On the relation between similarity and ratio estimates

Summary Data obtained in four sets of experiments involving pitch, heaviness, greyness, and circular area were re-analyzed. It was found (1) that similarity estimates S_ijare a power function of stimulus ratios S_ijwith the exponent n_s,(2) that ratio estimates q_ijare also a power function of stimulus ratios S_ijwith the exponent n_q(i.e., Stevens' power law), (3) that the exponent n of similarity estimates as power function of ratio estimates is equal to the ratio n_s/n_q,and (4) that, inversely, the exponent m of ratio estimates as power function of similarities is equal to the ratio n_q/n_s.The investigation was supported by a grant from the Swedish Council for Social Science Research.