Hans and Franz lift weights at their local gym. When their trainer adds a two-pound weight to Hans's normal 50-pound load, Hans immediately notices. However, when the same two-pound weight is added to Franz's normal 200-pound load, he isn't aware of the extra weight. The difference in Hans's and Franz's experience is consistent with
A)absolute threshold theory.
B)difference threshold theory.
C)Weber's Law.
D)signal-detection theory.
E)Gestalt laws of perceptual organization.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Weber's Law explains this phenomenon, stating that the noticeable difference for a stimulus is proportional to the magnitude of the original stimulus. Thus, a small addition to a lighter weight is more noticeable than the same small addition to a heavier weight.

Hans and Franz Lift Weights at Their Local Gym