TEMPORAL PROPERTIES OF HUMAN INFORMATION-PROCESSING - TESTS OF DISCRETE VERSUS CONTINUOUS MODELS
TEMPORAL PROPERTIES OF HUMAN INFORMATION-PROCESSING - TESTS OF DISCRETE VERSUS CONTINUOUS MODELS
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DOI：
10.1016/0010-0285(85)90016-7
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发表时间：
1985-01-01
影响因子：
2.6
通讯作者：
SMITH, JEK
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
MEYER, DE;YANTIS, S;SMITH, JEK
认知心理学家用离散和连续模型描述了人类信息处理的时间特性。离散模型假设，随着时间的推移，组成心理过程传输有限数量的间歇性输出（量子）的信息，而连续模型假设，信息是以渐进的方式传输。这些假设可以通过使用自适应响应启动程序和反应时间混合分布的分析来测试。三个实验的基础上，这个程序和分析报告。这些实验涉及改变一个主要刺激和随后的测试刺激之间的时间间隔，其中必须作出反应。反应时间被测量为启动间隔的持续时间和启动刺激的类型的函数。离散模型预测，操纵的启动间隔应产生一个家庭的反应时间的混合物分布形成的有限数量的基础分布，对应于不同的预备状态。连续模型做出不同的预测。这些预测和数据之间的拟合优度测试支持离散或连续模型，这取决于所使用的刺激和反应的性质。当只有两个替代反应和刺激-反应映射是一个兼容的，离散模型与两个或三个国家的准备适合的结果最好。对于具有不相容刺激-反应映射的较大反应集，连续模型更好地拟合某些数据。这些结果是相关的反应时间的数据在各种情况下的解释和速度准确性权衡在心理过程中的分析。
Cognitive psychologists have characterized the temporal properties of human information processing in terms of discrete and continuous models. Discrete models postulate that component mental processes transmit a finite number of intermittent outputs (quanta) of information over time, whereas continuous models postulate that information is transmitted in a gradual fashion. These postulates may be tested by using an adaptive response-priming procedure and analysis of reaction-time mixture distributions. Three experiments based on this procedure and analysis are reported. The experiments involved varying the temporal interval between the onsets of a prime stimulus and a subsequent test stimulus to which a response had to be made. Reaction time was measured as a function of the duration of the priming interval and the type of prime stimulus. Discrete models predict that manipulations of the priming interval should yield a family of reaction-time mixture distributions formed from a finite number of underlying basis distributions, corresponding to distinct preparatory states. Continuous models make a different prediction. Goodness-of-fit tests between these predictions and the data supported either the discrete or the continuous models, depending on the nature of the stimuli and responses being used. When there were only two alternative responses and the stimulus-response mapping was a compatible one, discrete models with two or three states of preparation fit the results best. For larger response sets with an incompatible stimulus-response mapping, a continuous model fit some of the data better. These results are relevant to the interpretation of reaction-time data in a variety of contexts and to the analysis of speed-accuracy trade-offs in mental processes.