Principles of Perceptual Measurement
Introduction
Scientific basis of perceptual measurement
Classical psychophysics
Modern psychophysics
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Introduction
Can we measure the energy from physical
stimuli in our world?
Yes (e.g., measure the intensity of a light stimulus) Can we measure someone’s psychological
experience of a physical stimulus?
No (e.g., do you see a red light as the same
‘red’ as another?)
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Scientific Basis of Perceptual Measurement
Quantitative relationships and their benefits:
Provides an estimate of the perceptual quality of a stimulus in numerical terms
Allows it to be compared with other stimuli
Allows comparisons among different individuals and different species
Allows comparisons across different sensory modalities 4
Scientific Basis of Perceptual Measurement
Is there a general relationship between a
physical stimulus and perception?
There are multiple possible functions that indicate an increase in our perception of a stimulus as the physical intensity of the stimulus increases
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Examples of these relationships - 1
Linear function:
As stimulus intensity increases, perceived intensity increases by a constant amount across the range.
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Examples of these relationships - 2
Exponential function:
As stimulus intensity increases, changes in perceived intensity increases slowly at low values but increases dramatically after a certain point.
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Examples of these relationships - 3
Logarithmic function:
As stimulus intensity increases, changes in perceived intensity increases dramatically at low values but increases much more slowly after a certain point.
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Examples of these relationships - 4
“Ogive” function – smoothly tapering function that has an upper and lower limit, and a quasi-linear region of change in the middle – very characteristic of perceptual functions at relatively high intensities quasi-linear region at relatively low intensities
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Approach to Perceptual Measurement
Is there a general relationship between a
physical stimulus and perception?
General approach to obtaining the relationship between physical events and perceptual experience:
Ask humans to rate the perceived intensity of a stimulus at various physical intensities.
Measure the smallest change in stimulus input that causes a just discriminable change in sensation. Classical Psychophysics :
Some Terminology
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Absolute threshold:
Minimum intensity level of a stimulus before it is registered by the brain in the form of a perceptual event Subthreshold:
Stimuli below absolute threshold that are not detectable by the sensory system
Suprathreshold:
Stimuli above absolute threshold where sensation takes place
Difference threshold:
The smallest change in stimulus intensity required to produce a discriminable change in sensation
Classical Psychophysics :
Requirements
To plot the function relating changes in
physical stimulus intensity with changes in perceptual intensity, it is necessary to have:
Absolute threshold:
Provides first data point for plotting function
Difference threshold:
Used to estimate the changes in slope at suprathreshold levels
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Classical Psychophysics :
History
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Fechner (1860):
Set out to establish a set of experimental methods to be used in psychophysics:
The study of the quantitative relationships between physical events and psychological experience Believed in a general relationship between physical and perceptual qualities:
Could be obtained knowing the absolute and difference thresholds Gustav Theodor Fechner
(1801–1887)
Classical Psychophysics:
How to do it 1
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Psychophysical methods:
Method of adjustment:
Participant adjusts the physical