In a study, researchers had participants place one hand in a bowl of warm water (40 degrees C) and the other in a bowl of cold water (10 degrees C) for two minutes. Participants then placed both hands simultaneously into a bowl of room-temperature water (22 degrees C). The hand previously in cold water felt warm, while the hand previously in warm water felt cool, even though both were now in the same water.
This phenomenon is best explained by:
- Acheck_circle
Sensory adaptation, in which receptors become less responsive to constant stimuli
- B
Selective attention shifting between hands
- C
Synesthesia between temperature and pressure receptors
- D
Bottom-up processing of new sensory information
Explanation
Sensory adaptation occurs when receptors decrease their response to a constant stimulus, so a new stimulus is judged relative to the adapted baseline. Each hand adapted to its own temperature, making the same neutral water feel different to each.