The effects of problem content and scientific background on information search and the assessment and valuation of correlations

Shira Soffer, Yaakov Kareev*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The effects of problem contents and one's scientific background on the detection of correlations and the assessment of their strength were studied using a task that required active data search, assessment of the strength of a correlation, and monetary valuation of the correlation's predictive utility. Participants (N = 72) who were trained either in the natural sciences or in the social sciences and humanities explored data sets differing in contents and actual strength of correlation. Data search was consistent across all variables: Participants drew relatively small samples whose relative sizes would favor the detection of a correlation, if one existed. In contrast, the assessment of the correlation strength and the valuation of its predictive utility were strongly related not only to its objective strength, but also to the correspondence between problem contents and one's scientific background: When the two matched, correlations were judged to be stronger and more valuable than when they did not.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)107-116
Number of pages10
JournalMemory and Cognition
Volume39
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2011

Keywords

  • Assessment of correlations
  • Information search
  • Predictive value

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