Visual and auditory processing of common pattern class structure

Visual and auditory classification of equivalent class structured patterns were examined. Underlying patterns from two classes were translated into auditory tone sequences and visual polygons. All Ss classified 50 visual patterns and their direct auditory analogs. Visual classification accuracy exceeded auditory accuracy (p < .01); however, auditory accuracy improved when auditory classification was preceded by the visual task (p < .01). Based on group data, classification strategies appeared similar across modalities, with accuracy of classification of individual patterns predicted to the same degree by common measures of physical class structure across modalities. Ss’ drawings of the prototypes also suggested a common strategy across modalities. While group data suggest some consistency of classification strategy across modalities, individual Ss were not at all consistent in their visual and auditory classifications.     

Combinations of tense and deontic modality: On the approach to temporal logic with historical necessity and conditional obligation

We consider three infinite hierarchies of what I call “two-dimensional temporal logics with explicit realization operators”, viz. (i) one without historical or deontic modalities, (ii) one with historical but without deontic modalities, and (iii) one with historical and with dyadic deontic modalities for conditional obligation and permission. Sound and complete axiomatizations are obtained for all three hierarchies relative to a simplified version of the finite co-ordinate-system semantics given for so-called T × W logic of historical necessity in [L. Åqvist, The logic of historical necessity as founded on two-dimensional modal tense logic, J. Philos. Logic 28 (1999) 329–369].     

Sensory modality and method of item information presentation in memory

Investigated were differences in paired-associate learning for auditory versus visual modalities and within each modality the anticipation and study test methods of item presentation were compared. Extant reports re these two sensory modalities and of the two learning methods had been inconsistent. In this study of 40 university students, the learning of CVC-CVC nonsense syllable pairs was significantly better with the visual than with the auditory modality. The study-test method was significantly superior to the anticipation method in the visual mode. With auditory presentations, however, acquisition levels for both methods were the same. Significant interactions were observed between sensory modalities and methods of presentation. At present the retention interval theory (Izawa 1972–1979b) appears to account best for the varied findings with respect to the two methods of presentation.     

Which modality is best for presenting navigation instructions?

Three experiments involved college students receiving and following instructions of various lengths for navigating in a three-dimensional space displayed on a computer screen. The purpose was to evaluate which is the best modality for presenting navigation instructions so that they can be executed successfully. Single modalities (read, hear, and see) were considered along with dual modalities presented simultaneously or successively. It was found that when there were differences between single modalities, generally execution accuracy was best for see and worst for read. Information presented in two modalities did not yield better accuracy than information presented twice in a single modality. Also, the ordering of modalities depended on the extent of practice. Thus, presentation modality does not have a consistently large effect on receiving and following navigation instructions. Repetition and the amount of practice are much more important variables than is presentation modality in determining how well navigation instructions are followed.     

Communication Modality and Biased Processing: A Study on the Occasion of the German 2002 Election TV Debate

Participants were presented with a segment of the 2002 Schroeder-Stoiber TV debate, in which the two candidates running for the post of German Chancellor argued for clearly different positions. Prior to presentation of the segment in either audiovisual, audio, or written modality, participants' politician preference was measured. Position agreement and valence of thoughts about the candidates' specific statements were found to be affected by politician preference in all three modalities. However, as shown by a modality by preference interaction, the effect of politician preference on position agreement was stronger in audio and audiovisual modalities than in the written modality. Similar interactions were found regarding the valence of thoughts broadly related to the issue discussed as well as regarding the valence of thoughts related to the two candidates themselves. Taken together with further path analyses, these findings are interpreted as showing biased processing across modalities, with the broadcast modalities intensifying this bias due to the heightened salience of nonverbal politician-related cues.     

