CHAPTER 1: PRINCIPLES OF PERCEPTUAL MEASUREMENT

Scientific Basis of Perceptual Measurement

Benefits of Quantitative Relationships
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Provides an estimate of the perceptual quality of a stimulus in numerical terms allows

comparisons with other stimuli (i.e. testing aromatic acceptance of a perfume)
Allow comparisons among individuals and even species
Comparisons of different sensory modalities cross-modal comparison

Relationship between Physical Stimulus and Perception

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Can be Linear, exponential or LogarithmicRelationship determined by

o Asking individual to rate the perceived intensity of a stimulus
o Measuring of the smallest change in stimulus input that cause a just discriminable
change in sensation

Psychophysics: Quantitative description of the relation between the physical energies of the
world around us and the subjective experience of their perception
Classical Psychophysics
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Absolute Threshold: The minimum level of intensity that can be registered by the brain as
a sensory event
Subthreshold: Stimulus intensities below the absolute threshold. It will not produce
detectable sensation
Suprathreshold: region where sensation takes place. Region where we determine how the
slope changes as a function of physical intensity.
Difference Threshold: the smallest change in stimulus intensity required to produce a
discriminable change in sensation. Use to determine which function best describe the
stimulus vs. perception relationship

Psychophysical methods: to obtain absolute and difference thresholds. Came from Gustav
Fechner.
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Method of Adjustment: human subject is told to simply adjust the physical intensity of a
stimulus until it is barely detectable. Benefits fast
Method of Limits: Subject is presented with a stimulus whose intensity is chosen from an
ascending or descending series. Benefits more reliable estimates
Method of Constant Stimuli: intensity values are randomly chosen from a preset range and
presented to the subject. The subject replies whether or not a sensation occurred and a
frequency chart is established

Absolute Threshold
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Step Function: Assumes human are ideal detector. A clear division between sub- and
supra- threshold thus clearly indicating the absolute threshold
Psychometric Function: S-shaped (ogive) function. Humans are not ideal detectors.
Sources of Uncertainty leading to human as not ideal detectors: Esp. at low intensities
o Variability in the intensity of a stimulus no physical device can provide perfect
delivery
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Sensory system is noisy noise interferes with signal detection to produce instances
of misperception
o Judgment as to whether a stimulus is perceived judgement influenced by physical,
emotional and cognitive factors.
Threshold Estimations: 50% response level. There are no such thing as all or none
o

Difference Threshold
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Increment Threshold: difference b/w 75% and 50% brighter response level
Decrement Threshold: difference b/w 50% and 25% brighter response level

Weber Law: The greater the intensity level at which we have to make a JND judgment, the
greater the difference threfhold needed to attain that JND.
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Difference threshold is not constant but actually increases in a linear fashion with stimulus
intensity
I = K x I
k = Webers Fraction = some proportion of the stimulus intensity
The requirement for a JND is that the incremental amount be scaled to the stimulus
intensity

Fechners Law: the change in sensation (S) is constant at all level for a JND, resulting in a log
function between sensation magnitude and stimulus intensity
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S = k x log(I)
k is related to the constant in webers law but not identical
Fechners law asserts that at low intensity levels, the magnitude of our sensations can
change quite rapidly with small changes in stimulus intensity. We become less sensitive at
higher intensities
Gustav Fechner = Father of Psychophysics

Modern Psychophysics
Magnitude Estimation and the Power Law
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Magnitude Estimation: asking subjects to provide a direct rating on the sensation they
experienced.
Power Law: S = K x Ib
o S = sensation experienced; I = physical intensity of the stimulus; k = scaling
constant; b= exponent value
o Different sensory dimension have different exponents
Sensory Transducer theory: power law reflects the operation of sensory systems at their
lowest levels at the interface where the physical stimulus becomes converted into a
biological signal.

Pyschophysical Scaling
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Cross-Modal Experiments: subjects asked to compare stimuli from one sensory modality to
those of another (i.e. loudness vs. brightness).
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Subjects were asked to adjust sound level until it matched the perceived intensity of
a stimulus from another sensory domain reating equal sensation functions
Prothetic and Metathetic Sensations
o Prothetic sensory experiences where subjects can make a judgment of how
much
associated with power law through its addictive properties
o Metathetic instead of changing intensities, the quality is entirely changed (i.e.
changing wavelength)
associated with change in quality substitution of one kind of neural
excitation by another
Multi-Dimensional Scaling: use to analyze metathetic percepts such as by pairing which
colour is most similar in a triad (method of triads)
o

Scaling of Non-sensory Variables: establish measure of subjective magnitude in the areas of

esthetic preference or social/political options (Social psychophysics)
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Discrimination scaling vs. Ratio Scaling

o Discrimination Scaling variability in psychological units is constant along a linear
psychological continuum (aka confusion scaling)
o Ratio Scaling equal units of discrimination along the stimulus continuum equal
ratios along the subjective continuum.
Ekmans law: detectable changes in sensation were related to sensation in a linear
manner. S = k x S

Signal Detection Theory (SDT)

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Uses statistical concepts that take into account cognitive factors that may influence a
subjects decision making process.
Measuring Effects of Signal and Noise
o In the experiments, a no stimulus is given, and the subject asked if they perceived
anything.
o In the absence of signal
A NO response = correct rejection
A YES response = false alarm and is solely due to the noise created by the
neurons
o In the Presence of signal
A NO response = Miss
A YES response = Hit
Criterion Effects
o General Properties Subjects establishe a set point (Criterion ). A YES response
can either be a false alarm or Hit.
o Expectations depending on an inherent expectation of stimulus appearance, the
subject will be either more or perhaps less inclined to give a positive answer on
each trial
Probability of hit due to expectation is represented by the ROC curve
(receiver operating characteristic)
Upper end = more liberal criterion and vice versa
o Motivation motivational states induced by different pay-off conditions produce diff.
criterion shift
Hit pay > false alarm pay = more liberal criterion
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Hit pay < false alarm pay = more conservative criterion

Chapter 1 Questions:
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Which of the following would be the biggest problem in studying perception

o A. determining whether all the participant see the same blue
Why do psychologists take a scientific approach to studying sensation and perception
o A. Humans are curious, it may provide..All of the Above
The difference between method of adjustment and method of limits is
o A. The participants has control over the stimulus intensity in the method of
adjustment but not with the method of limits
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text as a source of uncertainty
o A. the participant trying to please the experimenter
What is it call if a subject perceive a stimulus that did not exist
o A. False Alarm