Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Detection Theory, Absolute Threshold, Multisensory Integration

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Lynda Hutchinson

Document Summary

The detection of physical energy emitted or reflected by physical objects. Occurs when energy in the external environment or the body stimulates receptors in the sense organs. Process by which the brain organizes and interprets sensory information. Specialized cells that convert physical energy in the environment or the body to electrical energy that can be transmitted as nerve impulses to the brain. Dendrites of sensory neurons responsible for smell, pressure, pain & temperature. Field concerned with how the physical properties of stimuli are related to our psychological experience of them. Commonly relies on measuring absolute threshold, difference threshold, and applying signal- detection theory. The smallest quantity of physical energy can be reliably detected by an observer (50% of the time). Senses are sharp, but only tuned into narrow band of physical energies. The smallest difference in stimulation that can reliably be selected by an observer when two stimuli are compared. Also called just noticeable difference (jnd) absolute threshold.