NAME-Navya Pandey

REGISTRATION NUMBER- 22213498

COURSE- BPSYH
EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

TWO-POINT THRESHOLD EXPERIMENT

AIM- To assess the two-point threshold of the subject’s sensation in the lower arm.
INTRODUCTION
Background
Although humans rely heavily on the sense of vision to detect and recognize objects, the
sense of touch is also very important. Touch can provide information about an object, such as
surface texture, that is not easily detectable by vision. Touch experiences are triggered by
mechanical disturbance of the skin produced by physical contact with an object. The human
skin contains mechanoreceptors or receptors that are sensitive to mechanical pressure or
deformation of the skin. However, the concentration of mechanoreceptors within the skin is
not uniform. Rather, the highly sensitive areas of skin, such as the lips and fingertips, contain
densely packed mechanoreceptors, while insensitive areas, such as the stomach and back,
contain lower concentrations of mechanoreceptors. More sensitive areas of the skin also
project a larger proportion of the somatosensory cortex than less sensitive areas. Thus, the
area of the brain which receives touch sensations (for example, from the fingertip) is
proportional to the actual sensitivity of the skin area.
According to Guilford, "Psychophysics has been regarded as the science that investigates the
quantitative relationships between physical events and corresponding psychological events."
The problems of psychophysics usually center around the threshold. A threshold is a
statistically determined point at which a stimulus is adequate to elicit a specific organismic
response. There are three types of thresholds:
• Stimulus Threshold
• Difference Threshold
• Terminal Threshold.
The Stimulus threshold is also known as the absolute threshold or the Reize limen.
Underwood defines it as "the minimal physical stimulus value which will produce a response
fifty percent of the time." The method of Constant Stimulus Differences, also known as the
Frequency method or constant method, can be used to measure thresholds. Here the stimuli
are not presented in ascending or descending order of magnitude but rather in random order.

The Two-point Threshold is the minimal distance required between two points, for the
subject to perceive it as 2 points in 50 percent of the trials and as one point in the other 50
percent of the trials. The accuracy of the observer's response will depend on the area of the
body stimulated.
Weber’s Law Weber’s Law also known as Weber-Fechner Law is considered to be an
important psychological law quantifying the perception of change in a given stimulus. This
law states that the change in a stimulus will be just noticeable, it’s a constant ratio of the
original stimulus.

Normal and impaired performance

Body areas differ in tactile receptor density and somatosensory cortical representation.
Normally, a person should be able to recognize two points separated by 2 to 8 mm on
fingertips. On the lips, it is 2 to 4 mm, and on the palms, it is 8 to 12 mm, and 30–40 mm on
the shins or back (assuming the points are at the same dermatome).[1]: 632 The posterior
column-medial lemniscus pathway is responsible for carrying information involving fine,
discriminative touch. Therefore, two-point discrimination can be impaired by damage to this
pathway or a peripheral nerve.[6

METHOD
DESIGN
Weber first introduced the Two-Point Threshold in 1853 and defined it as the distance
between compass points necessary to feel two contacts. Later Dellon, Mackinnon, and
Crosby 1987 reported that two-point threshold tests have interobserver reliability. In 2000,
Jerosch-Herold thought that TPD lacked sensitivity. The two-point threshold test is the ability
to distinguish between two adjacent things touching the skin that are genuinely two distinct
points, rather than one. The two-point threshold test is commonly used to assess touch acuity.
The administrator administers the Two-Point Threshold Test with the use of an
aesthesiometer. The administrator may touch the patient at one or two locations in the area
that is being tested at random. The patient is asked whether he or she felt one- or two points.
The minimal distance required between two points is for the subject to perceive it as 2 points
in 50 percent of the trials and as one point in the other 50 percent of the trials. The accuracy
of the observer’s response will depend on the area of the body stimulated. Aesthesiometer An
aesthesiometer is a device that is used to assess the skin’s tactile sensitivity. It refers to the
measurement of tactile sensitivity. Edward Henry Sievecking is the inventor of this device.
Plan A series of stimuli, ranging between 10mm and 30mm, and increasing by 2mm, is
presented in random order. 10 trials of each distance are presented, and the subject’s
responses are recorded.
Variables Independent variable: Distance between the 2 points of the aesthesiometer.
Dependent variable: Subject’s perception of two points

PARTICIPANTS
APPARATUS AND MATERIALS
• Two-point aesthesiometer [An esthesiometer (British spelling aesthesiometer) is a device
for measuring the tactile sensitivity of the skin (or mouth, or eye, etc.). The device was
invented by Edward Henry Sieveking.]
• blind goggles/blindfold
• writing materials.

