An individual differences analysis of interdimensional additivity in multidimensional scaling

Comparative judgments of the dissimilarity between schematic faces varying on 1, 4, 7, or 10 binary attributes were obtained under two instructional sets. Using the Tucker-Messick procedure, three subgroups of like-perceiving Ss were isolated and the nature of cue-utilization by each described. Perceptual independence of attributes was demonstrated both within and between instructional sets for Subgroups 1 and within instructional sets for Subgroup 2. The Subgroup 3 results indicated an interaction of the attributes. Data from the Shot cognitive elements test differentially characterized Subgroups 1 and 2, but did not uniquely characterize Ss requiring more complex models for the combination of attributes. The study illustrates the possible usefulness of an individual differences approach to the study of selective attention and information processing.