Electrocutaneous psychophysical input-output functions and temporal integration

Abstract

Electrocutaneous magnitude estimation functions were generated by stimuli ranging from 1.0 to 5.0 mA and from 100 to 6,400 msec in duration. The results indicate that when these functions are fitted by a two-parameter power function (ME = aI b), the values of the constant, a, and the exponent, b, are altered by increases in stimulus duration, with a increasing and b decreasing. The exponent decreases from around 1.4 to 0.93 as duration increases from 100 to 6,400 sec. Equal magnitude estimation contours drawn for estimates ranging from "2" to "50" can be fitted by an equation representing partial integration, I × t a = K. The exponent a decreases as a function of the level of the magnitude estimation, indicating less partial integration at higher than at lower levels of estimated magnitude. The electrocutaneous data are compared to data in other sensory modalities. © 1978 Psychonomic Society, Inc.