Distal stimulus

As distal stimulus , including the distal stimulus or remote stimulus , in which is psychology an object referred to, of which the measurable change in a physical quantity starts (etc. weight, light, heat), which with the aid of the sense as proximal irritant was added and in the perception can be processed. In contrast to this, the distal stimulus is independent of the respective observer.

The terms "distal stimulus", "proximal stimulus" and "percept" were coined by Gustav Theodor Fechner to describe a causal relationship between the properties of the stimulus object (distal stimulus) and the stimulus processes occurring in the sensory organ (proximal stimulus).

literature

• James J. Gibson , The Concept of the Stimulus in Psychology. The American Psychologist 15 (1960) pp. 694-703.
• Horst Gundlach, Reiz - on the use of a term in psychology. Huber, Bern 1976.