frequency theory

a late 19th-century theory specifying that pitch is coded by the rate at which action potentials are generated by auditory neurons within the basilar membrane of the ear. According to this theory, the wavelength (frequency) of a tone is precisely replicated in the electrical impulses transmitted through the auditory nerve. For example, a 100 Hz tone would be signaled by 100 impulses per second in the auditory nerve. However, frequency theory cannot explain the perception of sounds above 500 Hz because the refractory period of a neuron renders it incapable of firing at a rate greater than 500 impulses per second. This discrepancy was accounted for by the later volley theory. Also called telephone theory. [proposed in 1886 by William Rutherford (1839–1899), British physiologist]

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Psychology term of the day

December 26th 2024

institutionalized racism

differential treatment of individuals on the basis of their racial group by religious organizations, governments, businesses, the media, educational institutions, and other large social entities. Examples include discrimination in hiring, promotion, and advancement at work; restrictive housing regulations that promote segregation; unfair portrayal of minority members in newspapers and magazines; and legal statutes that restrict the civil liberties of the members of specific racial categories. A parallel phenomenon exists for sexism. Also called institutional racism.