Decision noise: An explanation for observed violations of signal detection theory

In signal detection theory (SDT), responses are governed by perceptual noise and a flexible decision criterion. Recent criticisms of SDT (see, e.g., Balakrishnan, 1999) have identified violations of its assumptions, and researchers have suggested that SDT fundamentally misrepresents perceptual and decision processes. We hypothesize that, instead, these violations of SDT stem from decision noise: the inability to use deterministic response criteria. In order to investigate this hypothesis, we present a simple extension of SDT—the decision noise model—with which we demonstrate that shifts in a decision criterion can be masked by decision noise. In addition, we propose a new statistic that can help identify whether the violations of SDT stem from perceptual or from decision processes. The results of a stimulus classification experiment—together with model fits to past experiments—show that decision noise substantially affects performance. These findings suggest that decision noise is important across a wide range of tasks and needs to be better understood in order to accurately measure perceptual processes.     

Violence in Ideological and Non‐Ideological Groups: A Quantitative Analysis of Qualitative Data1

Multiple models have been proposed to account for violence among ideological groups. To identify critical variables contributing to violent behavior in these groups, violent ideological groups were compared to relevant comparison groups. A historically based content analysis was conducted to assess these groups with respect to a number of variables examining leader, group, organizational, and environmental attributes held to influence violence. Discriminant analyses revealed that violent ideological groups differed from comparison groups with respect to leader extremism, group righteousness, organizational indoctrination, and environmental conflict and disruption. Regression analyses revealed that these discriminant functions predicted a number of notable violent and ideological criteria. The implications of these findings for understanding the origins of violence in ideological groups are discussed.     

Alternative Approaches for Measuring Values: Direct and Indirect Assessments in Performance Prediction

Two general approaches have been used to measure human values. In one approach, a direct approach, people are asked to endorse value statements. In the other approach, an indirect approach, people are asked to make choices indicative of their values. The intent of the current study was to compare these two general approaches to the measurement of values. Initially, 195 undergraduates were asked to complete both a direct measure and an indirect measure of their values before starting work on three performance tasks: an entrepreneurial task, a consulting task, and a marketing task. When scores on these performance tasks were regressed on the value measures, it was found that both types of measures yielded effective prediction. The indirect measures, however, appeared to yield better prediction and better discrimination of cross-task performance differences than the direct measures. The implications of these findings with respect to the identification and assessment of values are discussed.     

The Hierarchical Structure of Well-Being

ABSTRACT Theories of hedonic, eudaimonic, and social well-being provide 3 extensively studied models for explaining flourishing mental health. Few studies have examined whether these models can be integrated into a comprehensive structure of well-being. The present study builds upon previous theoretical and empirical work to determine the complex relationships among these 3 models of well-being. Confirmatory factor analysis techniques were used to test a series of models in order to (a) confirm the proposed latent structures of hedonic, eudaimonic, and social well-being and (b) examine whether these models could be successfully integrated into a hierarchical structure of well-being. In 2 large samples, results supported the proposed latent structures of hedonic, eudaimonic, and social well-being and indicated that the various components of well-being could be represented most parsimoniously with 3 oblique second-order constructs of hedonic, eudaimonic, and social well-being.     

Opportunity recognition and the tendency to be an entrepreneur: A bivariate genetics perspective

We applied quantitative genetics techniques to a sample of 851 pairs of monozygotic and 855 pairs of dizygotic female twins to examine the influence of genetic factors on the variation across people in opportunity recognition. We also examined the extent to which the same genetic factors contribute to both opportunity recognition and the tendency to be an entrepreneur. We found substantial heritability for opportunity recognition (0.45), with no influence of the shared environment. Moreover, we found that 53% of the phenotypic correlation between opportunity recognition and the tendency to be an entrepreneur had a common genetic aetiology.     

Individual differences in patterns of developmental opportunity and constraint during COVID-19: Implications for longitudinal well-being

Individual differences in sociodemographic characteristics and trait-like perceptions of opportunities and constraints may shape how people respond to adversities such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about how these factors combine to form multifaceted profiles of developmental opportunity and constraint or the implications of such profiles for longitudinal well-being following major life stressors. Using 1-year data from a national sample of U.S. adults (n = 293), we identified profiles based on relevant sociodemographic characteristics (age, socioeconomic status, chronic conditions, functional status) and trait-like perceptions of opportunity and constraints (perceived mastery, perceived constraints). Results of latent profile analyses showed that three common profiles emerged at pandemic onset (veridical opportunity, perceived constraints, perceived opportunity). Subsequent latent growth models showed that, despite reporting more sociodemographic constraints, the perceived opportunity profile exhibited better 1-year emotional well-being (positive and negative affect) during the pandemic than the perceived constraints profile. Findings advance the literature by identifying multifaceted individual differences in profiles of developmental opportunity and constraint and by showing these profiles have consequences for longitudinal well-being following the pandemic onset.