PSYC 2390 Chapter Notes -Absolute Threshold, Gustav Fechner, Birthday Cake
1 Aug 2013
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Document Summary
Quantitative method to measure relationships between stimuli (physics) and perception (psychology) Proving that mental processes can be measured quantitatively*** Studied how physics of stimulus causes internal reaction (psychological reaction) Ways to measure perception: describing (asking person to describe, phenomenological method), recognizing (categorizing, used with brain damage patients), detecting, perceiving magnitude, searching. Detection: to sense it or not sense it. Absolute threshold: smallest amount of stimulus energy necessary to detect a stimulus: high threshold: stimulus must be really intense to be recognized. High threshold for pain : low threshold: low stimulus intensity needed to be sensed, as you increase the threshold, you decrease the sensitivity. Drugs (smoking: nicotine, carbon monoxide, smokers increase their absolute threshold for taste (stronger cheese needed so they can taste the cheese) Alcohol: increase absolute threshold for bitter tastes, scotch doesn"t taste as bitter after a while. Sex hormones: men have higher thresholds than women, olfaction. Women have more acute sense of smell.
