Using the Psychophysics activity at this link, follow the instructions below to complete the experiment.
Link: https://cdn.sinauer.com/wolfe4e/wa01.01.html
Step 1: Read the Introduction section to the experiment. If the link doesn’t take you directly to the Introduction page, click on Introduction in the bottom left-hand corner.
Step 2: Next, click on Start or Restart the Experiment. Then click the START button to begin a trial. After a brief delay, you’ll see three diagonal lines. The middle line may or may not be exactly the same angle as the two outer lines. Click the appropriate link below the START button to register your guess. If you think the line is the same angle, choose ‘THE SAME ANGLE’. If you think it’s different, choose ‘A DIFFERENT ANGLE’.
Step 3: Complete 40 trials. Each time trial is completed, it will populate in the Relative Misalignment box that appears after you complete a trial. There will also be a description of whether or not you completed the trial correctly.
Step 4: Once you have completed 40 trials, jot down your percentages for each type of trial. An example of what your data might look like appears below:
Relative Misalignment
Correct rejection rate: 75% Hit rate for : 58% Hit rate for : 100%
Think about your data as you answer the discussion questions below:
Discussion questions:
Hypothesize why certain changes in stimuli are easier to discriminate than others (use your data as an example). Is it possible to train yourself to discriminate a more subtle change in a stimulus? If so, provide an example of where this type of training is used in the real world (not laboratory examples).
Explain the importance of psychophysics to the development of psychology as a science. Include a modern example to support your answer.
