creators_name: Lanzara, Richard G.
editors_name: Jacquez, John A.
type: journalp
datestamp: 2005-02-16
lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:55:51
metadata_visibility: show
title: Weber's Law Modeled by the Mathematical Description of a Beam Balance
ispublished: pub
subjects: Psycoloquy
subjects: psy-phys
subjects: phil-mind
subjects: BBS
subjects: percep-cog-psy
subjects: psycphs
subjects: behanal
subjects: bio-theory
subjects: bio-ani-behav
subjects: bio-ani-cog
subjects: neuro-mod
subjects: appl-cog-psy
subjects: physio-psy
subjects: bio-behav
full_text_status: public
keywords: Weber's law, Weber-Fechner law, sensory response model, receptor model, just noticeable difference
note: This paper links the psychological and physical realms.
abstract: A beam balance is analyzed as a model that describes Weber's law.  The mathematical derivations of the torques on a beam balance produce a description that is strictly compatible with that law.  The natural relationship of the beam balance model to Weber's law provides for an intuitive understanding of the relationship of Weber's law to sensory and receptor systems. Additionally, this model may offer a simple way to compute perturbations that result from unequal effects on coupled steady state systems. A practical outgrowth from this work is that a relatively simple mathematical description models sensory phenomena and may aid in the understanding of sensory and receptor systems.
date: 1994
date_type: published
publication: Mathematical Biosciences
volume: 122
publisher: Elsevier Science Inc.
pagerange: 89-94
refereed: TRUE
referencetext: References
1.	E. Batschelet, Introduction to Mathematics for Life Scientists, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1979, pp. 157-162.
2.	S. M. Dawis, A molecular basis for Weber's law, Visual 	Neuroscience 7:285-320 (1991).
3.	H. Hatze, A Teleological Explanation of Weber's Law and the Motor Unit Size Law, Bulletin of Mathematical Biology 41:407-	425 (1979).
4.	R. G. Lanzara, Drug Compositions to Prevent Desensitization of Cellular Receptors, Patent Pending (1992).
5.     S. .S. Stevens, Neural events and the psychophysical law, Science 170:1043-1050 (1970).

citation:   Lanzara, Richard G.  (1994) Weber's Law Modeled by the Mathematical Description of a Beam Balance.  [Journal (Paginated)]     
document_url: http://cogprints.org/4094/1/Weber%27s_Law.pdf