The role of subjective standards in the category judgment of lifted weights

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Abstract
Three experiments concerned with category judgments of lifted weights are described. In Experiment I two groups of 20 Ss made category judgments under control conditions and under instructions requiring them to report which of the two extreme stimuli (subjective standards) they had used as the basis for their judgment on each trial. Overall performance was comparable for both groups, but reliable differences were demonstrated in the judgments based on the two subjective standards. In Experiment II, 75 Ss in 3 groups of 25 were required to establish kinesthetic images to pairs of weights. Results showed a strong tendency for Ss to report being able to establish better kinesthetic images to the heavier of two weights irrespective of the absolute or relative difference between them. In Experiment III, a further group of 20 Ss made category judgments of the same stimuli as were used in Experiment I but with a standard or anchor stimulus equal to the lightest series stimulus. This resulted in reliable increases in adaptation level (AL). The results throw some light on an important factor determining judgments of lifted weights, and were interpreted as consistent with the subjective standard hypothesis but at variance with AL theory.

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