Model Complexity in Diffusion Modeling: Benefits of Making the Model More Parsimonious

Frontiers in Psychology

Veronika Lerche¹ 

关键词: diffusion model;    fast-dm;    parameter estimation;    mathematical models;    reaction time methods;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01324

学科分类：心理学（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

The diffusion model (Ratcliff, 1978) takes into account the reaction time distributions of both correct and erroneous responses from binary decision tasks. This high degree of information usage allows the estimation of different parameters mapping cognitive components such as speed of information accumulation or decision bias. For three of the four main parameters (drift rate, starting point, and non-decision time) trial-to-trial variability is allowed. We investigated the influence of these variability parameters both drawing on simulation studies and on data from an empirical test-retest study using different optimization criteria and different trial numbers. Our results suggest that less complex models (fixing intertrial variabilities of the drift rate and the starting point at zero) can improve the estimation of the psychologically most interesting parameters (drift rate, threshold separation, starting point, and non-decision time).

【 授权许可】

CC BY