THERMAL SENSATION AND DISCRIMINATION IN RELATION TO INTENSITY OF STIMULUS

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Abstract
The flicker method for studying temp. sensation is presented and is found to give results in harmony with results obtained by direct estimates of sensation. Wider use is made of the subjective estimates of degrees of sensation than has hitherto been generally attempted, and this method has been found thoroughly reliable. The Weber-Fechner law holds in a limited range (up to 1,000 X 10-5 g. cal. per sq. cm. per sec.). The Ferry-Porter law is demonstrated to be a special case of the wider Weber-Fechner law. A study of the Weber increment shows that it may either change with the intensity, or be a constant, depending on the range. The behavior of the increment is such as to suggest 3 receptor types: warmth receptors, pain receptors, and a "C receptor." A close correlation between Weber increment and sensation increment has been made for warmth. There are about 30 discriminable steps in the range of intensities from threshold to pain.