Sensory thresholds refer to the limit of sensations and within these the so-called differential thresholds, minimum thresholds and maximum thresholds must be taken into account. In this Psychology-Online article, we are going to explain what is the definition of sensory thresholds and we will clarify some related concepts.
What do we understand by sensory thresholds?
Classical psychophysics was interested in the study of sensory thresholds that become “the margins” of our sensation, that is, there are certain stimulus magnitudes so low that they no longer cause sensation (absolute threshold or lower limit) and, on the contrary, others so high that what they produce is not a sensation but pain (terminal threshold or upper limit).
Differential threshold: definition
Differential threshold (UD) It is the distance (minimum changes in intensity) on the continuum of stimuli between the value of a given stimulus and another higher or lower than it, which causes a justly perceptible change in sensation (djp).
Psychophysics has focused mainly on the study of the absolute threshold or minimum value of the stimulus capable of evoking sensation. This value changes depending on the subject and the circumstances, so there is no single point in all individuals, but rather it is located in a transition zone.
Modern Signal Detection Theory has dispensed with the threshold; said theory of what is concerned with the performance in detecting a signal by any human operator, and not with whether the threshold exists or not. To avoid the “stimulus error” the subjects were trained. For the problem of the probability of the stimulus, statistical correction of the data was used.
Various methods:
- Limits method.
- Method of constant stimuli.
- Average error method.
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