THE ROLE OF E. VEBER AND T. FEXNER’S RESEARCH IN THE EMERGENCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHOPHYSICS

Abstract

This work explores the history of the emergence of psychophysics, considered a cornerstone in the establishment of psychology as an independent and experimental science, and the pivotal role of the research conducted by its founders, E. Weber and G. Fechner. The study analyzes Ernst Weber's initial physiological experiments regarding sensory thresholds, specifically his conclusions on the constancy of the ratio required to perceive a minimal change in a stimulus. Furthermore, it highlights how Gustav Fechner formulated this regularity into a mathematical model and established psychophysics as a precise science studying the relationship between the physical world and the mental realm. The article substantiates the Weber-Fechner law expressed as S = k \cdot \log I, stating that the intensity of sensation is proportional to the logarithm of the stimulus intensity, and discusses the application of measurement methodology to the field. The research of these scientists is of profound significance as it created the possibility of quantitatively measuring psychological processes and transitioned the field from speculative reasoning to the stage of objective experimental research.