The effects of stimulus sequence on event related potentials: A comparison of visual and auditory sequences

The effect of stimulus sequence on the waveform of the scalp-recorded event-related potential (ERP) was studied in the auditory and visual modalities. The results indicate that the sequential effects are qualitatively similar in the two modalities; however, an interaction appeared between the modalities and the stimulus effects. The degree of sequential effect was a function of whether or not the stimulus eliciting the ERP was the counted (target) event. This finding is discussed in terms of an expectancy model, and the interaction is attributed to variations in short-term memory for past events as a function of the level of processing required for each.     

7～11岁儿童图形辨认的发展研究

本研究选取 7岁、9岁、1 1岁的 81名儿童作为被试 ,采用图形辨认任务 ,探查图形熟悉度、感觉道对小学儿童图形认知的影响 ,结果表明 :感觉通道主效应不显著。年龄主效应显著 ,1 1岁组得分显著高于 9岁组和 7岁组 ,9岁组成绩好于 7岁组 ,差异达到边沿显著。熟悉度主效应显著 ,熟悉材料的辨认成绩显著好于不熟悉成绩。年龄×图形熟悉度交互作用显著 ,年龄×感觉道交互作用不显著 ,感觉道×熟悉度主效应不显著 ,年龄×图形熟悉度×感觉道交互作用显著 ,在触觉辨认条件下 ,年龄×图形熟悉度交互作用显著 ,在视觉辨认条件下 ,年龄×图形熟悉度交互作用不显著     

Bodily awareness and novel multisensory features

According to the decomposition thesis, perceptual experiences resolve without remainder into their different modality-specific components. Contrary to this view, I argue that certain cases of multisensory integration give rise to experiences representing features of a novel type. Through the coordinated use of bodily awareness—understood here as encompassing both proprioception and kinaesthesis—and the exteroceptive sensory modalities, one becomes perceptually responsive to spatial features whose instances couldn’t be represented by any of the contributing modalities functioning in isolation. I develop an argument for this conclusion focusing on two cases: 3D shape perception in haptic touch and experiencing an object’s egocentric location in crossmodally accessible, environmental space.

     

Interrelations of perceptual reports of smell,taste and irritance over the near-threshold range,for members of the N-aliphatic monohydric alcohol series

Many compounds are psychophysically complex because they stimulate all three chemical senses; smell, taste, and irritance.3 Interrelations among these three modalities are reported over the near-threshold range, and comparisons are made for three such compounds; methanol, ethanol, and propanol. Eighteen Ss were tested over 16 sessions each under a range of conditions: a combined task condition that approximated normal drinking, in which thresholds for all three modalities were determined simultaneously, and three conditions, in each of which only one threshold in one modality was determined. Pooled results over Ss gave significant shifts in olfactory thresholds between conditions, whereas changes in gustatory and irritant acuity were less marked. Individual results yielded significant correlations between psychophysical behavior and personality measures. Factor analysis of Ss indicated the existence of subgroups of Ss, each typified by different patterns of relative sensitivity over modalities and over alcohols.     

Using several modalities to perceive one temporal pattern

In two experiments, subjects identified temporal patterns. The patterns consisted of eight dichotomous (left-right) elements, e.g. LLRRLRLR, continuously repeated until the subject was able to identify the pattern. In Experiment 1, one pattern was presented either separately in the auditory, tactual, or visual modalities or one pattern was presented simultaneously in two modalities (compatible presentation). In Experiment 2, one pattern was simultaneously presented in two modalities, but the pattern was presented in one modality and the complement of the pattern (the complement of LLRRLRLR is RRLLRLRL) was presented in the second modality. Therefore, opposite spatial elements appeared in each modality (incompatible presentation).

The results indicated that the rate of pattern identification was the same for compatible and incompatible presentation. These methods produce better performance than individual modality presentation at fast presentation rates (2 elements/sec. and faster) although individual modality presentation was better at slower rates. This suggests that when a pattern is presented in two modalities, the pattern in each modality is integrated, not the particular spatial elements in each modality. Furthermore, the rate of pattern identification using individual modalities did not predict the difficulty using pairs of modalities. These results demonstrate the Gestalt nature of pattern perception; the pattern is perceptually salient and the performance of pairs of modalities depends on the inherent properties of the individual modalities.     

