PSY 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Detection Theory, False Alarm, Absolute Threshold
Document Summary
Assumes that there is no single absolute threshold and detection depends on: Whether or not you can tell if something is there or not. If you"re tired you probably won"t detect something. There are 4 possible outcomes when a participant is asked whether something occurred during trial: Response given- yes on = hit, off = false alarm. Response given- no on = miss, off = correct rejection. Is the signal detected actually there or not? (yes or no) When stimulus is there and is actually there = hit. If stimulus is not there and is actually not there = hit. Stimulus is there and we don"t respond = miss. False alarm when mailman is not there, but dog still barks. Diminished sensitivity as a result of constant or recurring stimuli. Phone in pocket, wrist watch, smell on the bus, planes overhead. Overtime if a sensation is repeated, we tend to block it out.
