Perception times and rates as a function of the qualitative and quantitative structure of the stimulus

Abstract

Reference is made to the results of earlier experiments on the relative times required to perceive increasing quantities of presented stimulus material, and a comparison is made with results recorded by Welford.

In a further experiment, 42 young adult Ss were tested with 5 series of stimulus material each containing a quantitative range of material with increasing complexity of structure from series to series. It was found that the absolute perception time for the single units of these series did not differ greatly, but that the relative times for perceiving more than 1 unit presented simultaneously increased in accordance with increased content and with complexity of content.

The rates of perception were found to increase to a maximum corresponding to an optimal quantum of simultaneously presented material, and then to decrease when the amount presented was further increased.