A laboratory-based procedure for measuring emotional expression from natural speech

Despite dramatic advances in the sophistication of tools for measuring prosodic and content channels of expression from natural speech, methodological issues have limited the simultaneous measurement of those channels for laboratory research. This is particularly unfortunate, considering the importance of emotional expression in daily living and how it can be disrupted in many psychological disorders (e.g., schizophrenia). The present study examined the Computerized assessment of Affect from Natural Speech (CANS), a laboratory-based procedure that was designed to measure both lexical and prosodic expression from natural speech across a range of evocative conditions. The verbal responses of 38 male and 31 female subjects were digitally recorded as they reacted to separate pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral stimuli. Lexical and prosodic expression variables significantly changed across these conditions, providing support for using the CANS in further laboratory research. The implications for understanding the interface between lexical and prosodic expressions are also discussed.     

A distributive method to increase the analogic output (D/A) resolution of a microcomputer

This paper describes a simple and efficient method to increase the D/A output resolution of an 8-bit microcomputer, as exemplified on the Apple II. The “distributive method” can increase the final output resolution up to 32K with two 8-bit analogic channels. A simple interface based on balanced sets of resistors and driver software are described. Some applications are also reported.     

The KIM-1 microcomputer as an eight-channel data logger

A machine language program and interface hardware to operate the KIM-1 microcomputer as an eight-channel data logger are described. All channels can operate simultaneously, and the data are stored in a specified area of memory. Double precision is used, enabling numbers greater than 255 to be recorded. Data can be collected over sampling intervals of 1 to 255 times 5 sec or 1 to 255 times 10 min. The time base is derived from 50- or 60-Hz mains ac. A method of transferring the data to a PET microcomputer and storing it on eight separate tape or disk files is also given.     

A six-channel PDP-8 interface for nerve impulse data

An interface operating on the I/O bus of the LINC-8 has been built which accepts up to six channels of nerve impulse data simultaneously at rates up to 4,000 pps/channel. By means of a 100-KHz clock and a 17-bit counter, the time of occurrence of each nerve impulse is strobed into one of six 17-bit buffer registers. The strobe causes a program interrupt to occur. Two I/O instructions are used to read the buffers into the PDP-8 accumulator. Additional instructions for skipping on data or overflow, enabling the counter, clearing the overflow flag, and clearing the counter are available.     

Gender Representation on Gender-Targeted Television Channels: A Comparison of Female- and Male-Targeted TV Channels in the Netherlands

The current study investigated the differences in the representation of gender on male- and female-targeted channels with regard to recognition (i.e., the actual presence of men and women) and respect (i.e., the nature of that representation or portrayal). To this end, the presence of men and women on two female- and two male-targeted Dutch channels (N = 115 programs, N = 1091 persons) were compared via content analysis. The expectation that men’s channels would portray a less equal and more traditional image of gender than women’s channels was generally supported by the results. Regardless of genre as well as country of origin of the program, women were underrepresented on men’s channels, while gender distribution on women’s channels was more equal. The representation of women in terms of age and occupation was more stereotypical on men’s channels than on women’s channels, whereas men were represented in more contra-stereotypical ways (e.g., performing household tasks) on women’s channels. Since television viewing contributes to the learning and maintenance of stereotyped perceptions, the results imply that it is important to strengthen viewers’ defenses against the effects of gender stereotyping when watching gendered television channels, for instance through media literacy programs in schools.     

An analogy between colour and spatial coding

The early stages of colour coding are well established in that the trichromatic receptor stage is followed by a set of opponent colour channels. One interpretation of the sequence is that opponent channels carry unrelated aspects of the colour stimulus, unlike the cone channels. The overlap of the cone channels can be removed by decorrelating their spectral-sensitivity functions, and this procedure has been found to give opponent colour channels which match those found psychophysically. Since the known spatial-frequency channels also show considerable overlap, the question arises which aspects of the spatial stimulus are captured by decorrelating the spatial-frequency channels. The results of decorrelating the spatial-frequency channels are that the first decorrelated spatial filter acts as a broad bandpass filter which has a peak sensitivity at 7.9 cycles deg-1, and that the second decorrelated spatial filter acts as an opponent spatial-frequency channel, with a minimum output at a low (4.1 cycles deg-1) spatial frequency and a maximum output at a high (15.1 cycles deg-1) spatial frequency. The characteristics of the first decorrelated filter closely resemble the properties of the foveal perceptive field which have been used to explain the Hermann grid illusion. Thus, the decorrelation analysis produces a model for the functional organisation of the channel implementation at the neural and psychophysical levels, but which directly relates to the subjective appearance of the visual stimuli.     

Neuromodulation, development and synaptic plasticity.

