harnad@mind.UUCP (06/10/87)
The following is the abstract of a book that will be multiply reviewed in BBS
[Behavioral and Brain Sciences -- An international, interdisciplinary
Journal of Open Peer Commentary, published by Cambridge University Press].
Self-nominations by potential reviewers/commentators are invited. Please note
that the editorial office must exercise selectivity among the nominations
received so as to ensure a strong and balanced cross-specialty spectrum of
eligible commentators. The procedure is explained after the abstract.
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SENSORY ANALYSIS
Donald Laming
Department of Experimental Psychology
University of Cambrdige
Cambridge CB2 3EB ENGLAND
ABSTRACT
Sensory analysis is that initial, preconscious stage of
perception at which features (edges, temporal discon-
tinuities, and periodicities) are picked out from the
random fluctuations that characterize the physical
stimulation of sensory receptors. Sensory analysis may
be studied by means of signal-detection, psychometric-
function and threshold experiments, and my book, SEN-
SORY ANALYSIS, presents a succinct, quasi-quantitative
account of the phenomena revealed thereby. This account
covers all five sensory modalities, emphasizing the
similarities between them.
A succinct account depends on identifying simple prin-
ciples of wide generality, of which the most fundamen-
tal are that (a) sensory discriminations are differen-
tially coupled to the physical stimuli and that (b)
small stimuli are subject to a square-law transform
which makes them less detectable than they would other-
wise be. These two principles are established by com-
parisons between different configurations of two
stimulus levels to be discriminated; they are realized
within a simple physical-analogue model which affords
certain low-level comparisons with neurophysiological
observation. That physical-analogue model consists of a
sequence of elementary operations on the stimulus con-
stituting a stage of sensory processing. The concate-
nation of two of three stages in cascade accommodates
an increased range of experimental phenomena, espe-
cially the detection of sinusoidal gratings.
My BBS precis is organized in three parts: Part I sur-
veys SENSORY ANALYSIS as economically as may be, begin-
ning from the simplest, most fundamental ideas and
working towards phenomena of increasing complexity. A
rather short Part II reviews the most important alter-
native models addressed to some part or other of the
phenomena surveyed. Finally, a very short Part III con-
tributes some metatheoretic remarks on the function of
a theory of sensory discrimination.
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This is an experiment in using the Net to find eligible commentators
for articles in the Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS), an
international, interdisciplinary journal of "open peer commentary,"
published by Cambridge University Press, with its editorial office in
Princeton NJ.
"Eligibility" usually means being an academically trained professional
contributor to one of the disciplines mentioned earlier, or to related
academic disciplines. The letter should indicate the candidate's
general qualifications as well as their basis for wishing to serve as
commentator or reviewer for the particular target article or book in
question. It is preferable also to enclose a Curriculum Vitae. (This
self-nomination format may also be used by those who wish to become BBS
Associates, but they must also specify a current Associate who knows their
work and is prepared to nominate them; where no current Associate is known
by the candidate, the editorial office will send the Vita to
approporiate Associates to ask whether they would be prepared to
nominate the candidate.)
Potential commentators/reviewers should send their names, addresses, a
description of their general qualifications and their basis for seeking to
review this book in particular to the following USmail or Email address:
Stevan Harnad, Editor
Behavioral and Brain Sciences
20 Nassau Street, Room 240
Princeton NJ 08542
(phone: 609-921-7771)
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harnad%mind@princeton.csnet harnad@mind.princeton.edu
--
Stevan Harnad (609) - 921 7771
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harnad%mind@princeton.csnet harnad@mind.Princeton.EDU