When subjects in Helmholtz's experiment learned to adjust their responses to the distorted images produced by prismatic glasses,they illustrated
A) visual accommodation.
B) trial-and-error learning.
C) perceptual adaptation.
D) perceptual nativism.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Perceptual adaptation refers to the process by which we adjust our perception of sensory information in response to changes in the environment. Helmholtz's experiment is a classic example of this, as subjects were able to gradually adapt their perception of the visual world to the distorted images produced by the prismatic glasses. This adaptation was not a result of trial-and-error learning, nor was it an example of visual accommodation (which refers to changes in the shape of the lens in the eye to focus on objects at varying distances). Perceptual nativism is a concept related to the idea that some aspects of perception are innate rather than learned, which is not relevant to this particular experiment.

When Subjects in Helmholtz's Experiment Learned to Adjust Their Responses