false alarm

in signal detection tasks, an incorrect observation by the participant that a signal is present in a trial when in fact it is absent. The false-alarm rate is the proportion of incorrect yes responses in such a task. See also signal detection theory. Compare miss.

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Psychology term of the day

October 31st 2024

nail biting

the compulsive habit of chewing on one’s fingernails, usually thought to be a means of releasing tension.