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and spent a year conducting physiological research in Italy at the University of Pisa。 He was
appointed to the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology （MIT） in 1959； but returned to
McGill University in 1963。
Melzack’s doctoral research on pain in experimental animals resulted in his collaboration with
Patrick Wall。 Out of this effort emerged the gate…control theory of pain； which remains today the
most widely accepted theory of pain sensation and regulation。 Its implications have influenced not
only basic research on pain but also the clinical practice of pain management。 Melzack continues to
refine and modify this successful theory。
66
CHAPTER 4： SENSATION
TIMELINE
Year Event
1838 Johannes Müller formulated his doctrine of specific nerve energies； which states that
sensory experience depends not on the stimulus； but on the part of the nervous system
that is activated。
1839 M。 E。 Chevreul published On the Law of simultaneous Contrast of Colors。
1843 S。ren Kierkegaard published Either/Or。
1846 Ernst Weber postulated that the difference threshold is a constant proportion of the initial
stimulus intensity； a notion later formalized as Weber’s Law。
1855 Walt Whitman published Leaves of Grass。
1857 Based on the earlier work of Thomas Young； Hermann von Helmholtz proposed that color
vision is due to three different types of color receptors （cones）； each of which is sensitive to
a specific range of wavelengths of light。
1860 Gustav Fechner published Elemente der Psychophysik； marking the founding of
psychophysics； the study of the relationship between subjective experience and physical
stimulation。
1898 The Spanish…American War was fought。
1929 The Great Depression began with the stock market crash。
1938 H。 Keffer Hartline discovered that optic nerve fibers respond to stimulation from different
receptive fields。
19501953
The Korean War was fought。
1954 Tanner and Swets proposed the application of signal detection theory to the study of
thresholds。
1954 The first hydrogen bomb was exploded。
1957 S。 S。 Stevens demonstrated that changes in one’s subjective impression of stimulus
magnitude are a power function of the actual stimulus magnitude。
1957 Leo Hurvich and Dorothea Jameson； building on the work of Ewald Hering； postulated
the theory that color vision is based on opposing neural processes； the opponent…process
theory of color vision。
1959 David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel discovered that cells in the visual cortex of cats （and； in
1968； of monkeys） respond differentially to form and movement。
67
PSYCHOLOGY AND LIFE
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READINGS
Kosslyn； S。 M。 （1995）。 Visual Cognition： An Invitation To Cognitive Science； Vol。 2 （2nd ed。）。 Cambridge：
MIT Press。 Explores the mental aspects of visual processing。 Discusses the important research；
discoveries； and insights in various areas of research on visual cognition and attempts to
integrate work from related fields。
Kosslyn； S。； & Koenig； O。 （1992）。 Wet Mind： The New Cognitive Neuroscience。 New York： Free Press。 A
prehensive； integrated； and accessible overview of recent insights into how the brain gives
rise to mental activity。 Examines a large number of syndromes that occur following brain
damage； and accounts for them according to an analysis of the operation of a normal brain。 The
authors also present an interesting theory of consciousness。
Link； S。 （1994）。 Rediscovering the Past： Gustav Fechner and Signal Detection Theory。 Psychological
Science； 5（6）； 335…340。 Suggests that the origins of experimental psychology are found in the
theoretical works of Gustav Fechner and that Fechner is not given the credit that he is due for
his contributions。 Argues that his works spawned many new ideas and theories； including the
response bias found in signal detection theory。
Matlin； M。 W。； & Foley； H。 J。 （1992）。 Sensation and Perception。 （3rd edition）。 Boston： Allyn and Bacon。
A well…written introduction to the fields of sensation and perception。
Sekuler； R。 （1995）。 Motion Perception as a Partnership： Exogenous and Endogenous Contributions。 Current
Directions in Psychological Science； 4（2）； 43–47。 Describes the process of motion detection as a
result of the interaction of exogenous and endogenous influences。
DISCOVERING PSYCHOLOGY
PROGRAM 7： SENSATION AND PERCEPTION
Overview
Explores how we make contact with the world outside our brain and body。 See how biological；
cognitive； social； and environmental influences shape our personal sense of reality； and gain an
understanding of how psychologists use perceptual errors to study how the constructive process of
perception works。
Key Issues
Visual illusions； the biology of perception； the visual pathway； how the brain processes information
during perception； sensory feedback in visual perception； and perceptual constancy。
Demonstrations
Sensory feedback in visual perception。 A Stanford student demonstrates the problems that football
quarterbacks face in the adjustment to special kinesthetic cues with distortion goggles that displace
feedback from the perceived visual field。
Perceptual constancy。 Philip Zimbardo demonstrates visual misperception in the Ames distorted room
in the Exploratorium in San Francisco。
68
CHAPTER 4： SENSATION
Interviews
Nobel Prize winner David Hubel （Harvard University） explains the mapping of the reaction of receptor
cells along the visual pathway of primates。 Hubel’s award…winning experiment of the response of
neurons to electrical activity in the visual cortex of a cat illustrates his point。
Misha Pavel uses puter graphics to demonstrate how the visual system of the brain breaks down
and rebines visual stimulation into recognizable； coherent images。
FILMS AND VIDEOS
A Touch of Sensitivity （1981）。 BBC； 50 minutes
This NOVA presentation discusses the importance of touch and the effects of touch deprivation。
This film examines the importance of touch for development at various ages。 Many interesting areas
of research are cited。
The Mind： Pain and Healing （1988）。 HARR； 24 minutes
Reviews the influence of the mind on people’s ability to control pain； and on their ability to promote
physical healing。 An excellent film。 Traces the progress of a woman through a three…week clinic
program to reduce chronic pain。 The changes in her movement and affect are dramatic。
Demonstrates the placebo effect； and shows how cues； such as a doctor’s white coat； can trigger the
release of endorphins to reduce pain。 In the final segment； a cancer patient discusses how the
interaction of cognitive therapy and physical therapy increased her life expectancy and quality。
The Senses： Eyes and Ears （1985）。 FFHS； 26 minutes
Visual and auditory distance receptors are discussed。 Demonstrations of how each processes
information are also shown。
The Senses： Skin Deep （1985）。 FFHS； 26 minutes
The sense receptors that depend on immediate contact with the world–taste buds； olfactory cells；
and touch sensors–are examined。
CASE STUDY LECTURE LAUNCHER
Five months before her second birthday； Helen Keller was stricken with a mysterious illness that
deprived her of both sight and hearing。 Helen’s other senses became highly developed—a
phenomenon experienced by many people who suffer long…term sensory deprivation—and her
sensory experiences were eloquently documented： “I cannot recall what happened during the first
months after my illness。 I only know that I sat in my mother’s lap or clung to her dress as she went
about her household duties。 My hands felt every object and observed every motion； and in this way；
I learned to know many things。 。 。 。 Sometimes I stood between two persons who were conversing
and touched their lips。 I could not understand； and was vexed” （Keller； 1902； pp。 26—27）。
In her seventh year； Helen Keller became the pupil of Annie Sullivan； a young woman whose vision
was partially impaired。 In letters to a matron at the Perkins School in Boston where Annie had been
educated； she wrote of the pleasure