Switching between sensory and affective systems incurs processing costs

Recent models of the conceptual system hold that concepts are grounded in simulations of actual experiences with instances of those concepts in sensory-motor systems (e.g., Barsalou, 1999, 2003; Solomon & Barsalou, 2001). Studies supportive of such a viewhave shown that verifying a property of a concept in one modality, and then switching to verify a property of a different concept in a different modality generates temporal processing costs similar to the cost of switching modalities in perception. In addition to non-emotional concepts, the present experiment investigated switching costs in verifying properties of positive and negative (emotional) concepts. Properties of emotional concepts were taken from vision, audition, and the affective system. Parallel to switching costs in neutral concepts, the study showed that for positive and negative concepts, verifying properties from different modalities produced processing costs such that reaction times were longer and error rates were higher. Importantly, this effect was observed when switching from the affective system to sensory modalities, and vice-versa. These results support the embodied cognition view of emotion in humans.     

Effects of standard modality, comparison modality and retention interval on matching of form

Garvill, J. & Molander, B. Effects of standard modality, comparison modality and retention interval on matching of form. Scand. J. Psychol., 1973, 14, 203–206.MdashIntra-modal and cross-modal matching of nonsense forms was studied in a 2 (standard modalities: visual vs. tactual) by 2 (comparison modalities: visual vs. tactual) by 3 (intervals between standard and comparison: 1, 10 and 30 sec) factorial experiment. The errors were divided into false negatives and false positives. Significant effects of standard modality and of comparison modality were found for false negatives. For false positives the most prominent effect was an interaction between the standard modality and the comparison modality. Retention interval had no effect in any of the modality conditions. The effects are discussed in terms of differential information processing capacity for the visual and the tactual modalities.     

Unitary vs multiple semantics: PET studies of word and picture processing

In this paper we examine a central issue in cognitive neuroscience: are there separate conceptual representations associated with different input modalities (e.g., Paivio, 1971, 1986; Warrington & Shallice, 1984) or do inputs from different modalities converge on to the same set of representations (e.g., Caramazza, Hillis, Rapp, & Romani, 1990; Lambon Ralph, Graham, Patterson, & Hodges, 1999; Rapp, Hillis, & Caramazza, 1993)? We present an analysis of four PET studies (three semantic categorisation tasks and one lexical decision task), two of which employ words as stimuli and two of which employ pictures. Using conjunction analyses, we found robust semantic activation, common to both input modalities in anterior and medial aspects of the left fusiform gyrus, left parahippocampal and perirhinal cortices, and left inferior frontal gyrus (BA 47). There were modality-specific activations in both temporal poles (words) and occipitotemporal cortices (pictures). We propose that the temporal poles are involved in processing both words and pictures, but their engagement might be primarily determined by the level of specificity at which an object is processed. Activation in posterior temporal regions associated with picture processing most likely reflects intermediate, pre-semantic stages of visual processing. Our data are most consistent with a hierarchically structured, unitary system of semantic representations for both verbal and visual modalities, subserved by anterior regions of the inferior temporal cortex.     

Integrating group psychotherapy and 12-step work: a collaborative approach

Group therapists can expect to treat an increasing number of patients who are active in a 12-step program or other addiction-related self-help groups. The value of simultaneous participation in these two modalities has been recognized; 12-step work supports abstinence necessary for the focus on emotional growth in psychotherapy. However, mere simultaneous participation in the two modalities fails to incorporate the benefits of a collaborative relationship where both modalities are used to support both abstinence and emotional growth. The conjoint approach to group and individual treatment is used to (a) argue for the possibility of a collaborative relationship between psychotherapy and a patient's 12-step work, (b) understand the benefits and challenges to collaboration, and (c) provide guidelines for how to work collaboratively with a 12-step program. Illustrations are provided of typical issues raised by this type of collaborative relationship.     

