Absolute judgments as a function of stimulus range and number of stimulus and response categories.

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Abstract
This experiment was concerned with the effects of 3 variables upon discrimination and judgment under the absolute method. Discrimination among different sized squares was studied when (a) the size of the squares varied from 2-42 mm2 and from 2-82 mm2; (b) 5, 11, and 21 different sized squares were presented for judging; and (c) 5, 11, and 21 response categories were available for expressing judgments. Data were analyzed along the line of information theory, with discrimination being measured in terms of transmitted information (It). In statistical analysis 2 significant effects were obtained. The 1st of these pertained to the stimulus range. Increasing the range from 2-42 to 2-82 mm2 resulted in a reliable increase in L, but the magnitude of the increase was slight, averaging less than 0.2 bits. The 2d significant effect involved an interaction between the number of stimulus and response categories. It was found that discrimination as measured by It remained constant as the number of stimulus and response categories was increased, provided the number of response categories equalled or exceeded the number of stimulus categories. There was a loss in discrimination when the number of response categories was fewer than the number of stimuli to be judged. Further analysis of the data suggested (a) that both the above effects could be attributed to the end or anchor effects that appear to characterize the absolute method, and (b) that the anchor effects obtained with the absolute method cannot be completely accounted for on the basis of the artificial curtailment of responses to the end stimuli.
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