The psychophysical function: harmonizing Fechner and Stevens

Science
G S WassermanG S Easland

Abstract

The methods of Fechner and Stevens for assessing sensation quantity usually yield different psychophysical functions even when all other factors are controlled. In this experiment, corresponding differences occurred when different features of the same sensory receptor signals were analyzed. In the visual system, the receptor potential saturated if the peak but not the area was measured; these results match visual psychophysical functions obtained with the methods of Fechner and Stevens, respectively. This result suggests that both methods are equally valid but that each method yields the particular psychophysical function appropriate for a particular kind of information processing. A novel factor in determining sensation quantity, namely the time used by the observer to make a judgment, is implicated by the data.

References

Sep 1, 1978·Journal of Experimental Psychology. General·G S Wasserman
Feb 1, 1977·The Journal of General Physiology·R B Barlow, E Kaplan
May 1, 1969·Vision Research·G S Wasserman
Aug 1, 1966·The Journal of Physiology·K I Naka, W A Rushton
May 1, 1957·Psychological Review·S S STEVENS
Jul 1, 1958·Psychological Review·R D LUCE, W EDWARDS

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Citations

Sep 23, 2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Alan Leshner, Donald W Pfaff
May 1, 1994·Journal of Periodontal Research·R Jacobs, D van Steenberghe
Jan 31, 2008·Perceptual and Motor Skills·Sergio Cesare Masin
Jan 13, 2016·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Steven T Piantadosi
Aug 7, 1981·Journal of Theoretical Biology·D Meredith, J Tomlinson
Jan 1, 1982·Perception·D Rose, I Lowe
Dec 13, 2006·Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers & Imaging : the Official Journal of the International Society for Imaging in the Eye·Lawrence F Jindra

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