Detection Theory

Detection Theory is an introduction to one of the most important tools for analysis of data where choices must be made and performance is not perfect. Originally developed for evaluation of electronic detection, detection theory was adopted by psychologists as a way to understand sensory decision making, then embraced by students of human memory. It has since been utilized in areas as diverse as animal behavior and X-ray diagnosis. This book covers the basic principles of detection theory, with separate initial chapters on measuring detection and evaluating decision criteria. Some other features include: *complete tools for application, including flowcharts, tables, pointers, and software; *student-friendly language; *complete coverage of content area, including both one-dimensional and multidimensional models; *separate, systematic coverage of sensitivity and response bias measurement; *integrated treatment of threshold and nonparametric approaches; *an organized, tutorial level introduction to multidimensional detection theory; *popular discrimination paradigms presented as applications of multidimensional detection theory; and *a new chapter on ideal observers and an updated chapter on adaptive threshold measurement. This up-to-date summary of signal detection theory is both a self-contained reference work for users and a readable text for graduate students and other researchers learning the material either in courses or on their own.

Increasing the noise immunity of complex signal processing systems is the main problem in various areas of signal processing. At the present time there are many books and periodical articles devoted to signal detection, but many important problems remain to be solved. New approaches to complex problems allow us not only to summarize investigations, but also to improve the quality of signal detection in noise. This book is devoted to fundamental problems in the generalized approach to signal processing in noise based on a seemingly abstract idea: the introduction of an additional noise source that does not carry any information about the signal in order to improve the qualitative performance of complex signal processing systems. Theoretical and experimental studies carried out by the author lead to the conclusion that the proposed generalized approach to signal processing in noise allows us to formulate a decision-making rule based on the determi nation of the jointly sufficient statistics of the mean and variance of the likelihood function (or functional). Classical and modern signal detection theories allow us to define only the sufficient statistic of the mean of the likelihood function (or functional). The presence of additional information about the statistical characteristics of the like lihood function (or functional) leads to better-quality signal detection in comparison with the optimal signal detection algorithms of classical and modern theories.

Using simplified notation and a practical approach, Detection Theory: Applications and Digital Signal Processing introduces the principles of detection theory, the necessary mathematics, and basic signal processing methods along with some recently developed statistical techniques. Throughout the book, the author keeps the needs of practicing engineers firmly in mind. His presentation and choice of topics allows students to quickly become familiar with the detection and signal processing fields and move on to more advanced study and practice. The author also presents many applications and wide-ranging examples that demonstrate how to apply the concepts to real-world problems.

A Primer of Signal Detection Theory is being reprinted to fill the gap in literature on Signal Detection Theory--a theory that is still important in psychology, hearing, vision, audiology, and related subjects. This book is intended to present the methods of Signal Detection Theory to a person with a basic mathematical background. It assumes knowledge only of elementary algebra and elementary statistics. Symbols and terminology are kept at a basic level so that the eventual and hoped for transfer to a more advanced text will be accomplished as easily as possible. Intended for undergraduate students at an introductory level, the book is divided into two sections. The first part introduces the basic ideas of detection theory and its fundamental measures. Its aim is to enable the reader to be able to understand and compute these measures. It concludes with a detailed analysis of a typical experiment and a discussion of some of the problems which can arise for the potential user of detection theory. The second section considers three more advanced topics: threshold theory, the extension of detection theory, and an examination of Thurstonian scaling procedures.

