The science of choosing the right decision threshold in high-stakes diagnostics
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 18922648 |
|---|---|
| Authors | John A Swets (Buckingham Browne & Nichols, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1992 |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 522-532 |
| Publication date | 1992-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | American Psychologist (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0003-066X • E-ISSN: 1935-990X |
| Publisher | American Psychological Association (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1037//0003-066x.47.4.522 |
| PMID | 1595983 |
| OpenAlex | W1976440947 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 17 |
Many diagnostic tasks require that a threshold be set to convert evidence that is a matter of degree into a positive or negative decision. Although techniques of decision analysis used in psychology help one select the particular threshold that is appropriate to a given situation and purpose, just the concept of adjusting the threshold to the situation is not appreciated in many important practical arenas. Testing for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and for dangerous flaws in aircraft structures are used here as illustrations. This article briefly reviews the relevant techniques and develops those two examples with data. It suggests that use of the decision techniques could substantially benefit individuals and society and asks how that use might be facilitated
Cognitive psychology · Decision aids · Economics · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) · Management science · Risk analysis (engineering) · Set (abstract data type) · Clinical Reasoning and Diagnostic Skills · Computer Science · Medicine · Meta-analysis and systematic reviews · Psychological Testing and Assessment · Psychology · Social Psychology · Virology
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| Unique citing works | 17 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,65 |
| Citation span | 2000 - 2025 (26) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 17 |