Low Target Prevalence Is a Stubborn Source of Errors in Visual Search Tasks

Autor/inn/en	Wolfe, Jeremy M.; Horowitz, Todd S.; Van Wert, Michael J.; Kenner, Naomi M.; Place, Skyler S.; Kibbi, Nour
Titel	Low Target Prevalence Is a Stubborn Source of Errors in Visual Search Tasks
Quelle	In: Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 136 (2007) 4, S.623-638 (16 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0096-3445
Schlagwörter	Incidence; Feedback (Response); Search Strategies; Visual Stimuli; Error Patterns; Experimental Psychology; Criteria + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Vorkommen; Suchstrategie; Fehlertyp; Experimentelle Psychologie
Abstract	In visual search tasks, observers look for targets in displays containing distractors. Likelihood that targets will be missed varies with target prevalence, the frequency with which targets are presented across trials. Miss error rates are much higher at low target prevalence (1%-2%) than at high prevalence (50%). Unfortunately, low prevalence is characteristic of important search tasks such as airport security and medical screening where miss errors are dangerous. A series of experiments show this prevalence effect is very robust. In signal detection terms, the prevalence effect can be explained as a criterion shift and not a change in sensitivity. Several efforts to induce observers to adopt a better criterion fail. However, a regime of brief retraining periods with high prevalence and full feedback allows observers to hold a good criterion during periods of low prevalence with no feedback. (Author).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10