Question

One of the principles of psychophysics is that changes in the physical environment are not always matched by equal changes perceptually. If Madison Wilson were changing an old drink by making it sweeter, What would psychophysics tell her?

A) She could make the drink twice as sweet by adding twice the amount of sugar.
B) She would need to research how the perception of "sweetness" changed by the amount of sugar added.
C) She would need to create promotions to tell customers how "sweet" the new drink is.
D) She would need to understand how people interpret the word "sweet."

Answer 1

Psychophysics would guide Madison Wilson to research how sweetness perception changes with sugar amount rather than just adding more sugar, because sensory adaptation and psychological perception can alter the actual experience of sweetness.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the principles of psychophysics, which suggests that changes in the physical environment do not always correspond to equal changes perceptually, if Madison Wilson were making a drink sweeter, psychophysics would recommend that she researches how the perception of "sweetness" changes with the amount of sugar added. This is because sensory adaptation and the psychological aspects of perception mean that doubling the physical amount of sugar may not necessarily be perceived as doubling the sweetness. She should explore the relationship between the actual increase in a substance and the perceived enhancement of sweetness, considering that individual sensory experiences can differ.