Advantages of the Same‐different Method Over the Triangular Method for the Measurement of Taste Discrimination

The triangular method, the same‐different rating method, and the standard same‐different method were each used with 10 tasters to obtain estimates of the discriminability of two concentrations of a colorless beverage. There were no significant differences in d′, an index of discriminability, among the three tasks. In the light of this parity, a choice amongst the methods should be driven by practical considerations. When receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) were fitted to the rating data, the model underlying published tables of d′ was strongly supported, so that discriminability can be assessed from same‐different data either by entering tables or by fitting ROC curves. Same‐different methods appear more acceptable to tasters than the triangular method.