Discrimination measures in an ROC analysis of pain reactions.

Abstract

Thus, for fixed Am, d,; increases as b increases, whereas ~ decreases as b increases. Equivalently, d,; decreases as b decreases, where ~ increases as b decreases. The data in Table 1 on page 292 show that the values of b decline in association with increases in stimulus intensity. For these data, then, ~ was a better measure of pain discrimination than d; because it produced the most orderly data. The measure ~ increases nicely as a function of increases in stimulus intensity (see Goolkasian, 1980). When d,; was used, the decreases in b offset the increases in Amthat occurred with increases in stimulus intensity, and the data were disorderly. For these data, then, ~ was a better measure of pain discrimination than d,;. Since all measures of pain discrimination are definitions, the measure that gives orderly results is in a scientific sense the best measure of pain discrimination. Hence, on the basis of the criterion of orderly results,