Thursday, March 19, 2020

psychophysics essays

psychophysics essays The Weber -Fechner Principle: An Approximate psychological law relating the degree of response or sensation of a sense organ and the intensity of the stimulus. The law asserts that equal increments of sensation are associated with equal increments of the logarithm of the stimulus, or that the just noticeable difference in any sensation results from a change in the stimulus, which bears a constant ratio to the value of the stimulus. Weber was the first German anatomist and physiologist to introduce the concept of the just-noticeable difference, which is the smallest observable difference between two similar stimuli. From 1818 until 1871 Weber was a professor at the University of Leipzig. Weber is best known for his work on the sensory response to weight, temperature, and pressure. Weber stated that, in order for any increase in the intensity of the stimulus a threshold of sensation must be passed. This increase would create the just-noticeable difference. The ratio Weber discovered was the total intensity of sensation, rather than an absolute figure. Greater weight had to be added to heavier objects in order for the person to notice the change. Weber's observations were formed mathematically by Gustav Theodor Fechner, which he later called Weber's law. Fechner was a German physicist and philosopher; he was an influential figure in the development of psychophysics. He was concerned with the quantitative relations between sensations and the stimuli producing them. When Fechner was 16, he began medical school at the University of Leipzig where he studied anatomy under Weber. Fechner upon graduation discovered his interested lead more toward physics and mathematics than medicine. Fechner by the end of the 1830's had written several papers on the perception of complementary and subjective colors. In 1840 his article on subjective afterimages w ...

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Parsons Chairs and Parsons

Parsons Chairs and Parsons Parsons Chairs and Parsons Parsons Chairs and Parsons By Maeve Maddox The first time I heard the term parsons chair I immediately imagined that the name derived from some quaint country custom of seating the visiting preacher on the best chair in the parlor. Not so. The Parsons chair takes its name from its place of invention: the Parsons School of Design founded in Paris in 1921 by Frank Alvah Parsons. According to an article on a site called Modern Dining Chairs, The parsons chair is virtually always crafted of hardwood, and features a slightly curving, squared backrest and legs. They are usually featured with slipcover upholstery that entirely covers the legs and gives the chair a solid, monumental appearance. This slipcover is optional or absent on many recent models. Furniture retailers don’t seem to agree as to the spelling. You can find Parsons chair, parsons chair, Parson chair and parson chair. Until a chair design expert corrects me, I’ll go with Parsons chair in recognition of the fact that the name comes from a proper noun. However, since Parsons is not a commercially-registered word, Im sure that parsons chair cannot be considered incorrect. The word parson meaning â€Å"clergyman† derives ultimately from the same Latin word that gives us person in the sense of â€Å"human being.† The word entered English from Anglo-Fr., O.Fr. persone curate, parson. Person may have come to mean the person in charge of the local church by shortening the Latin phrase persona ecclesiae person of the church. I suppose that a pronunciation variant turned person into parson. The word parsonage, â€Å"house for the parson,† is documented from the 15th century. The word parson occurs in several English expressions. One that I find amusing is the parson’s nose, a reference to the fatty tail end of a cooked chicken or turkey. My granny used to gross us out by eating that bit. She may have called it the pope’s nose. Here are some other words used to refer to personnae ecclesiae. chaplain clergyman cleric curate pastor preacher priest minister rector vicar Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Is She a "Lady" or a "Woman"?Time Words: Era, Epoch, and EonThrew and Through