title: Perception and identification of random events.
abstract: The cognition of randomness consists of perceptual and conceptual components. One might be able to discriminate random from nonrandom stimuli, yet be unable to identify which is which. In a series of experiments, we compare the ability to distinguish random from nonrandom stimuli to the accuracy with which given stimuli are identified as "random." In a further experiment, we also evaluate the encoding hypothesis according to which the tendency of a stimulus to be labeled random varies with the cognitive difficulty of encoding it (Falk & Konold, 1997). In our experiments, the ability to distinguish random from nonrandom stimuli is superior to the ability to correctly label them. Moreover, for at least 1 class of stimuli, difficulty of encoding fails to predict the probability of being labeled random, providing evidence against the encoding hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability.
authors.forename: Jiaying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Princeton University.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Osherson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D030141:Feedback, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult