A general recognition theory model for identifying an ideal stimulus

A probabilistic, multidimensional model is described that accounts for sensory and hedonic ratings that are collected from the same experiment. The model combines a general recognition theory model of the sensory ratings with Coombs’ unfolding model of the hedonic ratings. The model uses sensory ratings to build a probabilistic, multidimensional representation of the sensory experiences elicited by exposure to each stimulus, and it also builds a similar representation of the hypothetical ideal stimulus in this same space. It accounts for hedonic ratings by measuring differences between the presented stimulus and the imagined ideal on each rated sensory dimension. Therefore, it provides precise estimates of the sensory qualities of the ideal on all rated sensory dimensions. The model is tested successfully against data from a new experiment.