Reinforcer control and human signal-detection performance

Eight humans participated in a two-choice signal-detection task in which stimulus disparity was varied over four levels. Two procedures arranged asymmetrical numbers of reinforcers received for correct left- and right-key responses (the reinforcer ratio). The controlled procedure ensured that the obtained reinforcer ratio remained constant over changes in stimulus disparity, irrespective of subjects' performances. In the uncontrolled procedure, the asymmetrical reinforcer ratio could covary with subjects' performances. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) patterns obtained from the controlled procedure approximated isobias functions predicted by criterion location measures of bias. The uncontrolled procedure produced variable ROC patterns that were somewhat like the isobias predictions made by likelihood ratio measures of bias; however, the obtained reinforcer ratio became more extreme as discriminability decreased. The obtained pattern of bias was directly related to the obtained reinforcer ratio. This research indicates that criterion location measures seem to be preferable indices of response bias.