Describe the distinction between an absolute threshold and a difference threshold.

Absolute threshold is the minimum amount of stimulus energy that a person can detect.In other words, the absolute threshold is the dimmest light, the faintest sound, or the softest touch a person can still see, hear, or feel.When the energy of a stimulus falls below this absolute threshold, we cannot detect its presence; when the energy of the stimulus rises above the absolute threshold, we can detect the stimulus.For example, if you are listening to music, the very fact that you can hear it means that the absolute threshold has been crossed.The difference threshold is the degree of difference that must exist between two stimuli before the difference is detected.For example, if you are listening to music, you might wonder how much the volume must be turned down for you to notice a difference.Like the absolute threshold, the difference threshold is the smallest difference in stimulation required to discriminate one stimulus from another 50 percent of the time.