We discuss parallels in the mechanisms underlying use-dependent synaptic plasticity during development and long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) in neocortical synapses. Neuromodulators, such as norepinephrine, serotonin, and acetylcholine have also been implicated in regulating both developmental plasticity and LTP/LTD. There are many potential levels of interaction between neuromodulators and plasticity. Ion channels are substrates for modulation in many cell types. We discuss examples of modulation of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels and Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels and the consequences for neocortical pyramidal cell firing behaviour. At the time when developmental plasticity is most evident in rat cortex, the substrate for modulation is changing as the densities and relative proportions of various ion channels types are altered during ontogeny. We discuss examples of changes in K+ and Ca2+ channels and the consequence for modulation of neuronal activity.     

Oriental approaches to masculine and feminine subtle energy principles

According to ancient Indian and Chinese texts the subtle energy (prana or chi) flows through several thousand anatomically indistinguishable channels or meridians (nadis). Three channels are especially important (ida, pingala, and sushumna). The ida and pingala channels correlate with left and right uninostril breathing, respectively. Like yin and yang, they are considered to represent the masculine and feminine principles present in all creation irrespective of sex. From this perspective these principles are assumed to be present simultaneously in persons of both sexes. This suggests that any sex-specific effects of uninostril breathing may be associated with sex-based physiological differences, not with 'masculine' and 'feminine' attributes of the channels (and the corresponding nostrils).     

Effects of computer interfaces on computer-based statistical analysis

Thirty-one first-year psychology graduate students in a computer applications course completed a set of structured problems, unstructured problems, and data-screening problems in each of two statistical computing environments: a menu-based interface (SPSS for Windows) and a traditional command-based interface (SPSSx). Performance on the menu-based interface was generally superior to performance on the command-based interface. More of the structured problems were completed successfully within the menu-based interface. The menu-based interface also facilitated error identification, was rated as easier to use, and was preferred nearly 4 to 1 over the command-based interface. For the unstructured problems, students identified more relationships in the data set and issued more statistical commands when working with the menu-based interface. These findings are consistent with the interpretation that because the menu-based interface requires fewer mental resources to be dedicated to the mechanics of analysis, more resources are available to devote to higher level problem solving.     

What you say and how you say it: the contribution of speech content and voice quality to judgments of others

In three studies, judgments based on separated channels (speech content, voice quality, face alone and body alone) were correlated with judgments based on combined channels (speech, face + speech, and face + body + speech). The judges observed spontaneous behavior in two different types of interview situations and rated various aspects of the behavior. Correlations between separated and combined channels varied significantly depending on the kind of behavior judged, the attribute rated, and whether other channels of information were available.     

Positive Side of the Work-Family Interface: A Theoretical Review

This narrative review considers the positive side of the work-family interface. It surveyed a range of relevant literature (1960–2012) using search terms on the positive work-family interface. From the literature it is evident that various concepts (e.g., work-family enhancement, work-family positive spillover, work-family facilitation and work-family enrichment) are used to conceptualise the positive side of the work-family interface. Further research is needed to explore the positive side of the work-family interface. Findings showed that only a few studies on the positive work-family interface phenomenon have been reported from the South African population, but there is still a huge gap in the South African literature regarding the positive work-family interface.     

Consumer Search in High Technology Markets: Exploring the Use of Traditional Information Channels

Understanding the use of information channels during the purchase process for high technology durable goods is vital if marketing managers want to efficiently allocate their communication budgets. This article examines how the perceived quality of information, as well as demographic and other consumer characteristics, affects consumers’ information‐channel‐choice behavior. The results suggest that (a) information channels operate as substitutes as far as information quality is concerned; (b) during each segment of the search consumers tend to use multiple sources of information, and in that context information channels act as complements, which illustrates the synergistic effect of search between channels and the importance of jointly estimating consumers’ information channel choices; and (c) utility derived from information search changes as time passes, which indicates that empirical research should use panel data to capture the dynamics of the search process.     

Verbal and behavioral responses to familiar and unfamiliar music

Thirty adult subjects completed an Operant Music Listening Recorder (OMLR) task with two unfamiliar and two familiar music channels (one “popular” and one “classical” in each case), then rated the music on each channel on seven-point scales for liking, quality, and familiarity. The two familiar music channels received significantly higher ratings than the two unfamiliar channels on all three rating scales, and there were no significant main effects or interactions involving musical style. The predictions (a) that subjects would spend more time listening to the familiar channels on the OMLR task, and (b) that measures of listening time would display higher correlations with ratings of liking than with those of quality both received weak support from the direction of the results, but neither was confirmed by statistical significance tests. The results are discussed in terms of the fragmentation between the affective and evaluative components of attitudes toward music.     

A multichannel PC tachistoscope with high resolution and fast display change capability

The number of channels that PC tachistoscopes can have has increased recently (Bokhorst, 1995; Myors, 1998); however, neither the quality of display nor speed of image switching has been improved. This article shows the capability of VESA’s VBE 3.0 standard (1998) for increasing the number of channels of high-quality images. And the refresh rate can be set to the fastest cathode ray tube (CRT) scanning rate the monitor can tolerate in order to reduce the timing delay of changing display. A PCTSCOPE library was written in C to provide these capabilities, which is compatible with conventional DOS real mode. The PC tachistoscope can have numbers of channels with various resolutions and colors and different refresh rates. For example, 25 images with the resolution of 640 × 480 pixels and 256 colors can be loaded to video memory, and vertical refresh rate can be set to 180 Hz. It takes less than 6 msec to change the display among 25 channels in synchronizing with the start of the video scanning frame. In this library, the number of channels, the resolution of the images, and the speed of changing display all are improved. The multichannel PC tachistoscope with this technique is especially suitable for research requiring high-quality images and rapid successive presentation of stimuli.     