PROCEDURE
Seat the subject comfortably and instruct the subject that his/her ventral forearm will be
touched with either one point or two points. Each time the subject has to report whether
he/she felt one point or two points. Draw a 4 cm. line on the subject's ventral forearm and
blindfold her. After instructing the subject, present the stimuli in random order and record the
subject's responses. Each trial should be preceded by a 'ready' signal.
[Note: If two-point sensation can not be obtained within 30mm. values of stimuli]

INSTRUCTIONS
"I will touch your ventral forearm with either one point or two points. Report to me each time
whether one point or two points are touching your skin. I will give you a 'ready' signal before
each trial, so be very attentive."
Experimental controls:
• Subject should be blindfolded.
• The two points of the aesthesiometer should be presented with equal study pressure.
• Check trials, with one point should be presented, occasionally, which should not be
recorded.
• Rub the area periodically to avoid after sensation.

PRECAUTIONS

• The subject should be made to sit in a room with proper ventilation and silence.
• The environment of the room should be adjusted according to the subject’s convenience.
• Instructions should be given before the conduction of the test.
• Proper rapport formation should be done before the conduction of the test to ensure
smooth conduction of the test.
• Ask the subject if they have any skin allergies.
• The area being tested must not be seen by the subject and the subject must concentrate on
feeling the points.
• For accurate results, the hand must be immobile on a hard surface and it must be ensured
that the two points are simultaneously touching the skin.
• There must be no skin blanching as it indicates too much pressure being applied.
• If the subject is hesitant to respond or becomes inaccurate, the subject is required to
respond accurately on several trials before the test can be prepared.

DEMOGRAPHIC DETAILS
• Name: XYZ
• Age:18 years old
• Gender: Female
• Marital Status: Not married
• Education background: Passed grade 12th board
• Father’s Education: MBA
• Father’s Occupation: Private sector
• Mother’s Education: MBA
• Mother’s Occupation: HR Manager
• Living in: Urban area
• Socio-economic status: Middle class

RESULTS
Analysis of Results:
1) Note down the frequency (f) of 'two' responses for each distance.
2) Compute the cumulative frequency of two-point sensation for each distance.
3) Compute the cumulative percentage (CP) using the value of the last 'cf' as the base
number.
cf CP = X 100 Base number
DISCUSSION
• In the 10 mm trials, the subject got a total of 4 correct answers out of 10. The
cumulative frequency of correct answers is 4 and the cumulative percentage is 4/ 54 x
100 = 7.4%
• In the 12 mm trials, the subject got a total of 5 correct answers out of 10. The
cumulative frequency of correct answers is 9 and the cumulative percentage is 9/ 54 x
100 = 16.67%
• In the 14 mm trials, the subject got a total of 3 correct answers out of 10. The
cumulative frequency of correct answers is 12 and the cumulative percentage is 12/ 54
x 100 = 22.23%
• In the 16 mm trials, the subject got a total of 8 correct answers out of 10. The
cumulative frequency of correct answers is 20 and the cumulative percentage is 20/ 54
x 100 = 37.03%
• In the 18 mm trials, the subject got a total of 3 correct answers out of 10. The
cumulative frequency of correct answers is 23 and the cumulative percentage is 23/ 54
x 100 = 42.59%
• In the 20 mm trials, the subject got a total of 6 correct answers out of 10. The
cumulative frequency of correct answers is 29 and the cumulative percentage is 29/ 54
x 100 = 53.7%
• In the 22 mm trials, the subject got a total of 8 correct answers out of 10. The
cumulative frequency of correct answers is 37 and the cumulative percentage is 37/ 54
x 100 = 68.51%
• In the 24 mm trials, the subject got a total of 3 correct answers out of 10. The
cumulative frequency of correct answers is 40 and the cumulative percentage is 40/ 54
x 100 = 74.07%
• In the 26 mm trials, the subject got a total of 5 correct answers out of 10. The
cumulative frequency of correct answers is 45 and the cumulative percentage is 45/ 54
x 100 = 83.33% 8 • In the 28 mm trials, the subject got a total of 4 correct answers out
 of 10. The cumulative frequency of correct answers 49 and the cumulative percentage
is 49/ 54 x 100 = 90.74%
• In the 30 mm trials, the subject got a total of 5 correct answers out of 10. The
cumulative frequency of correct answers is 54 and the cumulative percentage was 54/
54 x 100 = 100%

CONCLUSIONS
The test, two-point threshold was conducted on a subject BIDHS to understand the subject’s
tactile sensitivity. The result show that the participant’s answers are gradually increasing in
an random manner. From the result, it can be derived that the subject has a high tactile
sensitivity. Along with the recognition, some measure can be taken to reduce the randomness
and inconsistency.

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