By: Aamnah Mustafa

Cognitive Psychology

Concepts of Psychophysics
Psychophysics is the study of how the physical properties of stimuli relate to peoples
experience of stimuli. Research in psychophysics has revealed much information about the
acuity of the senses.
Sensory Threshold

Absolute Threshold

The absolute threshold is the minimum amount of stimulation required for a person to
detect the stimulus
Examples of Absolute Thresholds

Hearing
In hearing, the absolute threshold refers to the smallest level of a tone that can be detected by
normal hearing when there are no other interfering sounds present. An example of this might
be measuring at what levels a participants can detect the ticking sound of clock.
Young children generally have a lower absolute threshold for sounds since the ability to detect
sounds at the lowest and highest ranges tends to decrease with age. Researchers suggest that
the quietest sound that children with normal hearing can detect is around 1,000 Hz.

Terminal Threshold

Differential Threshold

The differential threshold is the smallest difference in stimulation that can be detected by our
sensory organs. It is also called Just Noticeable Difference (JND) which applies on each of our
senses.
Example:
If you lift up and hold a weight of 2.0 kg, you will notice that it takes some effort. If you
add to this weight another 0.05 kg and lift, you may not notice any difference between the
apparent or subjective weight between the 2.0 kg and the 2.1 kg weights. If you keep adding
weight, you may find that you will only notice the difference when the additional weight is equal

By: Aamnah Mustafa

Cognitive Psychology

to 0.2 kg. The increment threshold for detecting the difference from a 2.0 kg weight is 0.2 kg.
The just noticeable difference (jnd) is 0.2 kg.
Sensory Adaptation
When people walk into a restaurant, they probably notice food smells right away. However, as
they sit in the restaurant, the smells gradually become less noticeable. This phenomenon occurs
because of sensory adaptation. Our Sensory organs function best to the changing stimulus,
thus Sensory adaptation is the decrease in sensitivity to an unchanging stimulus. The smells
dont disappearthe people just become less sensitive to them.
Webers Law
Definition: The amount of change in a stimulus needed to detect a difference is expressed as a
constant ratio or fraction of the original stimulus
Nineteenth-century psychologist Ernst Weber proposed a principle demonstrating the fact
that we cant detect the difference between two stimuli unless they differ by a certain proportion
and that this proportion is constant. In other words, the just noticeable difference (JND) for a
stimulus is in a fixed proportion to the magnitude of a stimulus. Webers Law holds true except
in the most extreme kinds of stimulation.
Weber noticed that the difference threshold is a constant proportion of the initial stimulus
intensity. He expressed this relationship in a formula now called Weber's Law:
I
----I

= k,

where "I" (Delta I) is the difference threshold, "I" is the initial intensity before the change, and
"k" is the Weber fraction or Weber constant. For lifted weight, the Weber fraction is about
1/50 or 2%, meaning that the stimulus intensity must be changed by only one part in 50 or 2% of
its initial value before you can tell that it is different. (Note that the smaller the number, the
better able you are to discriminate small differences, or in other words, the more sensitive you
are to a change in intensity.
Example:
If you lift up and hold a weight of 2.0 kg, you will notice that it takes some effort. If you
add to this weight another 0.05 kg and lift, you may not notice any difference between the
apparent or subjective weight between the 2.0 kg and the 2.1 kg weights. If you keep adding
weight, you may find that you will only notice the difference when the additional weight is equal

By: Aamnah Mustafa

Cognitive Psychology

to 0.2 kg. The increment threshold for detecting the difference from a 2.0 kg weight is 0.2 kg.
The just noticeable difference (jnd) is 0.2 kg.
Now start with a 5.0 kg weight. If you add weight to this, you will find that the just
noticeable difference is 0.5 kg. It takes 0.5 kg added to the 5.0 kg weight for you to notice an
apparent difference.
For the weight of magnitude, I, of 2.0 kg, the increment (difference) threshold for
detecting a difference was a I (pronounces, delta I) of 0.2 kg.
For the weight of magnitude, I = 5.0 kg, the difference threshold
The ratio of

I = 0.5 kg.

I/I for both instances (0.2/2.0 = 0.5/5.0 = 0.1) is the same. This is Weber's Law.
Example of Webers Constant

Sensation

Webers Constant
(Approximate)

Saltiness of Food
Pressure on Skin
Loudness of Sound
Odor
Heaviness of Weights
Brightness of Light
Pitch of Sounds

1/5
1/7
1/10
1/20
1/50
1/60
1/333

Signal Detection Theory:

Definition: The belief that detection of stimulus depends on the factors, involving the intensity
of stimulus, the level of background stimulation and the biological and psychological
characteristics of the perceiver.
Scientists who study Psychophysics describe sounds, flashes of light and other stimuli as
signals. According to signal detection theory, the threshold for detecting signals not only depends
on the properties of the stimulus itself, such as its intensity the loudness of a sound for example
but also on the level of background stimulation, or noise, and importantly on the biological and
psychological characteristics of a perceiver. The sensitivity or degree of sharpness of an
individuals sensory systems (e.g. the acuity of your eye sight or hearing) partially determines
whether the signal is detected. The organisms physical condition also plays a role. For instance

By: Aamnah Mustafa

Cognitive Psychology

your sense of smell is duller when you have cold and your nose is stuffed. Levels or fatigue or
alertness also contribute to the signal detection.
Psychological factors, including attention levels and states of motivation like hunger also play
important role in signal detection. As your walking down a darkened street by yourself late at
night you may be especially attentive even to the slightest sounds because they may signal
danger. You may fail to notice that same sound as you walk in that same street in broad day light.