Nonparametric indexes of sensitivity and response bias.

Richardson, John T. E. (1972). Nonparametric indexes of sensitivity and response bias. Psychological Bulletin, 78(6) pp. 429–432.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/h0033620

Abstract

Notes that dissatisfaction with theoretically based indexes of sensitivity and bias in detection and recognition experiments has motivated research into nonparametric indexes. Various suggestions from past work are presented and discussed with regard to their independence of particular theories. A particularly satisfactory measure of sensitivity is considered the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. While no measure of bias is independent of sensitivity, the false-alarm rate can itself be used when experiments fail to reveal a change in the latter.