An eye fixation analysis of multialternative choice

Eye fixations were recorded while subjects chose their most preferred of six used cars. Fixation sequences of the form X-Y-X-... were used to identify pair comparisons. This assumption was validated by verbal protocols and by a comparison between X-Y-X and X-Y-X-Y-... patterns. The results of three experiments showed: (1) that the multialternative choice process was composed primarily of pair comparisons; (2) that evaluative processing took placeonly during these comparisons; (3) that strategies for selecting the pairs were based primarily on information processing convenience; (4) that the sequence of pair comparisons was not used by the subjects as a sequential elimination process; and (5)that subjects changed their strategies to adapt to different task environments. These results have implications for current choice models and for the use of eye fixations in other complex tasks.     

An adaptive approach for modelling multiattribute choice

An adaptive approach for modelling individual-level choice among multiattribute alternatives using the binary logit model is presented. The algorithm involves the collection of paired comparison data. In an effort to maximize the amount of information obtainable from each response, it is based on the experimental design criterion of D-optimality. A simulation study indicates that the proposed algorithm outperforms other sequential selection approaches in terms of estimation accuracy and predictive efficiency under certain circumstances. The results appear to encourage the use of such an adaptive algorithm for individual-level modelling in light of the potential reduction in data requirements without significant loss in predictive accuracy.     

Extending a class of motion stimuli to study multiattribute texture perception

We present a class of stimuli that makes it possible to study the interaction of visual attributes in forming textural patterns. These stimuli are obtained in a simple manner from a class of motion stimuli that we described earlier (Papathomas & Gorea, 1988). The main advantages of the texture stimuli presented in this paper are: (1) each attribute can be arranged simultaneously with, but independently of, other attributes, (2) an arbitrary number of attributes can be used, (3) the interaction of attributes can be studied systematically, (4) direct comparison of two attributes is possible with stimuli in which the two are arranged to form competing patterns, and (5) because of the similarity to the motion stimuli, the relationship between texture and motion mechanisms can be investigated.     

A double law of comparative judgment for the analysis of preferential choice and similarities data

By virtue of certain modifications in the Law of Comparative Judgment, equations are developed which (i) permit the construction of a joint scale of individuals and items, as in the case of attitude measurement, directly from their pair-comparison preferences, and (ii) take into account the variable of laterality which is significant for the construction of group preference scales.This work was supported by grant NSF-G5820 from the National Science Foundation.     

Temporal-order judgment and reaction time for short and long stimuli

Summary The effect of intensity on visual latency was investigated. Visual latency was measured by two methods: simple motor reaction time (RT) and temporalorder judgment (TOJ). It was found, in accordance with previous studies, that the changes in RT were larger than TOJ latency when measured in the same range of intensity. Moreover, the relationship between TOJ latency and intensity was compared in two conditions: under so-called with-offset, the information about offset order was available for the subject, while under without-offset conditions it was not. It was hypothesized on the ground of Jakowski's 1991 study that the TOJ latency-intensity relation should differ for these two conditions because of the effect of intensity on visual persistence. We were unable to find any such effect.     

Saccadic eye movements and localization of visual stimuli

Visual localization phenomena were studied before, during, and after a saccade. Light flashes of 5 and 9 msec duration presented before and during the eye movement were mislocated in the saccade direction, the localization error being a time function. When the 9-msec duration stimulus and saccade did not overlap in time, a stripe was reported, when they did not, the stimulus was perceived as a point. If a long-duration stimulus moved perpendicularly to the saccade direction with the same “sigmoidal” velocity, a curvilinear trace was perceived, regardless of the linear trace of the image on the retina. A stimulus with stabilized retinal image was perceived as a stationary point during the saccade. A possible theory to deal with the data was suggested by modifying the algebra of outflow-inflow theories.     

Individual response patterns in binary choice tasks with nondiscriminable stimuli

The present experiment sought to determine whether individual Ss tend to employ repeatedly the same response patterns in binary choice tasks containing nondiscriminable stimuli and, if so, whether the response sequences when used to construct stimulus sequences improve the performance of other choice tasks. Information and frequency analyses of the response sequences of 48 Ss showed moderate consistency of patterning within a light and within a tone task. Performance of a card task following the light and tone tasks was closely related to the task (light or tone) from which the stimulus sequence was obtained. The frequency analysis showed that repetition patterns were preferred by most Ss but at the expense of alternation responses. The presentation of reinforcement in the card task did not improve performance over that observed in the light and tone tasks.     

