Odor adaption is the process by which an individual becomes accustomed to new odor(s) via constant exposure. When adaption occurs, the ability of an individual to detect an odor decreases. This ability changes faster when an odor of high intensity is detected, and different adaptations occur with each individual odor. Strong odors, such as sewage and coal burning, can cause a loss of odor detection from prolonged exposure due to damage to sensory nerves.
The human eye is capable of adjusting to a wide variety of light levels. In human psychology, when an individual walks out into the dark of night, initially that individual is incapable of seeing anything. However within a half-hour, most people will be able to read a newspaper in the same light. This is a result of the eye cells adjusting, with the cone cells that are more active in bright light, and the rod cells becoming more active in dim light.
Taste adaptation, or a gradual decline of taste intensity with prolonged stimulation, occurs on a daily basis. In human psychology, people are known to become "tired" of a certain dish as a result of consuming it many times over a short period of time. This is likely a result of decreased presence of saliva and interaction between tastants and odorants, which give us our sense of taste.
The decline in the ear's response to auditory stimulation is known as "auditory fatigue" or "auditory adaptation." This is a result of constant exposure to the same sound frequency, tone and intensity. In a given intensity, increasing a frequency from 125 to 1,000 cycles of sound per second increased both the initial rate and amount of adaptation.