PSYB51H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Absolute Threshold, Wilhelm Wundt, Vitalism
Document Summary
Ability to detect the pressure of a finger, and, perhaps, to turn that detection into a private experience is an example of sensation. Perception can be thought of as the act of giving meaning to those detected sensations. Gustav fechner invented psychophysics and is thought to be the true founder of experimental psychology, even if that title is usually given to wilhem wundt who began his work a little later. Fechner had a degree in medicine, then turned from biology to physics and math. Fechner suffered eye damage from gazing at the sun too much while performing vision experiments, this led to his depression leaving him alone most of the time with his own thoughts. When his vision recovered he became absorbed with the relationship between mind and matter. This pursuit placed him in the middle of a classic philosophical debate between adherents of dualism and materialism.
