PSY 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Gustav Fechner, Detection Theory, Absolute Threshold
Document Summary
The study of how physical stimuli are translated into psychological experience (the study of how our 5 senses are translated into perceptions). Sensation: detection of physical energy by the sense organs we can electrically stimulate these senses and we can activate the senses without it being in front of you: 5 senses: The process of converting an external stimulus into electrical signals within neurons. When senses meet the brain: after being transduced, our brains then organize the sensory data into meaningful concepts, our brains piece together. Perception: the (cid:271)rai(cid:374)"s interpretation of raw sensory data. Psychophysics: basic concepts: sensation begins with a detectable stimulus. A dividing point between energy levels that do and do not have a detectable effect (example, automatic lights turn on when a threshold is reached) Absolute threshold: the smallest amount the stimuli can detect the stimulus intensity that can be detected 50% of the time (for example, the softest sound you can hear)
