Final answer:
Signal Detection Theory accounts for nonsensory factors by recognizing the influence of motivation, attention, experiences, and expectations on an individual's ability to detect and interpret signals, thus acknowledging the psychological components of perception beyond just sensory input.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Signal Detection Theory (SDT) experiment considers nonsensory factors by acknowledging that perception is not only based on the sensory signals themselves but also on an individual's decision-making processes, which include various psychological factors such as motivation and expectations.
These nonsensory factors can influence the detection of signals in significant ways. For instance, motivation can lead individuals to think they've detected a signal - like hearing a phone ring when expecting an important call - even when no such signal is present. Attention also plays a role, as we often perceive things we are focusing on while ignoring other stimuli, like being at a loud party but only attending to a conversation with a friend.
Moreover, perception is affected by previous experiences, knowledge, and expectations which can form perceptual hypotheses and bias our ability to accurately detect and interpret stimuli. The understanding of SDT is particularly useful in fields that require high degrees of accuracy in signal interpretation, such as air traffic control, where distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant signals (e.g., plane blips on a radar) is crucial.