Abstract
Psychophysical functions for the odor intensity of n-propanol and n-pentanol were obtained after no adaptation and after self-adaptation and cross-adaptation. Adaptation caused the psychophysical function to become steeper and generally concave downward in log-log coordinates. Increase in the in tensity of a: self-adapting stimulus produced relatively greater increases in the steepness of the functions than did increases in adapting duration. A comparison between the odorants revealed that propanol and pentanol have equal self-adapting effects when their respective adapting concentrations are matched for subjective intensity. Cross-adaptation had approximately the same effect as self-adaptation on the form of the psychophysical function, but a cross-adapting stimulus of a specified subjective intensity was less effective than a self-adapting stimulus of the same intensity. Adaptation to pentanol caused a larger reduction in the perceived intensity of propanol than adaptation to propanol caused in the perceived intensity of pentanol.
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This report is based on a doctoral dissertation submitted to the Psychology Department at Brown University. The investigation was supported by Grant GB-724 from the National Science Foundation to Trygg Engen and by a PHS predoctoral fellowship. I wish to thank Professor Engen for his constant guidance and support.
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Cain, W.S. Odor intensity after self-adaptation and cross-adaptation. Perception & Psychophysics 7, 271–275 (1970). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210163
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210163