尼莫地平改善高钙所致记忆障碍的脑内突触机制

海马内微量注射高钙造成小鼠记忆障碍后,观察了尼莫地平（腹腔注射）对记忆障碍的改善作用,并用透射电镜和图像分析仪对海马CA3区Gray I型突触界面结构参数进行了观测和定量分析,进一步探讨尼莫地平改善高钙所致记忆障碍的脑内突触机制。结果表明,尼莫地平确能改善高钙所致记忆障碍,并能显著逆转高钙所致的小鼠海马CA3区突触间隙宽度显著增大,PSD极显著变薄,平坦型突触显著增多,凹型和穿孔型突触显著减少等一系列突触界面结构的病理性变化。提示海马CA3区Gray I型突触界面结构参数的逆转可能是钙拮抗剂尼莫地平改善高钙所致记忆障碍的形态学基础     

An intelligent PET interface for environmental control and data acquisition and analysis

An interface, controlled by a Z-80 central processor, that plugs into the PET microcomputer’s IEEE-488 port is described. This interface is capable of controlling 48 separate 28-V dc output signals, six of which are high current. Sixteen inputs (switch closures) can be accepted by the interface. Data tagged with real-time information are output automatically to cassette tape in PET format. This PET interface system is designed to accommodate a single experimental station.     

Cross-channel amplitude sweeps are crucial to speech intelligibility

Classical views of speech perception argue that the static and dynamic characteristics of spectral energy peaks (formants) are the acoustic features that underpin phoneme recognition. Here we use representations where the amplitude modulations of sub-band filtered speech are described, precisely, in terms of co-sinusoidal pulses. These pulses are parameterised in terms of their amplitude, duration and position in time across a large number of spectral channels. Coherent sweeps of energy across this parameter space are identified and the local transitions of pulse features across spectral channels are extracted. Synthesised speech based on manipulations of these local amplitude modulation features was used to explore the basis of intelligibility. The results show that removing changes in amplitude across channels has a much greater impact on intelligibility than differences in sweep transition or duration across channels. This finding has severe implications for future experimental design in the fields of psychophysics, electrophysiology and neuroimaging.     

Examination of personality-ability relationships in the elderly: The role of the contextual (interface) assessment mode

Personality-ability relationships in old age were examined in 71 elderly persons. Two modes of assessment were used. One consisted of measuring intellectual abilities (17 tests) and personality (6 dimensions) by means of established instruments. Intellectual abilities covered were drawn from Horn and Cattell's model of psychometric intelligence. Personality dimensions included three measures of locus of control and one measure each for achievement motivation, anxiety, and morale. The second mode of assessment was aimed directly at the interface between cognitive abilities and personality. Six such interface (context-specific) scales, involving self-assessment and attributions dealing with intellectual functioning in the context of aging, were developed using the six traditional (transcontextual) personality scales as conceptual criteria. These newly developed interface scales exhibit satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity with their transcontextual parent scales of personality. The six parent personality measures and the six personality-ability interface scales were correlated, separately, with performance scores of psychometric intelligence. Relationships between the two domains (personality, ability) were substantial and of greater magnitude when personality was assessed in the context of the personality-ability interface. Because of the conjoint anchoring of the interface scales to both personality and ability, the findings provide a basis for beginning to clarify the nature of personality-ability relationships in old age. In addition, the results support the continuation of a measurement approach to the study of interdomain relationships that includes the use of direct assessments of the domain interface, in addition to traditionally distinct measures of different domains.     

Visual consciousness revisited: magnocellular and parvocellular contributions to conscious and nonconscious vision

Current theoretical approaches to consciousness and vision associate the dorsal cortical pathway, in which magnocellular (M) input is dominant, with nonconscious visual processing and the ventral cortical pathway, in which parvocellular (P) input is dominant, with conscious visual processing. We explored the known differences between M and P contrast-response functions to investigate the roles of these channels in vision. Simulations of contrast-dependent priming revealed that priming effects obtained with unmasked, visible primes were best modeled by equations characteristic of M channel responses, whereas priming effects obtained with masked, invisible primes were best modeled by equations characteristic of P channel responses. In the context of current theoretical approaches to conscious and nonconscious processing, our results indicate a surprisingly significant role of M channels in conscious vision. In a broader discussion of the role of M channels in vision, we propose a neurophysiologically plausible interpretation of the present results: M channels indirectly contribute to conscious object vision via top-down modulation of reentrant activity in the ventral object-recognition stream.