Application of detection theory in psychophysics

The paper reviews how current developments in detection theory have contributed to our understanding of human sensory processes. The first section of the paper emphasizes the methodological contributions of detection theory and how the theory is useful in the analysis of discrimination data. Next, a brief discussion of the substantive contribution of the theory in auditory research is considered. Energy detection, internal and external fluctuation, and some recent work using a Poisson model, illustrate these substantive applications of detection theory.