One can detect a single drop of perfume diffused in an area the size of a six-room apartment. This example illustrates an:
Absolute threshold.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Identify the Key Concept: We need to determine which concept in psychology is being illustrated by the ability to detect a single drop of perfume in a large area.
2. Understand the Definitions:
- Absolute Threshold: This is the minimum stimulus energy needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time.
- Difference Threshold: Also known as the just noticeable difference (JND), this is the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time.
- Just Noticeable Difference: This is another term for difference threshold, which refers to the smallest change in a sensory stimulus that can be detected.
- Psychophysical Minimum: This term is less commonly used but generally refers to the minimum intensity of a stimulus required to evoke a sensory response.
3. Analyze the Example: The example given states that a single drop of perfume can be detected when it diffuses in an area the size of a six-room apartment.
4. Match with Definitions:
- Since the example is about detecting the presence of a single drop of perfume (minimum stimulus energy) and not about detecting a change between two different levels of a stimulus, it matches the definition of absolute threshold. This is because the absolute threshold is concerned with the smallest amount of a stimulus that can be detected.
5. Conclusion: Based on the analysis, detecting a single drop of perfume in a large area illustrates the concept of an absolute threshold.
Therefore, the correct answer is absolute threshold.