Signal detection theory--as developed in electrical engineering and based on statistical decision theory--was first applied to human sensory discrimination 40 years ago. The theoretical intent was to provide a valid model of the discrimination process; the methodological intent was to provide reliable measures of discrimination acuity in specific sensory tasks. An analytic method of detection theory, called the relative operating characteristic (ROC), can isolate the effect of the placement of the decision criterion, which may be variable and idiosyncratic, so that a pure measure of intrinsic discrimination acuity is obtained. For the past 20 years, ROC analysis has also been used to measure the discrimination acuity or inherent accuracy of a broad range of practical diagnostic systems. It was widely adopted by methodologists in the field of information retrieval, is increasingly used in weather forecasting, and is the generally preferred method in clinical medicine, primarily in radiology. This book attends to both themes, ROC analysis in the psychology laboratory and in practical diagnostic settings, and to their essential unity. The focus of this book is on detection and recognition as fundamental tasks that underlie most complex behaviors. As defined here, they serve to distinguish between two alternative, confusable stimulus categories, which may be perceptual or cognitive categories in the psychology laboratory, or different states of the world in practical diagnostic tasks. This book on signal detection theory in psychology was written by one of the developers of the theory, who co-authored with D.M. Green the classic work published in this area in 1966 (reprinted in 1974 and 1988). This volume reviews the history of the theory in engineering, statistics, and psychology, leading to the separate measurement of the two independent factors in all discrimination tasks, discrimination acuity and decision criterion. It extends the previous book to show how in several areas of psychology--in vigilance and memory--what had been thought to be discrimination effects were, in reality, effects of a changing criterion. The book shows that data plotted in terms of the relative operating characteristic have essentially the same form across the wide range of discrimination tasks in psychology. It develops the implications of this ROC form for measures of discrimination acuity, pointing up the valid ones and identifying several common, but invalid, ones. The area under the binormal ROC is seen to be supported by the data; the popular measures d' and percent correct are not. An appendix describes the best, current programs for fitting ROCs and estimating their parameters, indices, and standard errors. The application of ROC analysis to diagnostic tasks is also described. Diagnostic accuracy in a wide range of tasks can be expressed in terms of the ROC area index. Choosing the appropriate decision criterion for a given diagnostic setting--rather than considering some single criterion to be natural and fixed--has a major impact on the efficacy of a diagnostic process or system. Illustrated here by separate chapters are diagnostic systems in radiology, information retrieval, aptitude testing, survey research, and environments in which imminent dangerous conditions must be detected. Data from weather forecasting, blood testing, and polygraph lie detection are also reported. One of these chapters describes a general approach to enhancing the accuracy of diagnostic systems.

The book summarizes the application of signal detection theory to the analysis an measurement of humn observer's sensor sysem. The theory provides a way to analyze what had been called the threshold or sensory limen, the basic unit of all discrimination studies, whether human or animal. The book outlines the theory of statisical decision making and its application to a variety of common psychophysical processes. It shows how signal detection theory can be used to separate sensory and decision aspects of responses in dicrimination. The concepts of the ideal observer and energy detector are presented and compared with human auditory detection data. Signal detection theory is appliced to a variety of other substanditive problemsin sensory psychology. Signal Detection Theory and Psychology is an invaluable book for psychologists dealing with sensory perception, especailly auditory, for psychologists studying discrimination in other cognitivie processes, and for human factor engineers dealing with man/machine interfaces.

This monograph contains a number of problems with signal detection theory, presenting a generalized observation model for signal detection problems. The model includes several interesting and common special cases, such as those describing additive noise, multiplicative noise and signal-dependent noise.

A comprehensive treatment of the fundamentals of optical detection theory Laser system applications are becoming more numerous, particularly in the fields of communications and remote sensing. Filling a significant gap in the literature, Optical Detection Theory for Laser Applications addresses the theoretical aspects of optical detection and associated phenomenologies, describing the fundamental optical, statistical, and mathematical principles of the modern laser system. The book is especially valuable for its extensive treatment of direct detection statistics, which has no analog in radar detection theory and which has never before been compiled in a cohesive manner in a single book. Coverage includes: * A review of mathematical statistics and statistical decision theory * Performance of truncated and untruncated coherent and direct detection systems using Huygens-Fresnel and Gaussian beam theories * Rough surface scatter and atmospheric propagation effects * Single-pulse detection statistics for direct and coherent detection systems * Multi-pulse detection statistics for direct and coherent detection systems Supported by additional comments providing further insights into the physics or mathematics discussed and an extensive list of classic references, Optical Detection Theory for Laser Applications comprises a much-needed reference for the professional scientist or engineer, as well as a solid textbook for advanced students.