Which threshold refers to the smallest detectable difference between two stimuli?

Which threshold refers to the smallest detectable difference between two stimuli?

• A. Absolute threshold
• B. Difference threshold
• C. Sensory adaptation
• D. Perception

Answer: (B)

The difference threshold is the smallest detectable difference between two stimuli, often called the just noticeable difference. It captures how sensitive our senses are to changes in what we experience—how big a change has to be before we can tell two things apart. For example, you’ll notice a slight difference in weight only once the change crosses that perceptual boundary, which grows with the initial intensity according to Weber’s law. This is different from the absolute threshold, which is the minimum intensity needed to detect a single stimulus, and from sensory adaptation, which is a reduced response to a constant stimulus over time. Perception, meanwhile, is the process of organizing and interpreting sensory input, which relies on these thresholds to determine what we actually notice.

The difference threshold is the smallest detectable difference between two stimuli, often called the just noticeable difference. It captures how sensitive our senses are to changes in what we experience—how big a change has to be before we can tell two things apart. For example, you’ll notice a slight difference in weight only once the change crosses that perceptual boundary, which grows with the initial intensity according to Weber’s law. This is different from the absolute threshold, which is the minimum intensity needed to detect a single stimulus, and from sensory adaptation, which is a reduced response to a constant stimulus over time. Perception, meanwhile, is the process of organizing and interpreting sensory input, which relies on these thresholds to determine what we actually notice.