Cite as:
Gorea A, Cavanagh P, Solomon J A, 2011, "Sequential decisions on a memorized visual feature reveal implicit knowledge of decision errors" Perception 40 ECVP Abstract Supplement, page 83

Sequential decisions on a memorized visual feature reveal implicit knowledge of decision errors

A Gorea, P Cavanagh, J A Solomon

With the twist of a knob, human observers can reproduce the orientation of a briefly flashed stimulus. On average, their errors are less than 10 degrees. Do observers have any knowledge of the direction of those errors? Observers were briefly (200 ms) presented with a randomly oriented Gabor (the standard, S) on one side of fixation.S was followed by another randomly oriented Gabor (the match, M) at the symmetrical position about fixation. Observers then rotated M until it matched their memory of S. Upon completion of this primary task, another Gabor (the probe, P) appeared where S had been. Its orientation was either equal to that of S (50% of trials) or clockwise/counterclockwise rotated from it by one of 5 angles (blocked sessions). Observers had to decide whether P=S ('Same') or P<>S ('Different'). 'Same’/’Different’ judgments in this latter, secondary task were largely determined by the difference between P and M. However, for any given P-M difference the frequency of 'Same' responses was larger on P=S than on P<>S trials. This finding implies that observers must have some implicit knowledge of their reproduction errors, S-M.

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