unit 2 Flashcards
method of limits
stimuli are presented in a graduated scale, and participants must judge the stimuli along a certain property that goes up or down
-participant must decide if a stimulus is present at a number of different levels of intensity
absolute threshold
the smallest amount of a stimulus necessary to allow an observer to detect its presence
method of constant stimuli
-random
-a method whereby the threshold is determined by presenting the observer with a set of stimuli, some about threshold and some below it
method of adjustment
-a method whereby the observer controls the level of the stimulus and adjusts it to be at the perceptual threshold
point of subjective equality
the settings of 2 stimuli at which the observer experiences as identical
sensitivity
the ability to perceive a particular stimulus, it is inversely related to threshold
magnitude estimation
-a psychological method in which participants judge and assign numerical estimates to the perceived strength of a stimulus
response compression
as the strength of a stimulus increases, so does the perpetual response, but the perceptual response doesn’t increase by as much as the stimulus increases
response expansion
as the strength of a stimulus increases, the perceptual response increases even more
Steven’s power law
-a mathematical formula the described the relationship between stimulus intensity and our perception; it allows for both response compression and response expansion
catch trials
a trial in which the stimulus is not presented
signal detection theory
-the theory that in every sensory detection or discrimination, there is both sensory sensitivity to the stimulus and a criterion used to make a cognitive decision
false alarm
in signal detection analysis, a false alarm is an error that occurs when a nonsignal is mistaken for a target signal
miss
an error that occurs when an incoming signal is not detected
correct rejection
occurs when a non signal is dismissed
