DIFFERENTIAL VERSUS UNIT WEIGHTING OF VIOLATIONS, FRAMING, AND THE ROLE OF PROBABILITY IN IMAGE THEORY COMPATIBILITY TEST

In the first of two experiments, subjects screened options designed to distinguish between differential and unit weighting of violations in image theory's compatibility test. In addition, information was presen ted about the probability that each option would prove to be satisfact ory if it were the final choice, framed either as satisfactory or as d issatisfactory. It was found that differential weighting best accounte d for the obtained screening data. Probability information also influe nced screening, but framing had no effect. The second experiment sough t the locus of the influence of the probability information and found that it was treated as an attribute of the options rather than being u sed to adjust the rejection threshold, a result that is congruent with previous findings. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.