PSYCH 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Detection Theory, Subliminal Stimuli, Absolute Threshold
21 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Sensation is the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from the environment. Perception is the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events. Detection is the assessment of the amount of stimulus energy that is necessary for an individual to be consciously aware of its presence. The absolute threshold is the smallest quantity of physical energy that can be reliably detected (50% of the time) by an observer. Subliminal perception occurs below our threshold for being able to consciously detect a stimulus. Although we cannot learn complex knowledge from subliminal stimuli, we can be primed, and this will affect our subsequent choices. Identification is the assessment of an individual"s ability to select a particular stimulus from among a set of other similar stimuli. Discrimination is the assessment of an individual"s ability to distinguish one stimulus from another.
