Test of the Ratio Judgment Hypothesis

Abstract

The hypothesis that we are capable of judging ratios of subjective intensities is widely used in psychology. Here, experimental results are reported that more stringently verify prior findings that people respond to sensory intensity differences while they execute the task of judging sensory intensity ratios. This verification was made on brightness and heaviness and for verbal and matching responses, suggesting that the results may be general for both sensory intensive dimensions and response systems. The results have implications for the comparisons of scores on evaluation scales based on ratio judgment.

Judgments of differences and ratios of subjective heaviness

“…Difference instructions produced a pattern of factorial curves statistically equivalent to a set of moderately non-equidistant straight lines barely converging rightward. Ratio instructions produced a pattern of factorial curves statistically equivalent to a set of parallel equidistant straight lines, replicating a prior finding (Masin, 2014). The finding that mean judgments were related linearly to V supports the above-mentioned indications that the power function relating heaviness to physical weight is practically indistinguishable from a linear function for values of V in the range of 5 to 10 hg.…”

“…It is widely assumed that people instructed to judge sensory differences numerically produce judgments proportional to sensory differences and that people instructed to judge sensory ratios numerically produce judgments proportional to sensory ratios (Gescheider, 1997;Hutchings, 1999;Lawless, 2013;Marks, 1974;Meilgaard, Carr, & Civille, 2016;Stevens, 1975;Zwislocki, 2009). However, empirical data obtained from various sensory dimensions suggest that the majority of people produce judgments proportional to sensory differences when they execute the task to judge sensory ratios (Atkinson & Ward, 1972;Fagot & Stewart, 1969;Masin, 2014;Parker & Hickman, 1990;Ross & Di Lollo, 1971;Schneider, Parker, Farrell, & Kanow, 1976;Westermann, 1982). We investigated whether this could be the case for the sensory dimension of heaviness.…”

Tests of the abilities to judge ratios of extensive and intensive sensory magnitudes

“…Empirically, the factorial curves relating J to B V have been found to be statistically parallel to each other (Masin, 2013(Masin, , 2014. Because Eq.…”

What are we estimating when we fit Stevens’ power law?

“…Magnitude estimation and the complementary approach of magnitude production, in which the standard d 2 is given and the subject is asked to adjust d 1 to a prescribed ratio p, are still widely used (recent surveys, examples, discussions in several fields of psychophysics in Fagot, 2011;Lawless & Heymann, 2010;Lim, 2011;Masin, 2014;Shofner & Selas, 2002 Notwithstanding the ample and enduring success, it is however also well-known that Stevens' power law suffers from both empirical and theoretical shortcomings.…”