[5.9] The value of a variable of a physical stimulus (such as size, luminance, contrast or time) that permits the stimulus to be seen a specific percentage of the time or at a specific accuracy level. In many psychophysical experiments, thresholds are presented in terms of 50% accuracy, or being accurately perceived 50% of the time. However, the threshold is also expressed as the value of the physical variable that permits the object to be just barely seen. The threshold may be determined by merely detecting the presence of an object, or it may be determined by discriminating certain details of the object.
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