Abstract
Rats performed in a two-lever analogue of the yes-no psychophysical procedure. The signal consisted of of an increment in the intensity of a random noise. Correct responses were reinforced with single bursts of brain stimulation; incorrect responses produced brief periods of time-out. Receiver-operating-characteristic curves were generated at each of several signal intensities by varying either the signal probability (0.1–0.9) or the relative number of brain stimulations for correct responses (1:3–3:1). The index d’ (or d’e) increased with the signal intensity and was independent of response bias. When the signal probability was varied, the animals optimized the number of correct trials. and hence the number of brain stimulations obtained at each level of detection. They approximated this optimum more closely as the signal intensity was reduced. When the ratio of brain stimulations was varied, the animals compromised between optimizing the number of correct trials and optimizing the number of brain stimulations obtained. The slopes of the ROC curves plotted on normal-normal coordinates frequently departed from unity, but did not change systematically with either the signal intensity or the method by which they were generated.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Clopton, B. M. Detection of increments in noise intensity by monkeys.Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1972,17, 473–481.
Elsmore, T. F. Duration discrimination: Effects of probability of stimulus presentation.Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1972,18, 465–469.
Green, D. M., &Swets, J. A.,Signal detection theory and psychophysics. New York: Wiley, 1966
Hack, M. H. Signal detection in the rat.Science, 1963,139, 758–759.
Hack, M. H. Receiver operating characteristics in the rat.Journal of Auditory Research, 1966,6, 229–234.
Hodos, W., &Bonbright, J. c., Jr. The detection of visual intensity differences by pigeons.Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1972,18, 471–479.
Hume, A. L. Auditory detection and optimal response biases.Perception & Psychophysics, 1974,15, 401–404.
Hume, A. L., &Irwin, R. J. Bias functions and operating characteristics of rats discriminating auditory stimuli.Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1974,21, 285–295.
Irwin, R. J., &Terman, M. Detection of brief tones in noise by rats.Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1970,13, 135–143.
Luce, R. D.,Individual choice behavior. New York: Wiley, 1959.
Luce, R. D., &Green, D. M. Detection of auditory signals presented at random times, II.Perception & Psychophysics, 1970,7, 1–14.
Markowitz, J., &Swets, J. A. Factors affecting the slope of empirical ROC curves: Comparison of binary and rating response.Perception & Psychophysics, 1967,2, 91–100.
Nachmias, J. Effects of presentation probability and number of response alternatives on simple visual detection.Perception & Psychophysics, 1968,3, 151–155.
Schulman, A. I., &Greenberg, G. Z. Operating characteristics and a priori probability of the signal.Perception & Psychophysics, 1970,8, 317–320.
Shipley, E. F. A signal detection theory analysis of a category judgment experiment.Perception & Psychophysics, 1970,7, 38–42.
Stubbs, A. The discrimination of stimulus duration by pigeons.Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1968,11, 223–238.
Swets, J. A., Tanner, W. P., &Birdsall, T. G. Decision processes in perception.Psychological Review, 1961,68, 301–340.
Terman, M. Discrimination of auditory intensities by rats.Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1970,13, 145–160.
Terman, M., &Terman, J. S. Concurrent variation of response bias and sensitivity in an operant-psychophysical test.Perception & Psychophysics, 1972,11, 65–72.
Thilssen, J. M., &Vendrik, A, J. H. Internal noise and transducer function in sensory detection experiments: Evaluation of psychometric curves and of ROC curves.Perception & Psychophysics, 1968,3, 387–400,
Thomas, E. A. c., &Legge, D. Probability matching as a basis for detection and recognition decisions,Psychological Review, 1970,77, 65–72.
Wald, A.,Statistical decision junctions. New York: Wiley, 1950.
Watson, C. S., Rilling, M. E., &Bourbon, W. T. Receiver-operating characteristics determined by a mechanical analog to the rating scale.Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 1964,36, 283–288.
Wickelgren, W. A. Unidimensional strength theory and component analysis of noise in absolute and comparative judgments.Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 1968,5, 102–122.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research constituted a portion of a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the PhD degree at the University of Auckland. The research was supported in part by grants from the New Zealand University Grants Committee and the Scientific Distribution Committee to R. J. Irwin.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hume, A.L. Optimal response biases and the slope of ROC curves as a function of signal intensity, signal probability, and relative payoff. Perception & Psychophysics 16, 377–384 (1974). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03203957
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03203957