What does Weber's Law describe?

What does Weber's Law describe?

• A. The relationship between intensity of stimuli and intensity of perception
• B. The change in stimulus intensity required for a "just noticeable difference"
• C. The physiological threshold for sensory perception
• D. The effects of brightness on color perception

Answer: (B)

Weber's Law is a principle that addresses the relationship between the intensity of a stimulus and the perception of change in that stimulus. It specifically states that the change in stimulus intensity necessary to produce a "just noticeable difference" (JND) is a constant proportion of the original stimulus intensity. This means that as the intensity of a stimulus increases, a greater change is required for a person to perceive a difference. For example, if a weight is doubled, a person might have to add a certain percentage of that weight before they notice the difference in heaviness. The focus on the "just noticeable difference" is crucial because it highlights how human perception does not respond to absolute changes in stimulus but to relative changes, which is a key concept in understanding sensory processing. This law helps psychologists comprehend how we perceive varying stimuli in our environment. By contrast, the other choices do not accurately capture the essence of Weber's Law. The first option oversimplifies the relationship, the third option addresses sensory thresholds more broadly, and the fourth pertains to specific aspects of color perception rather than the general principle of proportionality in perception that Weber's Law embodies.

Weber's Law is a principle that addresses the relationship between the intensity of a stimulus and the perception of change in that stimulus. It specifically states that the change in stimulus intensity necessary to produce a "just noticeable difference" (JND) is a constant proportion of the original stimulus intensity. This means that as the intensity of a stimulus increases, a greater change is required for a person to perceive a difference. For example, if a weight is doubled, a person might have to add a certain percentage of that weight before they notice the difference in heaviness.

The focus on the "just noticeable difference" is crucial because it highlights how human perception does not respond to absolute changes in stimulus but to relative changes, which is a key concept in understanding sensory processing. This law helps psychologists comprehend how we perceive varying stimuli in our environment.

By contrast, the other choices do not accurately capture the essence of Weber's Law. The first option oversimplifies the relationship, the third option addresses sensory thresholds more broadly, and the fourth pertains to specific aspects of color perception rather than the general principle of proportionality in perception that Weber's Law embodies.