Testing separability and independence of perceptual dimensions with general recognition theory: A tutorial and new R package (grtools)

TitleTesting separability and independence of perceptual dimensions with general recognition theory: A tutorial and new R package (grtools)
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2017
AuthorsSoto, F. A., Zheng E., Fonseca J., & Ashby F. G.
JournalFrontiers in Psychology
Volume8
Pagination696
Date Published2017
ISSN1664-1078
Abstract

Determining whether perceptual properties are processed independently is an important goal in perceptual science, and tools to test independence should be widely available to experimental researchers. The best analytical tools to test for perceptual independence are provided by General Recognition Theory (GRT), a multidimensional extension of signal detection theory. Unfortunately, there is currently a lack of software implementing GRT analyses that is ready-to-use by experimental psychologists and neuroscientists with little training in computational modeling. This paper presents grtools, an R package developed with the explicit aim of providing experimentalists with the ability to perform full GRT analyses using only a couple of command lines. We describe the software and provide a practical tutorial on how to perform each of the analyses available in grtools. We also provide advice to researchers on best practices for experimental design and interpretation of results when applying GRT and grtools.

DOI10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00696
Alternate JournalFront Psychol
PubMed ID28588513
PubMed Central IDPMC5440596
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