Stochastic networks as models of cognition: Derivation of response time distributions using the Order-of-Processing method

Abstract

Researchers in cognitive psychology have devoted a great deal of attention to the temporal nature of cognitive processes. Hypotheses are tested by comparing obtained and theoretical response time distributions for various experimental conditions. This paper extends and refines a method for deriving theoretically expected response time distributions, so that it can be applied under weaker assumptions and to a wider class of mental architectures. Specifically, the Order-of-Processing (OP) method, originally developed to analyze stochastic PERT networks, is extended to apply to much more general structures. The method is also extended to handle more general distributions of cognitive process durations than previously considered. As an example of the OP method, OP diagrams are constructed for models which are not representable as stochastic PERT networks—limited-capacity and self-terminating models of visual search.