Pragurile

Pragurile are the thresholds or boundary levels that define when a change occurs in a system, or when a rule, action, or perception becomes applicable. In Romanian, pragurile is used across science, medicine, psychology, economics, environmental studies and everyday language to refer to such pivotal points.

In science and psychology, a threshold marks the level at which a stimulus is detectable or a perceptual change becomes noticeable. Common terms include pragul de detecție (detection threshold), pragul de percepție (perceptual threshold) and pragul durerii (pain threshold). The absolute threshold is the minimum stimulus needed for sensation, while the diferență de prag is the smallest detectable difference between two stimuli.

In economics and business, pragurile denote levels that trigger actions or milestones, such as pragul de rentabilitate (break-even point) or praguri de investiție. In environmental and risk contexts, thresholds may reflect tipping points or regulatory limits, for example praguri ecologice or praguri de risc, beyond which impacts intensify or policy measures are activated.

Thresholds are often estimated through experimental or statistical methods and can vary between individuals, populations, or circumstances. They are sometimes used metaphorically to describe when processes or decisions cross a predefined limit, as in public policy, education, or social science, with phrases like prag de acceptare or prag de vulnerabilitate indicating specific, bounded levels of concern or tolerance.