Question

Describe the distinction between habituation, sensory adaptation, and fatigue.

A) Habituation: decreased response to repeated stimuli; Sensory adaptation: response decline to continuous stimuli; Fatigue: temporary loss of responsiveness
B) Habituation: increased response to repeated stimuli; Sensory adaptation: response decline to novel stimuli; Fatigue: long-term loss of responsiveness
C) Habituation: temporary loss of responsiveness; Sensory adaptation: increased response to continuous stimuli; Fatigue: response decline to repeated stimuli
D) Habituation: long-term loss of responsiveness; Sensory adaptation: decreased response to novel stimuli; Fatigue: temporary loss of responsiveness

Answer 1

Habituation is a decreased response to repeated stimuli, sensory adaptation is a decline in sensitivity to a constant stimulus, and fatigue describes a temporary loss of responsiveness or efficiency. The correct distinction is option A.

Step-by-step explanation:

The distinction between habituation, sensory adaptation, and fatigue can be identified as:

• Habituation: This is a decreased response to repeated stimuli over time. It is a form of non-associative learning where an organism reduces its responses to a stimulus when the stimulus is neither rewarding nor harmful.
• Sensory adaptation: This refers to the decline in sensitivity to a constant stimulus. Our sensory receptors still detect the stimulus, but our perception of it diminishes, as our nerve cells fire less frequently.
• Fatigue: This is a temporary loss of responsiveness or efficiency due to prolonged activity, which can affect both cognitive and sensory-motor functions.

The correct distinction aligns with the option A, which states habituation involves a decreased response to repeated stimuli; sensory adaptation entails a response decline to continuous stimuli; and fatigue refers to a temporary loss of responsiveness.