The relative judgment theory of two choice response time

Choice reaction times and response probabilities are analyzed in terms of a random walk decision process. The theory of relative judgment which gives rise to this analysis assumes that a presented stimulus is compared by the subject to an internal psychological standard or referent. Discrepancies between the stimulus and the referent are accumulated until one or the other of two response thresholds is exceeded. Results from three experiments are examined in detail. In each experiment a particular feature of the theory is tested and shown to be supported by the data. Methods of estimating the two parameters of the theory are given and an appendix presents a summary of theoretical results.     

Individual response patterns in binary choice tasks with nondiscriminable stimuli

The present experiment sought to determine whether individual Ss tend to employ repeatedly the same response patterns in binary choice tasks containing nondiscriminable stimuli and, if so, whether the response sequences when used to constructstimulus sequences improve the performance of other choice tasks. Information and frequency analyses of the response sequences of 48 Ss showed moderate consistency of patterning within a light and within a tone task. Performance of a card task following the light and tone tasks was closely related to the task (light or tone) from which the stimulus sequence was obtained. The frequency analysis showed that repetition patterns were preferred by most Ss but at the expense of alternation responses. The presentation of reinforcement in the card task did not improve performance over that observed in the light and tone tasks.     

A perspective on judgment and choice: mapping bounded rationality

Early studies of intuitive judgment and decision making conducted with the late Amos Tversky are reviewed in the context of two related concepts: an analysis of accessibility, the ease with which thoughts come to mind; a distinction between effortless intuition and deliberate reasoning. Intuitive thoughts, like percepts, are highly accessible. Determinants and consequences of accessibility help explain the central results of prospect theory, framing effects, the heuristic process of attribute substitution, and the characteristic biases that result from the substitution of nonextensional for extensional attributes. Variations in the accessibility of rules explain the occasional corrections of intuitive judgments. The study of biases is compatible with a view of intuitive thinking and decision making as generally skilled and successful.     

On-line choice and the representation of serially structured stimuli

Three groups of pigeons were trained to discriminate between a target temporal sequence, consisting of red, green, and blue, and distractor sequences consisting of all other combinations of these three colors presented on a pecking key. Response alternatives were provided during the course of the trial (on-line decisions) as well as the end of the trial (postsequence decisions). Different temporal phrasing patterns emphasized the first stimulus in the sequence, the final stimulus, or all stimuli equally. The phrasing pattern did not affect the speed of acquisition, but groups receiving emphasized stimuli relied more heavily on those stimuli than on the other stimuli for their discriminations. The patterns of both on-line choices during the sequence and terminal choices following the sequence were consistent with the use of hierarchical representations and inconsistent with a simple item-by-item prospective discrimination scheme.     

Verbal predictions of unexpected stimuli and choice reaction time

In two choice reaction time (RT) experiments, subjects verbally predicted the stimulus alternative that was either most or least likely to be presented on each trial. An expectancy interpretation of prediction effects requires that stimuli matching least likely predictions yield the longest RTs. In Experiment 1, with four stimulus alternatives, RTs to stimuli matching the verbalized stimulus, both most likely and least likely predictions, were shorter than RTs to stimuli that matched neither the most nor the least likely predictions. However, matching most likely predictions produced faster responses with two alternatives. In Experiment 2, multiple predictions of both most and least likely stimuli were compared with joint predictions of first and second most likely alternatives. RTs to stimuli matching least likely predictions were longer than RTs to most likely matches, implicating prediction type as a partial determinant of RT. Matching least likely stimuli were responded to more quickly than unpredicted alternatives, demonstrating the importance of generating a prediction per se over the implied level of expectancy. Results from both experiments were contrasted with nonparametric predictions from an ordered memory scanning model.     

Information and discriminability as determinants of absolute judgment choice reaction time

The integration of information model of signal detection theory (SDT) was tested in a multiple observation tilt-discrimination task. Improvement in discriminability with additional observations was consonant with theory over two observations, but observations beyond the second yielded less improvement than predicted by the integration model. Analyses of operating characteristics lent some support to the applicability of SDT to the tilt-discrimination task.