Final answer:
The intensity of a stimulus can be determined within the central nervous system through population coding and/or frequency coding.
Step-by-step explanation:
The intensity of a stimulus can be determined within the central nervous system through population coding and/or frequency coding.
Population coding is when the intensity of a stimulus is encoded by the number of receptors activated. An intense stimulus will activate a large number of receptors, while a less intense stimulus will activate fewer receptors.
Frequency coding, on the other hand, is when the intensity of a stimulus is encoded in the rate of action potentials produced by the sensory receptor. An intense stimulus will result in a higher rate of action potentials, while a less intense stimulus will result in a lower rate of action potentials.