Theories in Sensation

KMY4013
 Summary:
Sensation Unit

Proprioception The vestibular system

  Psychophysics
 Absolute Threshold
Summary:  Difference Threshold
Sensation Unit  Weber’s Law
 Sensory Processing Information/Disorders
  The study of people’s tendencies to make correct
judgments in detecting the presence of stimuli
 Predicts how and when we detect the presence of a faint
stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise)

Signal Detection  Assumes that there is no single absolute threshold

Theory  Detection depends partly on person’s

 Experience
 Expectations
 Motivation
 Level of fatigue
  Senses are most responsive to increases and decreases

Sensory rather than ongoing unchanging stimulation

 Our senses have the ability to adapt
Adaptation
 Tasks: Individual Date Due Percentage (%)
Project

Tutorial 1 1 Nov 5

Tasks Tutorial 2 16 Nov 10

Tutorial 3 30 Nov 5

Problem-based project

Compulsory WW9 10

Project 2-5 WW13 20