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AN ANALYSIS OF THE LIMITING METHOD
Author(s) -
Brown J.,
Cane V. R.
Publication year - 1959
Publication title -
british journal of statistical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.157
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 2044-8317
pISSN - 0950-561X
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8317.1959.tb00026.x
Subject(s) - limiting , mathematics , statistics , variable (mathematics) , computer science , threshold limit value , algorithm , mathematical analysis , engineering , chemistry , mechanical engineering , organic chemistry
The value for a sensory threshold which the Limiting Method yields is shown to be mathematically dependent on the details of the experimental procedure: in particular, it is highly sensitive to the size of the steps between successive values of the variable stimulus. Moreover, it is impossible to ensure in advance that any two thresholds are obtained by equivalent experimental procedures, except in the trivial case where the relevant psychophysical distributions are already known. Nevertheless, on certain assumptions, the method may be validly used to test whether thresholds change in an expected manner; and the way in which this can be done is described. The Method of Average Error and the Békésy‐Oldfield method for the continuous recording of threshold are basically similar to the Limiting Method.