title: Signal detection and threshold modeling of confidence-rating ROCs: A critical test with minimal assumptions.
abstract: An ongoing discussion in the recognition-memory literature concerns the question of whether recognition judgments reflect a direct mapping of graded memory representations (a notion that is instantiated by signal detection theory) or whether they are mediated by a discrete-state representation with the possibility of complete information loss (a notion that is instantiated by threshold models). These 2 accounts are usually evaluated by comparing their (penalized) fits to receiver operating characteristic data, a procedure that is predicated on substantial auxiliary assumptions, which if violated can invalidate results. We show that the 2 accounts can be compared on the basis of critical tests that invoke only minimal assumptions. Using previously published receiver operating characteristic data, we show that confidence-rating judgments are consistent with a discrete-state account. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Center for Cognitive and Decision Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Basel.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kellen
authors.affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg.
authors.forename: Karl Christoph
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Klauer
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D000067489:Metacognition / Q000502:physiology*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012372:ROC Curve; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*