Questions tagged [psychophysics]
Psychophysics is the scientific study of the relationship between physical stimuli and the subjective sensations and perceptions evoked by these stimuli. The term psychophysics is used to denote both the substantive study of stimulus-response relationships and the methodologies used for this study.
12 questions
30
votes
3
answers
10k
views
Can one see flickering of a light bulb at 50 Hz?
Yesterday I had a BBQ with some friends. The sun had already set and the only light source left (besides some ambient light from the world around) was a low energy light bulb.
After a while I started ...
- 419
2
votes
1
answer
78
views
Consistency of consciouness [closed]
So I was wondering if consciousness is continous and I found out it might not be the case. But in that case it begs a question, what if in every frame of consciousness my old me dies and new is reborn ...
- 131
8
votes
1
answer
4k
views
What is the smallest touch sensation that a human can feel?
What is smallest touch (pressure) sensation that a normal, healthy person (not hypersensitive nor insensitive) can feel on the palm of the hand?
- 323
5
votes
1
answer
787
views
What is the smallest pressure differential that humans can detect?
While cooking dinner under an extractor on its lowest setting, I noticed that none of the steam (referenced by the amount of fogging on a nearby window, compared to the absence of the fan, was ...
- 103
2
votes
0
answers
56
views
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on science fair [closed]
My friends and I would love to make a TMS machine and apply it to make famous "god helmet". We know that magnetic stimulation may cause visions of angels, gods etc. My question is: what are the ...
- 305
2
votes
0
answers
33
views
Pearson correlation of neural responses with it's linear estimation
I am trying to anderstand the following fact from this article (page 13):
How can single neurons predict behavior
Suppose I have a linear estimation of a stimulus:
$ \hat{s} = \mathbf{w}^T(\mathbf{r} ...
- 560
2
votes
2
answers
296
views
What is 'noise'?
In both my psychology, biology and neuroscience classes, professors are constantly talking about 'noise'. For instance, our perception is limited due to 'sensory noise' in our neurons.
I am utterly ...
- 23
6
votes
1
answer
418
views
What is the biological limit on hearing resolution?
I sometimes wonder how many different individual musical scales could be perceived by human ears. I define a musical scale as a collection of notes that relate to some fundamental frequency by ...
- 2,080
1
vote
1
answer
493
views
Is there an absolute minimum intensity level to the stimuli we can perceive?
By stimuli that we can perceive, I mean what our five senses can perceive.
Is there an absolute minimum for humans, or can we "train" ourselves to perceive stimuli at lower intensity?
And if there ...
- 121
6
votes
1
answer
124
views
How well do we notice asynchronicity?
I'm stopped at a stoplight and, with nothing to do, my thoughts wander to the timed don't-walk sign that governs any pedestrians who might wish to cross the street I'm driving along.
I can see two ...
- 503
9
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Does the human ear adapt to noise levels?
I have noticed lately that if I go to sleep, when I have my radio running, it is on lowest volume, I still consider it kind of loud.
In the morning, when being on the edge of waking up, I hear the ...
- 193
4
votes
1
answer
706
views
What determines the perceived pitch (frequency) of tinnitus?
I noticed that every time I suffer temporary tinnitus after going to a very loud concert, the frequency I perceive is identical. I'd put it somewhere around 17 kHz, but it's difficult to pin down with ...
- 798