PSYC234 Study Guide - Final Guide: 3D Computer Graphics, Resting Potential, Pipette
Research Methods
-Psychophysics is the study of the relationship between physical stimuli and their
subjective correlates or percepts. The central idea is that measurements of behavioural
parameters can be used to infer mental state of subjects!
-Psychophysics can be used for…!
•Sensory system neurophysiology and neuropsychology!
•Experimental psychology!
•Quantitative measurement of perceptual states!
-Threshold measurements —> detection of small intestines and discrimination of small
intensity differences!
-Direct scaling!
•Measuring growth of sensation with intensity!
•Observers are asked to judge sensation magnitude on a scale (scaling)!
•Judgements ‘directly’ reflect sensation magnitude (direct)!
-Magnitude estimation!
•1. stimuli with various intensities are presented several times on randomised order!
•2. observer assigns numbers to each stimuli!
•3. first stimulus is assigned an arbitrary number!
•4. further stimuli are assigned numbers representing the subjective impression!
•Actual numbers vary a lot from observer to observer but relationship among numbers
are similar scores observers!
-Variants of magnitude estimation !
•Presenting a standard stimulus and an assigned number!
•Cross modality matching —> equate sensation strengths from differ sense modalities!
-Wet lab electrophysiology!
•typically not humans but ‘animal models’!
•Intracellular recording!
•Extracellular recording!
•Multi unit recording!
-Single unit recordings!
Document Summary
Psychophysics is the study of the relationship between physical stimuli and their subjective correlates or percepts. The central idea is that measurements of behavioural parameters can be used to infer mental state of subjects. Psychophysics can be used for : sensory system neurophysiology and neuropsychology, experimental psychology, quantitative measurement of perceptual states. Threshold measurements > detection of small intestines and discrimination of small intensity di erences. Direct scaling: measuring growth of sensation with intensity, observers are asked to judge sensation magnitude on a scale (scaling, judgements directly" re ect sensation magnitude (direct) Variants of magnitude estimation: presenting a standard stimulus and an assigned number, cross modality matching > equate sensation strengths from di er sense modalities. Wet lab electrophysiology: typically not humans but animal models", intracellular recording, extracellular recording, multi unit recording. Single unit recordings: placed in or near neuron and records the electrical activity, precise enough to isolate individual neurons, micro-electrode > glass micropipette, conductive wire, neutral solution.
