapted to the strong onion odor in the kitchen, so she no longer notices it after a certain amount of time.

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