Showing papers by "William C. Stebbins published in 1995"

Uncertainty in the Study of Comparative Perception: A Methodological Challenge

Abstract: The senses of animals continually engage a complex and ever changing world. That they are remarkably adapted to this level of complexity is evident, and the lives of their ancestors have depended on it. In their exploration of animal senses scientists have employed the right mix of behavioral methods and highly developed technological instrumentation. We now know and understand much about the sensory acuity of animals and the limits of their resolution of the environment. Unfortunately, we stop short of being able to grasp a rich variety of complex perceptual phenomena that include the sensory illusions, aftereffects, certain forms of perceptual categorization, sensory matching, and perceptual judgment. Our methods are unable to yield precise and exact measurements of these phenomena, and in fact, these methods may interfere with what they purport to measure. For this reason our results are uncertain and even indeterminate. The chapter describes our efforts to break this impasse; they have not been entirely successful.