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Some Historical Aspects of Cutaneous Psychophysics

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Book cover Affective Touch and the Neurophysiology of CT Afferents

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Abstract

The subject called psychophysics reflects an ambition to explore the mostly human characteristics of neurophysiology for both theoretical and medical purposes. It may be traced from the first half of the nineteenth century, starting with advocates like Johannes Müller and Ernst Weber. The historical development of the issue’s cutaneous subdivision may be followed through publications of a restricted series of findings. Their authors as well as their messages are still recalled in many instances. The development followed the creation of new techniques. Nevertheless, it was not always the case. Some important observations were overlooked in the beginning and thus some possible developmental strategies were delayed for decades.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Fechner may have been the first to use the term psychophysics in 1858, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.

  2. 2.

    Archaic term, a rubefacient was a substance, which caused redness of the skin following its application. For medical purposes rubefacients were formerly used as counterirritants.

  3. 3.

    The German nouns Kitzel, and Wollust together represent a variable significance with regard to a resulting experience ranging from sensations of being tickled, via enjoyment to delight.

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Acknowledgements

Work supported by The Royal Society of Art and Science in Gothenburg. Dr. Kerstin Norrsell read and commented on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgren Academy, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 11, Göteborg, 405 30, Sweden

    Ulf Norrsell M.D., Ph.D.

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  1. Ulf Norrsell M.D., Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Ulf Norrsell M.D., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Göteborg, Sweden

    Håkan Olausson

  2. Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden

    Johan Wessberg

  3. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden

    India Morrison

  4. Research Centre for Brain & Behaviour, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom

    Francis McGlone

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Norrsell, U. (2016). Some Historical Aspects of Cutaneous Psychophysics. In: Olausson, H., Wessberg, J., Morrison, I., McGlone, F. (eds) Affective Touch and the Neurophysiology of CT Afferents. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6418-5_7

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