The Psychophysics of a Complex Signal: Problems and Perspectives

Study of the process of adequate reflection of the characteristics of the objective world in mental images is the principal subject of psychophysical investigations. Today, Soviet psychophysics is a branch of psychology in which the principles of a systemic approach to inquiry are extensively applied. These principles have found their fullest reflection in the construction of a psychophysical theory of sensory processes in the works of Yu. M. Zabrodin [10-121. Without going into a detailed analysis of this theory itself, let us merely point out that, in this theory, psychophysics is viewed as a complex, multidimensional, hierarchically organized, dynamic system that actively interacts with the external environment. The central task of psychophysical investigation is comprehensive study of the processes of formation of mental images of external stimuli, the laws of transformation of these images in human activity, and their role in the regulation of behavior.