Question

kyle is holding a bag of 250 jelly beans. when mark takes out two jelly beans, kyle is not able to tell a difference. this illustrates ______.

webers law
absolute threshold
sensory adaptation
signal detection theory

Explanation:

Analyze the scenario

The scenario describes Kyle holding a bag of 250 jelly beans. When 2 jelly beans are removed, he cannot detect the difference in weight. This involves detecting a change in an existing stimulus (the weight of the bag).

Evaluate the psychological concepts

• Weber's law states that the just noticeable difference (difference threshold) between two stimuli is a constant proportion of the original stimulus intensity, rather than a constant amount. Removing 2 jelly beans from 250 is too small a proportion (\(2/250 = 0.8\%\)) to be detected.
• Absolute threshold is the minimum stimulus energy needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time (detecting presence vs. absence, not a change).
• Sensory adaptation is diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation.
• Signal detection theory predicts how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise).

Determine the correct option

The inability to detect a small change in a large initial stimulus directly illustrates the principle of the difference threshold governed by Weber's law.

Answer:

• Weber's law (Correct answer)
• absolute threshold
• sensory adaptation
• signal detection theory