Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Sensory thresholds refer to the minimum level of stimulation needed for a sensory system to detect a stimulus. It is the point at which a stimulus becomes noticeable or detectable by our senses.
The absolute threshold is the lowest level of stimulation that can be detected by a sensory system, such as the faintest sound you can hear or the dimmest light you can see.
Difference Threshold (Just Noticeable Difference): The difference threshold refers to the smallest amount of change in stimulation needed for an individual to notice a difference between two stimuli. For example, being able to tell if someone added one teaspoon or two teaspoons of sugar in your coffee.
Subliminal stimuli are below our absolute threshold and therefore go unnoticed by our conscious awareness. They may still influence us subtly, but we are not consciously aware of them.