La métamémoire : analyse de sa mesure par questionnaire. Étude exploratoire

This research aims at allowing an elaboration of a metamemory questionnaire. A study of metamemory and metacognition modelisations first allowed identifying four dimensions (the stereotypes about memory aging, the subject’s beliefs about one’s abilities, his knowledge about strategies and strategy use). A content analysis of available questionnaires evidenced an incomplete operationalisation of these dimensions, and allowed us to identify some modalities for each of them. In order to check that modalities are clearly defined, we proceeded to a comparison between different subjects with one of these questionnaires. The agreement rates are satisfying, except for two modalities, but the results constrain us to complete this study with a similar one using another questionnaire.     

Matching attidudes towards cartoons across evaluative judgments and nonverbal evaluative behavior

Summary Attitude responses and behavior were theoretically treated as two modalities in a psychophysical matching task. The total response pattern was expected to vary in terms of (a) covariation between modalities and (b) shifts in central tendencies within modalities. Subjects watched a series of humorous and disgusting cartoons on nonsense and women-related topics and evaluated each cartoon using an attitude rating scale. Their facial expressions were secretly videotaped. The tapes were content-analyzed by raters for the amount of nonverbal mirth and of disgust. Independent variables were: (1) Instruction for self-observation (yes/no), (2) Instructions to identify the kind of cartoon (yes/no), (3) Sex of subject (male/female), and (4) Kind of cartoon (nonsense or women-related). The correlation across the total set of cartoons between the two modalities was r=0.88. Self-observation and kind of cartoon affected the strength of covariation of the modalities: sex of subjects and kind of cartoon had a biasing influence on the central tendency of responses.     

Common sense about qualities and senses

There has been some recent optimism that addressing the question of how we distinguish sensory modalities will help us consider whether there are limits on a scientific understanding of perceptual states. For example, Block has suggested that the way we distinguish sensory modalities indicates that perceptual states have qualia which at least resist scientific characterization. At another extreme, Keeley argues that our common-sense way of distinguishing the senses in terms of qualitative properties is misguided, and offers a scientific eliminativism about common-sense modalities which avoids appeal to qualitative properties altogether. I’ll argue contrary to Keeley that qualitative properties are necessary for distinguishing senses, and contrary to Block that our common-sense distinction doesn’t indicate that perceptual states have qualia. A non-qualitative characterization of perceptual states isn’t needed to avoid the potential limit on scientific understanding imposed by qualia.

视、听双重记忆原序报告成绩下降的可能的原因

本文两种交替报告中的通道转移最多,但是都没有引起成绩大幅度下降。     

Shared and distinct factors driving attention and temporal processing across modalities

In addition to the classic finding that “sounds are judged longer than lights,” the timing of auditory stimuli is often more precise and accurate than is the timing of visual stimuli. In cognitive models of temporal processing, these modality differences are explained by positing that auditory stimuli more automatically capture and hold attention, more efficiently closing an attentional switch that allows the accumulation of pulses marking the passage of time (Penney, Gibbon, & Meck, 2000). However, attention is a multifaceted construct, and there has been little attempt to determine which aspects of attention may be related to modality effects. We used visual and auditory versions of the Continuous Temporal Expectancy Task (CTET; O'Connell et al., 2009) a timing task previously linked to behavioral and electrophysiological measures of mind-wandering and attention lapses, and tested participants with or without the presence of a video distractor. Performance in the auditory condition was generally superior to that in the visual condition, replicating standard results in the timing literature. The auditory modality was also less affected by declines in sustained attention indexed by declines in performance over time. In contrast, distraction had an equivalent impact on performance in the two modalities. Analysis of individual differences in performance revealed further differences between the two modalities: Poor performance in the auditory condition was primarily related to boredom whereas poor performance in the visual condition was primarily related to distractibility. These results suggest that: 1) challenges to different aspects of attention reveal both modality-specific and nonspecific effects on temporal processing, and 2) different factors drive individual differences when testing across modalities.