According to specificity theory, why might a fairly high concentration of the artificial sweetener saccharine taste somewhat bitter as well as sweet?
A) At high concentrations, all sweet substances taste bitter.
B) Fechner's law fails to apply at high concentrations.
C) Saccharine stimulates more than one type of neuron.
D) Sweet fibers respond only to purely sweet substances, not to mixtures.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to specificity theory, each taste bud and its associated sensory neurons are specific to one taste quality. However, some substances may stimulate more than one type of neuron, resulting in a mixed taste sensation. In the case of saccharine, it may stimulate both sweet and bitter receptors at high concentrations, leading to a taste that is both sweet and bitter.

According to Specificity Theory, Why Might a Fairly High Concentration