Effect of percentage and specificity of feedback on choice behavior in a probabilistic information-processing task

Abstract

STUDIED PROFICIENCY IN CHOOSING THE BETTER OF 2 SOURCES OF INFORMATION AS A FUNCTION OF 3 VARIABLES: PERCENTAGE FEEDBACK, SPECIFICITY OF FEEDBACK, AND DIFFICULTY OF DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN SOURCES. 210 SS PERFORMED 200 TRIALS UNDER 1 OF 21 CONDITIONS. THE INFORMATION POOL WAS 2 DISTINCT DISTRIBUTIONS OF NUMBERS FROM WHICH RANDOM SELECTIONS WERE MADE AND DISPLAYED AS READINGS ON A PAIR OF METERS. ONLY 1 READING WAS SHOWN PER TRIAL, AND S JUDGED WHETHER IT OR THE OTHER METER READING (NOT SHOWN) WAS HIGHER. CHOICES COULD BE BASED UPON BOTH THE MOMENTARY STATE OF 1 METER AND FAMILIARITY WITH THE DISTRIBUTIONS FROM WHICH INFORMATION WAS DRAWN. PERCENTAGE FEEDBACK HAD NO INFLUENCE ON ACQUISITION OR PERFORMANCE; PARADOXICALLY, A SPECIFICITY EFFECT APPEARED WHEN FEEDBACK WAS PROVIDED. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)