A theoretico-historical review of the threshold concept.

Abstract

This paper traces the concept of threshold from its classical beginnings and shows the relation of the concept to selected issues in contemporary psychology. Emphasis is placed on 3 main problems: the designation of the origin point on a psychological continuum; the interpretation of the sensory threshold as an intervening variable and the issue of sensory continuity-noncontinuity; and the specification of the response threshold as a dependent variable of behavior, rather than an index of organismic sensitivity. Reference is made to adaptation level theory and the theory of signal detection as possible approaches to the development of a complete psychophysics which does not start from the concept of threshold. (74 ref.)

Buyers' Subjective Perceptions of Price

“…The Weber-Fechner law provides a means of experimentally determining the absolute threshold because a least squares regression relating R to log S can be fitted from the data. Then the threshold is operationally defined as the stimulus value with a probability of producing a response 50% of the time [12]. The importance of the Weber-Fechner law to pricing is it produces the hypothesis that the relationship between price and an operationally defined response is logarithmic.…”

The Euclidean model of measurement in Fechner's psychophysics

“…16. On the history of the concept of threshold in psychology, see Corso (1963). The threshold concept was introduced in psychology by Herbart.…”

Beyond stimulus cues and reinforcement signals: A new approach to animal metacognition.

“…In these tasks, the experimenter moves one stimulus distribution nearer to or farther from a stable, contrast stimulus distribution in order to titrate the perceptual limen or discrimination threshold between the stimulus classes (Corso, 1963; Fechner, 1860/1966). The threshold task creates constant, focused task difficulty because at threshold the identity of the stimulus on all trials is barely discernible.…”