An explanation for inconsistency between psychophysical functions derived from different scaling methods on a prothetic continuum.
In this note is proposed an hypothetical explanation for the question of why, on a prothetic continuum, a psychophysical function obtained by direct scaling is inconsistent with that obtained by indirect scaling. We explain by making the assumption that there are two stages of sensory processes which transform a given stimulus value to a perceived value serially by logarithmic and exponential functions. It is illustrated that, on a prothetic continuum, a logarithmic function should be obtained by direct scaling and a power function should be obtained by indirect scaling if our assumption is expanded mathematically.
Nakajima
Y
Y
Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Japan. nakajima@hus.osaka-u.ac.jp
Kawamura
S
S
D000465:Algorithms; D006801:Humans; D011601:Psychophysics; D012677:Sensation; D012684:Sensory Thresholds