Chemical Senses
Ella Gray
7 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers the chemical senses of taste (gustation) and smell (olfaction). It explores the five basic tastes, taste receptors, and how flavor is perceived. The guide also details the olfactory bulb, smell receptors, and the direct connection between smell, the limbic system (amygdala and hippocampus), and memory. Finally, it includes practice questions and key exam tips.
#AP Psychology: Chemical Senses - Taste & Smell 👅👃
Welcome to your final review of the chemical senses! Let's make sure you're feeling confident and ready to ace this section. Remember, you've got this! 💪
This topic often appears in both multiple-choice and free-response questions. Pay close attention to the unique aspects of each sense and their connections to other brain functions.
#Introduction to Chemical Senses
Both taste (gustation) and smell (olfaction) are chemical senses because they detect molecules of substances. They are crucial for survival, acting as warning systems and enhancing our experiences. 💡
- Purpose:
- Warning Signs: Detect spoiled food (taste) or danger (smell of smoke).
- Survival: Help us navigate our environment and make safe choices.
Think of chemical senses as your body's 'molecular detectives,' constantly analyzing the environment for important information.
#Gustation (Taste) 👅
#Taste Receptors
- Five Main Tastes: Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (savory/meaty).
- Umami Example: Broth, gravies, soups, soy sauce.
Umami is a relatively recent addition to the basic tastes, recognized for its savory flavor profile.
- Taste Buds: Located on the tongue and roof of the mouth, embedded in fungiform papillae (the bumps on your tongue).
- Dissolving: You can only taste substances that dissolve in saliva.
- Individual Variation: The number of taste buds affects taste intensity.
#Taste Perception
- Flavor: A combination of taste and smell. 👃+👅=😋
Flavor is not just about taste; the sense of smell plays a huge role in how we perceive what we eat.
- Preferences:
- Babies prefer sweet and salty, avoid bitter and sour.
- Evolutionary: Sweet and salty = safe, bitter and sour = potentially harmful.
- **...
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