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
The principles of sensation refer to the basic laws and concepts that describe how we sense and perceive the world around us. These principles explain how our sensory organs receive, process, and interpret information from our environment.
This is the minimum level of stimulus intensity needed for a stimulus to be detected 50% of the time. It's like your phone's brightness setting - there's a certain level below which you can't see anything on the screen.
Difference Threshold (Just Noticeable Difference): This is the smallest difference in stimulation that can be reliably detected by an observer when two stimuli are compared. It’s like adjusting your phone’s volume – there’s a certain point where you notice it has become louder or quieter.
This theory explains how we decide whether or not we have detected a stimulus based on both sensory experience and judgment/decision-making processes. It's like deciding if your phone vibrated in your pocket or if you just imagined it.