AP Psychology Practice Test

The study of psychophysics focuses on how physical stimuli correlate with our subjective experiences of them. This field investigates the relationship between the intensity and characteristics of stimuli, such as light, sound, or touch, and how these stimuli are perceived and interpreted by our sensory systems. Researchers in psychophysics might measure things like the smallest detectable difference in stimulus intensity (known as the just noticeable difference) or how perception changes as the intensity of a stimulus increases. By exploring these relationships, psychophysicists aim to quantify sensory experiences and establish principles that can predict how changes in a physical stimulus will affect perception. This can encompass a wide range of sensory systems, such as vision, hearing, and smell, enabling a comprehensive understanding of our sensory world grounded in empirical evidence.