Experimental paradigms emphasising state or process limitations: I effects on speed-accuracy tradeoffs

Abstract

The distinction between E (experimenter-controlled) and S (subject-controlled) experimental paradigms is related to the macro- and the micro-tradeoff between speed andaccuracy, and to the distinction between state and process (or resource and data) limitations. A discrimination task is described, involving E and S conditions, which respectively emphaise state or process limitations on the quantity or quality of information utilised by the subject. Results from both conditions show a clear difference between macro- and micro-tradeoffs, are inconsistent with a number of fixed- and variable-sample decision models, but can be explained in terms of an accumalator process. On this basis, a taxonom..