PSYCHOPHYSICAL METHODOLOGY III. DEDUCTIONS FROM THE ASSUMPTION THAT A CUMULATIVE SYMMETRICAL DISTRIBUTION UNDERLIES THRESHOLD PHENOMENA,

Abstract

The phi-gamma and quantal hypotheses are special cases of the hypothesis of a cumulative symmetrical distribution. Assuming any cumulative symmetrical distribution it follows that: (a) a descending method of limits (DML) threshold distribution is a mirror image of an ascending method of limits (AML) threshold distribution; (b) the DML mean threshold, M sub D, is higher than the AML mean threshold, M sub A; (c) M sub A + M sub D = S sub O + S sub n, where S sub O and S sub n are the stimuli associated with p values (probability of a 'Yes' response) of .00 and 1.00, respectively; (d) the median threshold of the method of constant stimuli is (S sub O + S sub n)/2, as is the mean threshold of the pooled AML and DML distributions. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 31, 1965
Accession Number
AD0630391

Entities

People

  • Robert M. Herrick

Organizations

  • Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Hypotheses
  • Probability

Readers

  • Analytical Mechanics
  • Regression Analysis.
  • Vision Science/Vision Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience.