Prediction of Performance in Signal Detection.
Abstract
The performance of an individual in a signal-detection task depends on two independent psychological processes. One of these processes is sensory activation, and the other is cognitive decision. In a signal-detection experiment, a subject must decide whether a signal is present in a background of noise. When detection is not easy, the subject often shows bias. This thesis reports a signal-detection experiment that was performed (a) to determine the reliability of estimated individual bias parameters in a number of signal-detection tasks and (b) to evaluate the usefulness of estimates of individual bias parameters obtained in one signal-detection task for predicting performance in other signal-detection tasks having different signal-to-noise ratios. The results supported hypothesis (a) inasmuch as estimates of individual bias parameters tended to be reliable. Performance prediction from one signal-detection task to another generally provided confirmation of hypothesis (b) as well. (Modified author abstract)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1973
- Accession Number
- AD0769410
Entities
People
- Michael Thomas Tracey
- Peter Wood Bulkeley
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School