The effect of interstimulus procedures on salt taste intensity functions

Taste intensity functions were constructed for the salt taste, using variations of the method of direct magnitude estimation, to study the effects of adaptation to residuals from prior tastings. The prediction that mouthrinsing would reduce residuals, lower the level of adaptation, and thus yield lower exponents was confirmed. The effect of the residuals tended to be reduced, tiowever, when the power functions were adjusted for such threshold changes. Power function deviations from linearity were also discussed. The literature on intensity scaling for the salt taste was examined and seen to support these findings. It was concluded that the interstimulus procedure, by altering residual stimulus levels, played a major role in determining salt taste intensity functions.