Summarize Fechner’s psychophysical work and methods.
Due to Fechner’s heavily interest in the mind-body relationship, he arise their interest in the concept of psychophysics. He needed to solve the mind-body interrelationship in a better way that would satisfy the materialistic approach towards scientist’s rationalism. According to Fechner’s philosophy, it has been considered that the mental and physical states were the two entities of the fundamental reality that builds strong relationship between the body and the mind that eventually initiates the concept of psychophysics.
Fechner noted that the systemic relationship between mind and body could be experienced by changes in sensation via physical and mental stimulus that was changed from geometric to arithmetic order and thus, he modified the psychological area into discrete entities that are collectively known as psychophysics. It also refers to the study of the interrelationship between psychological and physical events.
Fechner also justified numerous types of psychophysical methods to explore the mind-body relationship that are as follows:-
1. The method of limits:- In this method, one stimulus remains constant that is compared to a standard. The variable stimulus can be equal, weaker or stronger as compared to the standard. The major goal behind this method is to determine the stimulus range that must be equal to that of the standard value.
2. The method of constant stimuli:- In this type of method, one pair of the member refers to the standard and the other varies in magnitude from one encounter to another. The subject investigates that the variable presentation appears less than, greater than or equal to the standard.
3. The method of adjustment:- In this method, the subject has the ability to control over the variable stimulus that appears equal to the standard stimulus by adjusting its magnitude. The average difference is measured between the standard stimulus and the variable stimulus after the adjustment process.