Facilitating effect of natural frequencies: size does not matter.
The question of whether humans are able to work in a Bayesian way is currently a topic of substantial investigation. An important finding, reported by Gigerenzer and Hoffrage in 1995 is that Bayesian reasoning is facilitated when the information format corresponds to natural frequencies. The present concern was whether the facilitating effect of frequencies persists when natural frequencies relate to samples which are not convenient multiples of 10. 150 undergraduates participated as volunteers (42 men, 108 women; M age = 23 yr.). Analysis showed the effect of natural frequency formats was not dependent on size of reference class. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Misuraca
Raffaella
R
Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 15, 90128 Palermo, Italy. rmisura@unipa.it
Carmeci
Floriana A
FA
Pravettoni
Gabriella
G
Cardaci
Maurizio
M
D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D003210:Concept Formation; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013223:Statistics as Topic / Q000379:methods*