Is there variation across individuals in processing? Bayesian analysis for systems factorial technology

We report an application to investigate Miller’s (1956) notion of chunking. We asked participants to compare objects that are composed of separable features simultaneously, a perception task, and sequentially, a memory task. We assessed whether processing changed across the perception and memory tasks with the notion that participants might have to chunk features to store them, and that this chunking might make processing more efficient. The answer is “no.” We find a serial architecture for processing for highly separable features (size of circle and the orientation of its diameter) in both the perception and memory tasks. We also find parallel processing for less separable features (first and second digits in a two-digit number) in both perception and memory tasks. Taken together, while processing may depend on the separability of features, it does not vary across perception and memory. As importantly, we find that all people had the same processing strategy; that is models that stated no heterogeneity outperformed those with heterogeneity. This result indicates that architecture may be universal in this setting and not under strategic control.

Source: Journal of Mathematical Psychology - October 31, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research