What is the Method of Adjustment in psychophysics?

The Method of Adjustment in psychophysics involves a scenario where the subject themselves actively manipulates the intensity of a stimulus until it reaches a threshold that they perceive. This means that the individual is in control and is making the adjustments based on their sensory experience, which directly relates to their own perception of when the stimulus becomes detectable or reaches a certain intensity. This method provides insights into a participant's subjective experience of sensory input, and it tends to be more direct and faster compared to methods where the researcher controls the stimulus. By allowing the subject to make adjustments, it captures the individual's threshold more accurately as it reflects their unique sensory level.

This approach is different from techniques where the researcher solely determines the intensity, which restricts understanding to only what the researcher observes rather than considering the participant's perspective. It also contrasts with the fixed method of constant stimuli, where specific stimulus intensities are presented in a random order, and the participant's responses are recorded for analysis, rather than letting them make adjustments. Furthermore, while comparative methods often involve assessing the differences between stimuli to determine thresholds, the Method of Adjustment prioritizes the individual's perception in the measurement process.