Category discriminability, base-rate, and payoff effects in perceptual categorization.
The optimality of perceptual categorization performance under manipulations of category discriminability (i.e., d' level), base rates, and payoffs was examined. Base-rate and payoff manipulations across two category discriminabilities allowed a test of the hypothesis that the steepness of the objective reward function affects performance (i.e., the flat-maxima hypothesis), as well as the hypothesis that observers combine base-rate and payoff information independently. Performance was (1) closer to optimal for the steeper objective reward function, in line with the flat-maxima hypothesis, (2) closer to optimal in base-rate conditions than in payoff conditions, and (3) in partial support of the hypothesis that base-rate and payoff knowledge is combined independently. Implications for current theories of base-rate and payoff learning are discussed.
Department of Psychology, Mezes Hall 330, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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Bohil
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Maddox
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009042:Motivation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011337:Probability Learning; D011340:Problem Solving