Related Experiment Videos
The coincidence effect in similarity and choice
1Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA. akaplan@s.psych.uiuc.edu
Memory & Cognition
|July 1, 1997
Summary
This study explored the coincidence effect in similarity and choice. Results show that explicit ratings reveal stronger coincidence effects than forced choices, indicating task-dependent dimensional weighting in decision-making.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Decision Science
Background:
- Similarity and choice are non-trivially related, with choice potentially involving similarity judgments to an ideal.
- The coincidence effect in similarity occurs when items matching on one dimension but differing greatly on another receive higher similarity ratings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between similarity and choice processes using the coincidence effect.
- To examine how task characteristics influence dimensional weighting in similarity and choice.
Main Methods:
- Five experiments were conducted to explore commonalities between similarity and choice.
- Tasks included similarity ratings, desirability ratings, forced choice similarities, and forced choice preferences.
Main Results:
- A main effect was observed: ratings (similarity and desirability) showed greater coincidence effects than forced choices.
- Similarity measures produced more pronounced coincidence effects compared to preference measures.
- Dimensional weighting processes are sensitive to task characteristics and differ between similarity and choice.
Conclusions:
- The coincidence effect manifests differently in explicit ratings versus forced choices.
- Task demands influence how individuals weigh dimensions when making similarity judgments and preferences.
- Cognitive processes underlying similarity and choice are distinct yet share underlying dimensional weighting mechanisms.