Question:

Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion A and the other is labelled as Reason R
Assertion A: There is diminishing responsiveness of sensory systems to prolonged stimulation, as and when a person adopts to new environmental condition.
Reason R: The unchanging stimulation usually shifts into the background of awareness of the person.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below

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Sensory adaptation is a biological mechanism of efficiency. If a stimulus does not change, it carries no new information, so our nervous system filters it out and shifts it to the background of awareness.
Updated On: Jul 18, 2026
  • Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A
  • Both A and R are correct but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
  • A is correct but R is not correct
  • A is not correct but R is correct
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks us to evaluate an Assertion-Reason pair regarding sensory adaptation and how unchanging stimuli are processed by human consciousness.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:


• Assertion A states that sensory systems show a diminishing responsiveness to prolonged, unchanging stimulation as a person adapts to environmental conditions. This is a true statement that defines sensory adaptation.

• For example, when you walk into a kitchen with a strong coffee smell, you notice it immediately, but after a few minutes, you stop smelling it because your olfactory receptors adapt.

• Reason R states that unchanging stimulation usually shifts into the background of a person's conscious awareness. This is also a true statement.

• From an evolutionary perspective, sensory adaptation is highly adaptive because it prevents our brain from becoming overloaded with constant, irrelevant background noise.

• By filtering out unchanging stimuli (shifting them to the background of awareness), our cognitive resources are freed up to detect novel changes in the environment, which could indicate threats or rewards.

• Therefore, Reason R is a correct explanation for why and how the sensory systems diminish their responsiveness to prolonged stimulation.

Step 3: Final Answer:

Both Assertion A and Reason R are correct, and Reason R is the correct explanation of Assertion A.
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