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A Note on Steady States and the Weber-Fechner Law

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2025

S. Spiegelman  and
J. M. Reiner
S. Spiegelman
Affiliation:
Washington University
J. M. Reiner
Affiliation:
University of Minnesota
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Abstract

The steady state of a simple reaction system has been shown to have some of the properties of a psychophysical discrimination system, including the possibility of deducing a generalized Weber-Fechner Law, both in integral form and in difference form. The Weber ratio so deduced is not constant, and its dependence on stimulus intensity is exhibited. The dependence of the difference limen on the internal threshold is discussed; it is found that in general there is a finite value of this threshold for which response is impossible. This critical threshold is lower for higher values of the reference stimulus intensity. Similarly, it is shown that the difference limen and the Weber ratio, for a fixed value of the threshold, become infinite (i.e., discrimination is impossible) for a value of the stimulus intensity which in general is finite.

Type
Original Paper
Information
Psychometrika , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , March 1945 , pp. 27 - 35
Copyright
Copyright © 1945 Psychometric Society

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References

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