Constrained scaling: The effect of learned psychophysical scales on idiosyncratic response bias

We report seven experiments in which subjects were trained to respond with numbers to the loudness of 1000-Hz pure tones according to power functions with exponents of 0.60, 0.30, and 0.90. Subjects were then presented with s timuli from other continua (65-Hz pure tones or 565-nm lights varying in am plitude) and were asked to judge the subjective magnitude of these stimuli on the same numerical scale. Stimuli from the training continuum were prese nted, with feedback, on every other trial in order to maintain the trained scale. Except for the 0.90 scale, subjects readily learned the predetermine d scales and were able to use them to judge the non-training stimuli with g roup results consistent with those usually reported. Also, in contrast to t he usual magnitude estimation results, these results produced extremely low levels of intersubject variability. We argue that such learned scales can be used as "rulers" for measuring perceived magnitudes, according to a comm on unit.