Abstract
If S. S. Stevens’ exponents indicate the rates at which sensations grow with increases in sensory intensity, they ought to correlate with the population norms of top sensory magnitudes. Using a comprehensive sample of eight sensory dimensions, the tau coefficient of rank correlation between Stevens’ exponents and the medians of the top sensory magnitudes reported by 305 observers was found to be only +.15 (p>05). With the geometric means tau fell to −.04. A split-half consistency check on the medians of the population norms suggested that they were not to blame for the low correlation. Direct comparisons of pairs of sensory dimensions on 146 additional observers produced results which confirmed the population norms. Since there is no way of comparing most of the top physical stimuli experienced in everyday life, it is not possible to make a joint prediction from exponents and top stimuli. S. S. Stevens’ exponents thus appear to have little predictive value outside the experimental conditions under which they were measured.
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W. R. Garner kindly commented on a draft manuscript, P. M. E. Altham advised on the statistics, and C. H. Brock helped to calculate the geometric means. Financial support from the British Medical Research Council is also gratefully acknowledged.
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Poulton, E.C. Population norms of top sensory magnitudes and S. S. Stevens’ exponents. Perception & Psychophysics 2, 312–316 (1967). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03211049
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03211049