A problem case set for teaching psychophysics and psychophysical modelling

Abstract

ABSTRACT Psychophysics can be considered a methodological core for quantitative studies of perception, as well as attention, memory, decision-making, etc. In typical introductory “Sensation and Perception” courses, students usually get a very basic idea of psychophysics and its main concepts. Here, I present an educational problem set for advanced practice in psychophysical data analysis and modelling. It is designed for students interested in a deeper understanding of perception and other cognitive processes and can be used as part of advanced undergraduate and master courses. Each problem case from the set includes a pregenerated data set and a research question that the student should answer by creating a psychophysical model (or several alternative models) and testing it against the data. Importantly, a successful model requires not only basic modelling and coding skills but also encourages deeper understanding of the logic of the method and basic concepts used to interpret behaviour in a psychophysical experiment. The article also presents a demonstration case with a detailed tutorial on its solution that can be useful for both students and instructors.