Adaptation in Psychology: A Definition

Adaptation, as defined in the text, is the process by which the continued presence of a stimulus causes receptors to become less sensitive to that stimulus. A stronger stimulus is therefore required to activate the receptors (Davis, S. & Palladino, J. (2007). The stimulation or activation of these receptors is called sensation. processed, a sensitive accommodation that results from the fatigue or recovery of the receptors. Perceptual accommodation, which is the reticular system of directing our attention elsewhere, was absent from the experiments I carried out.

The first test I did was to rub my pointer over a piece of very coarse sandpaper and the grit was on a scale of 1 (very soft) to 7 (very rough). The first time I rubbed my finger over the sandpaper I estimated the roughness to be 7. A minute later I rubbed the same finger again over the sandpaper and I estimated it to be 6. I did it a third time and I estimated it to be 5. Here’s what happened. it is a perceptible adaptation in the sense of touch. When I rubbed my finger over the sandpaper, the sensor receptors on my finger registered the roughness and sent a signal to my brain. With the second and third finger I rubbed over the paper, my receptors were already less suitable for stimuli and rudiments.

The second experiment I conducted was to fill 3 medium bowls with (1) very hot water, (2. ) very cold water and mixed cold and warm water. So I placed my right hand in cold water the right hand was placed, the left hand was placed in warm. water and a third bowl of warm water placed in the middle. I placed each hand in their bowl for about 3 minutes. After three minutes I took each hand from the middle of the bowl and placed both hands in warm water. When I put my hands in the warm water, each hand felt the water at a different temperature. My right hand, which was in cold water, felt warm and hot water and my left nervous system transmission. These processes are demonstrated through three experiments that I conducted.

References

Davis, S. & Palladino, J. (2007). Psychology 5th Ed. Pearson Prentice Hall.

Upper Saddle: New Jersey

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