Answer:
Signal Detection Theory is a framework for understanding how individuals make decisions in situations where there is uncertainty or ambiguity. It is often used in the field of psychology to study perception, attention, and decision-making. The theory is based on the idea that sensory information is often ambiguous and noisy, and that individuals must use a decision-making process to determine whether a stimulus is present or absent.
Response bias is a tendency to respond in a certain way, even when the evidence is ambiguous or inconclusive. For example, a person may have a bias towards responding "yes" to a question, even when the answer is actually "no". This bias can affect how the individual perceives and interprets sensory information, and can influence their decision-making.
In Signal Detection Theory, a "signal" refers to a stimulus that is present, while "noise" refers to a stimulus that is absent or irrelevant. A decision must be made as to whether a signal is present or not, and this decision can result in one of four possible outcomes:
Hit: When a signal is present and the individual correctly detects it.
Miss: When a signal is present but the individual fails to detect it.
Correct rejection: When a signal is absent and the individual correctly identifies this.
False alarm: When a signal is absent but the individual mistakenly perceives it as present.
These outcomes can be represented in a 2x2 matrix, known as a confusion matrix, which shows the number of hits, misses, correct rejections, and false alarms. The sensitivity of an individual's decision-making process can be measured using d', which reflects the ability to distinguish between signals and noise. The response bias of an individual can be measured using c, which reflects the tendency to respond "yes" or "no" in ambiguous situations.
Overall, Signal Detection Theory provides a framework for understanding how individuals make decisions in situations where sensory information is noisy or ambiguous, and can be used to study perception, attention, and decision-making in a variety of contexts.
Step-by-step explanation: