DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN
ABSOLUTE THRESHOLD AND JUST NOTICEABLE
DIFFERENCE
Absolute threshold and the
just noticeable difference (both) concerns human sensation
experienced by individuals when they sense any stimulus around
them.
- Absolute threshold if the minimum
limit or intensity of any particular stimulus that an individual
experiences or notices 50% of the times with his or her senses.
An example of absolute threshold is when an individual goes
for a hearing test or she may listen to two tones that have
differing intensities.
- However, just noticeable
difference or a difference threshold is the concept that
involves understanding of how two stimuli are different from each
other which means that how much difference there should be between
the two stimuli (needed by an individual) to notice the difference
among them.
- The concept of absolute threshold
was given by Weber who conducted ad to detect the minimum required
by an individual to experience the stimuli this concept can be
applied for developing various food items example to establish the
level of chilli required in a food dish is tested to detect whether
the customers will be able to sense the taste of the chilli.
- The concept of difference threshold
was given by Gustav Fechner who said that there should be a
difference in the intensity of the to stimuli to detect whether
they are different this concept is often applied to marketing so
that best method of improving the product can be determined, for
instance, changing the packaging of a product may make it more
attractive for customers which depicts that they may notice the
difference in the product supplied by a particular company.
- Thus, an absolute threshold
determines the minimum intensity of a particular stimulus for
sensation difference, the difference intensity needed to
discriminate between two stimuli. The absolute threshold concept is
based on the lowest intensity, whereas, the difference threshold is
based on the lowest difference between two stimuli that a person
can sense.