The tendency to judge stimuli relative to a neutral level defined by prior experience is called?

• A. Priming
• B. Adaptation-Level Phenomenon
• C. Confirmation bias
• D. Sensory adaptation

Answer: (B)

Judgments of sensory intensity are made relative to a baseline that comes from prior experience. This baseline, the adaptation level, shifts with context and exposure, so a stimulus may feel stronger or weaker depending on how it compares to that neutral point. For example, after spending time in a quiet room, a normal conversation can seem loud; after a hot day, a cool breeze feels especially refreshing. This tendency to judge things against that moving neutral level is the adaptation-level phenomenon. Other terms refer to different ideas: priming involves readiness from recent exposure, confirmation bias is about favoring information that supports preconceptions, and sensory adaptation is about reduced sensitivity to a constant stimulus, not about judging new stimuli relative to a baseline.