Abstract
On the basis of magnitude estimations of solutions of NaCl, quinine sulfate, sucrose, and HCl, a seven-step series of each compound was chosen. The concentration of each compound in the same ordinal position of the series was of approximately the same sensory magnitude. The middle concentration of each series was presented as an adapting stimulus, and the entire series was used to test the effects of 2 min of adaptation on magnitude estimations and quality reports. Both NaCl and sucrose adaptation markedly lowered magnitude estimations of test stimuli of the same compounds for concentrations lower than that of the adapting stimulus, but had little effect on higher concentrations. Cross-adaptation generally enhanced the magnitude estimations over those obtained in initial estimations. Neither adaptation nor cross-adaptation procedures produced quality changes.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
BARTOSHUK, L. M. Water taste in man. Perception & Psychophysics, 1968, 3, 69–72.
BARTOSHUK, L. M., McBURNEY, D. H., & PFAFFMANN, C. Taste of sodium chloride solutions after adaptation to sodium chloride: Implications for the “water taste”. Science, 1964, 143, 967–968.
BEKESY, G. von. Sweetness produced electrically on the tongue and its relation to taste theories. Journal of Applied Physiology, 1964, 197 1105–1113.
BEKESY, G. von. Taste theories and the chemical stimulation of single papillae. Journal of Applied Physiology, 1966, 21, 1–9.
DALLENBACH, J. W., & DALLENBACH, K. M. The effects of bitter adaptation on sensitivity to the other taste qualities. American Journal of Psychology, 1943, 56, 21–31.
DZENDOLET, E., & MEISELMAN, H. L. Gustatory quality changes as a function of solution concentration. Perception & Psychophysics, 1967, 2, 29–33.
EDWARDS, A. L.Statistical methods of the behavioral sciences. New York: Holt, Rinehart& Winston, 1962.
ERICKSON, R. P. Neural coding of taste quality. In M. R. Kare and O. Mailer (Eds.),The chemical senses and nutrition. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1967. Pp. 313–327.
HALPERN, B. P. Some relationships between electrophysiology and behavior in taste. In M. R. Kare and O. Mailer (Eds.),The chemical senses and nutrition. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1967. Pp. 213–241.
MAYER, B. Messende Untersuchungen Uber die Umstimmung des Geschmackswerkzeugs, Zeitschrift fur Physiologie und Psychologie des Sinnesorgane, 1927, 58, 133–152.
McBURNEY, D. H. Magnitude estimation of the taste of sodium chloride after adaptation to sodium chloride. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1966, 72, 869–875.
McBURNEY, D. H., & LUCAS, J. A. Gustatory cross adaptation between salts. Psychonomic Science, 1966, 4, 301–302.
MEISELMAN, H. L. Adaptation and cross-adaptation of the four gustatory qualities: A study of receptor specificity. Doctoral dissertation, University of Massachusetts, Ann Arbor, Michigan: University Microfilms, 1968a, No. 68-2764.
MEISELMAN, H. L. Magnitude estimations of the course of gustatory adaptation. Perception & Psychophysics, 1968b, 4, 193–196.
MEISELMAN, H. L., & DZENDOLET, E. Variability in gustatory quality identification. Perception & Psychophysics, 1967, 2, 496498.
MYERS, J. L.Fundamentals of experimental design. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1966.
PFAFFMANN, C. The sense of taste. In J. Field, H. W. Magoun and V. E. Hall (Eds.),Handbook of physiology, Section I: Neurophysiology, Vol. I. Washington, D. C: American Physiological Society, 1959. Pp. 507–533.
PFAFFMANN, C. Taste, its sensory and motivating properties. American Scientist, 1964, 52, 187–206.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This report is based on a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts. Appreciation is expressed to Ernest Dzendolet for his advice throughout the research. The research was supported in full by a Predoctoral Fellowship from the United States Public Health Service, National Institutes of Mental Health (1-F1-MH-34, 451-01). Preparation of the manuscript was completed during a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the same source (1-F2-MH-34.451-01).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Meiselman, H.L. Adaptation and cross-adaptation of the four gustatory qualities. Perception & Psychophysics 4, 368–372 (1968). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209536
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209536