ABSTRACT
There are many situations in which it is important to identify conditions that aid in the successful detection of stimuli. One example is the design of radar screens. Another is the design of instrument panels on airplanes, which are usually crowded, and so have to be designed so that some critical signals stand out. Psychologists and human factors engineers are employed to test conditions that maximize successful detection. Psychologists are also interested in the more general questions about what conditions are good and bad for detection, and what are the quantitative relationships between stimulus changes and detectability (suggesting laws of perception).
