scholarly journals Hierarchical drift diffusion modeling uncovers multisensory benefit in numerosity discrimination tasks

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
EDWIN CHAU ◽  
Carolyn A. Murray ◽  
ladan shams

Studies of accuracy and reaction time in decision making often observe a speed-accuracy tradeoff, where either accuracy or reaction time is sacrificed for the other. While this effect may mask certain multisensory benefits in performance when accuracy and reaction time are separately measured, drift diffusion models (DDMs) are able to consider both simultaneously. However, drift diffusion models are often limited by large sample size requirements for reliable parameter estimation. One solution to this restriction is the use of hierarchical Bayesian estimation for DDM parameters. Here, we utilize hierarchical drift diffusion models (HDDMs) to reveal a multisensory advantage in auditory-visual numerosity discrimination tasks. By fitting this model with a modestly sized dataset, we also demonstrate that large sample sizes are not necessary for reliable parameter estimation.

2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 130-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hagen C. Flehmig ◽  
Michael B. Steinborn ◽  
Karl Westhoff ◽  
Robert Langner

Previous research suggests a relationship between neuroticism (N) and the speed-accuracy tradeoff in speeded performance: High-N individuals were observed performing less efficiently than low-N individuals and compensatorily overemphasizing response speed at the expense of accuracy. This study examined N-related performance differences in the serial mental addition and comparison task (SMACT) in 99 individuals, comparing several performance measures (i.e., response speed, accuracy, and variability), retest reliability, and practice effects. N was negatively correlated with mean reaction time but positively correlated with error percentage, indicating that high-N individuals tended to be faster but less accurate in their performance than low-N individuals. The strengthening of the relationship after practice demonstrated the reliability of the findings. There was, however, no relationship between N and distractibility (assessed via measures of reaction time variability). Our main findings are in line with the processing efficiency theory, extending the relationship between N and working style to sustained self-paced speeded mental addition.


Author(s):  
O. H. RUNDELL ◽  
HAROLD L. WILLIAMS

Performance on two auditory choice reaction time (RT) tasks was studied in a group of 12 subjects under the influence of graded doses of ethyl alcohol ranging from placebo to 1 g/kg body weight. Deadline procedures were employed in a side discrimination and a pitch discrimination task to permit the calculation of speed-accuracy tradeoff functions (accuracy versus RT). Accuracy declined as a function of dose, but alcohol did not significantly influence RT. Conversely, accuracy was not affected by task; but the pitch discrimination task required an average of 88 ms more time than the side task. Alcohol dose and task produced independent effects on the speed-accuracy tradeoff function. As dose increased, the slope of the tradeoff function declined; but slopes were equivalent for the two tasks. On the other hand, the x-intercept (where accuracy equals chance levels) was 90 ms greater for the pitch task than for the side task.


1976 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Richard Jennings ◽  
Charles C. Wood ◽  
Betsy E. Lawrence

1968 ◽  
Vol 76 (1, Pt.1) ◽  
pp. 19-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert G. Pachella ◽  
Richard W. Pew

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph S. Redden ◽  
Matthew Hilchey ◽  
Sinan Aslam ◽  
Jason Ivanoff ◽  
Raymond M Klein

Inhibition of return (IOR) refers to slower responses to targets presented at previously cued locations. Contrasting target discrimination performance over various eye movement conditions has shown the level of activation of the reflexive oculomotor system determines the nature of the effect. Notably, an effect nearer to the input end of the processing continuum is observed when the reflexive oculomotor system is actively suppressed, and an effect nearer the output end of the processing continuum is observed when the reflexive oculomotor system is actively engaged. Furthermore, these two forms of IOR interact differently with the Simon effect. Drift diffusion modelling has suggested that two parameters can theoretically account for the speed- accuracy tradeoff rendered by the output-based form of IOR: increased threshold and decreased trial noise. In Experiment 1, we demonstrate that the threshold parameter best accounts for the output-based form of IOR by measuring it with intermixed discrimination and localization targets. Experiment 2 employed the response-signal methodology and showed that the output- based form has no effect on the acquisition of information.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-87
Author(s):  
Alexander Berger ◽  
Simon Sanwald ◽  
Christian Montag ◽  
Markus Kiefer

Automatic and strategic processes in semantic priming can be investigated with masked and unmasked priming tasks. Unmasked priming is thought to enable strategic processes due to the conscious processing of primes, while masked priming exclusively depends on automatic processes due to the invisibility of the prime. Besides task properties, interindividual differences may alter priming effects. In a recent study, masked and unmasked priming based on mean response time (RT) and error rate (ER) differed as a function of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism (Sanwald et al., 2020). The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism is related to the integrity of several cognitive executive functions and might thus influence the magnitude of priming. In the present study, we reanalyzed this data with drift-diffusion models. Drift-diffusion models conjointly analyze single trial RT and ER data and serve as a framework to elucidate cognitive processes underlying priming. Masked and unmasked priming effects were observed for the drift rates ν, presumably reflecting semantic preactivation. Priming effects on nondecision time t0 were especially pronounced in unmasked priming, suggesting additional conscious processes to be involved in the t0 modulation. Priming effects on the decision thresholds a may reflect a speed-accuracy tradeoff. Considering the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism, we found lowered drift rates and decision thresholds for Met allele carriers, possibly reflecting a superficial processing style in Met allele carriers. The present study shows that differences in cognitive tasks between genetic groups can be elucidated using drift-diffusion modeling.


2005 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 128-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter A. McCormick ◽  
Lori Francis

There is debate over the mechanisms that govern the orienting of attention. Some argue that the enhanced performance observed at a cued location is the result of increased perceptual sensitivity or preferential access to decision-making processes. It has also been suggested that these effects may be the result of trades in speed for accuracy on the part of the observers. In the present study, observers performed either an exogenous or an endogenous orienting of attention task under both normal instructions (respond as quickly and as accurately as possible) and speeded instructions that used a deadline procedure to limit the amount of time observers had to complete a choice reaction time (CRT) task. An examination of the speed-accuracy operating characteristics (SAOCs) yielded evidence against the notion that CRT precuing effects are due primarily to a tradeoff of accuracy for speed.


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