A Signal Detection Paradigm for Color Display Specification

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Abstract
The objective of this research was to demonstrate the validity of signal detection theory to the assessment (visual discrimination) of displayed color symbology. The area of application of the research results is in the design specification of color coded symbology to be overlayed on moving map, situational awareness displays. A symbol detection experiment was designed to determine how far apart, in CIE/UCS color space, symbol and background color must be in order for observers to detect that a symbol is present against the background. Six trained observers viewed a number of systematically varied symbol/background color combinations and were required to make one of six responses along a continuum from “symbol definitely present” to “symbol definitely not present”. The analyses of the d' and Beta signal detection measures yielded different patterns of results, suggesting that this paradigm was successful in separating the cognitive and sensory/perceptual factors associated with color-on-color target detection. In addition, the shape of the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves indicated that the assumptions underlying the signal detection paradigm were met.

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