An introduction to the diffusion model of decision making

Abstract

The diffusion model assumes that two-choice decisions are made by accumulating successive samples of noisy evidence to a response criterion. The model has a pair of criteria that represent the amounts of evidence needed to make each response. The time taken to reach criterion determines the decision time and the criterion that is reached first determines the response. The model predicts choice probabilities and the distributions of response times for correct responses and errors as a function of experimental conditions such as stimulus discriminability, speed-accuracy instructions, and manipulations of relative stimulus frequency, which affect response bias. This chapter describes the main f..