What does the Method of Constant Stimuli involve?

The Method of Constant Stimuli is a psychophysical technique used to measure sensory thresholds and involves presenting a set of stimuli at various intensity levels in a random order. This method aims to avoid biases that might occur if stimuli were presented in a fixed order or if participants could anticipate the sequence. Each stimulus is presented multiple times, and participants are asked to indicate whether they perceive the stimulus or not.

This approach is valuable because it allows researchers to gather data across a range of stimuli intensities and obtain a more accurate estimate of the threshold level where a participant can detect a stimulus reliably. The use of random ordering prevents the potential influence of learning or adaptation effects on participants’ responses.

The other answer options do not accurately describe the Method of Constant Stimuli. Gradual adjustment of stimulus intensity reflects a different method, known as the Method of Adjustment, where participants actively change the intensity until they achieve a specific perceptual threshold. The sequential presentation based on response thresholds corresponds to the Method of Limits, where stimuli are presented in a specific order to determine the threshold. Finally, estimating stimulus intensity based on a reference aligns more with techniques such as the Method of Zeros or the Method of Production, which do not involve the random presentation of stimuli.