A PDP-11/45 program for playing n-person characteristic function games

NPER II is an on-line PDP-11/45 computer program for studying bargaining and coalition formation processes within the framework of n-person games in characteristic function form. The extensive vocabulary of the program and its mode of operation are presented nontechnically, followed by an examination of a protocol from a sample four-person game. Improvements over a previous version of the program and applications to other experimental paradigms investigating coalition formation and bargaining are discussed in the last two sections of the paper.     

Collecting and analyzing on-line protocols from novice programmers

Methodology for collecting and analyzing on-line protocols from novice programmers is described. On-line protocols are copies of all syntactically correct programs that students have written using an interactive computer system. Since the number of on-line protocols collected is quite large, we have developed a computer program, called the Bug Finder, which can auto-matically identify semantic and pragmatic bugs in subjects’ programs. In this paper, we describe the theory upon which the Bug Finder is built and provide an example of the Bug Finder in operation.     

APCOL: A programming system for computer-controlled psychology laboratories

The development of on-line computer systems can be facilitated by higher-level programming languages that are more powerful and easier to learn than machine-level Assembly languages. In general, it is not possible to speak ofa programming language without also describing the operating system and functional problem domain of the small computer system for which it is intended. This is because of the great variety in the architecture and configuration of small computers. However, it is possible to state more general requirements and design criteria for on-line computer languages in psychology. APCOL is an example of an integrated programming system. One of the important distinguishing features of the system is that it is implemented both on the small-scale laboratory computer and on a large general-purpose computer linked to the smaller machine via a high-speed communications network. This arrangement permits firsthand access to interactive program construction with immediate test of program function by using the on-line implementation as well as access to the text-editing and mass storage facilities of the large-scale machine.     

Design for an on-line computerized system for MMPI interpretation

The development of an on-line MMPI interpretative program is outlined. Profiles interpreted by this program are first examined to determine whether a standard or locally known profile type fits. If so, an appropriate narrative report is printed. If there is no match with a known profile type, statements from several scale-by-scale interpretative sources are organized into a logical report. Methods have been developed to eliminate duplication and contradiction from different sources of information. Examples of output from this program are presented and advantages of the program are discussed.     

Computer controlled research on bargaining and coalition formation

Described in this paper is a research paradigm, written as a set of computer programs, to conduct on-line bargaining and coalition formation experiments within the characteristic function game framework. The structure of the paradigm is outlined, an example is presented and discussed, and further extensions of the program are briefly discussed.     

SPLIT: A sound editor for a PDP-8 computer

SPLIT is a program that helps prepare sounds for use in psychological experiments. Analog signals are converted to digital form and stored on a disk in real time. Digital sound files can be viewed on an oscilloscope display and played back for on-line auditory inspection. Interactive commands allow the user to segment and combine sounds with precise temporal control.     

An on-line exact small-sample test of significance for extended matching tasks

An extension of the traditional matching paradigm that enables researchers to test a variety of new experimental hypotheses is outlined. An on-line computer program that provides an exact small-sample test of hypotheses in the extended matching paradigm is described. The program, which has an intuitive graphical interface, may be accessed and executed via the Internet by using an ordinary browser.     

Utah Virtual Lab: JAVA interactivity for teaching science and statistics on line

The Utah on-line Virtual Lab is a JAVA program run dynamically off a database. It is embedded in Stat-Center (www.psych.utah.edu/learn/statsampler.html), an on-line collection of tools and text for teaching and learning statistics. Instructors author a statistical virtual reality that simulates theories and data in a specific research focus area by defining independent, predictor, and dependent variables and the relations among them. Students work in an on-line virtual environment to discover the principles of this simulated reality: They go to a library, read theoretical overviews and scientific puzzles, and then go to a lab, design a study, collect and analyze data, and write a report. Each student’s design and data analysis decisions are computer-graded and recorded in a database; the written research report can be read by the instructor or by other students in peer groups simulating scientific conventions.     

Difference to Inference: Teaching logical and statistical reasoning through on-line interactivity

Difference to Inference is an on-line JAVA program that simulates theory testing and falsification through research design and data collection in a game format. The program, based on cognitive and epistemological principles, is designed to support learning of the thinking skills underlying deductive and inductive logic and statisticalreasoning. Difference to Inference has database connectivity so that game scores can be counted as part of course grades.     

An alphanumeric display program for a PDP-8

Alphanumeric and special characters composed of 5 by 7 dot matrices can be displayed on a cathode ray tube by use of a program written for the PDP-8 family of computers. The CRT surface is specified to contain up to 32 rows with up to 32 characters per row. The 35 dots defining each character require 1.5 msec to generate. Every possible arrangement of spatial and temporal organization among and between strings of characters can be created by simple parameter specification before each trial. The program is designed to operate with a minimal 4k-memory computer configuration, with no special hardware other than an oscilloscope display. The program also permits efficient on-line operation so that an entire experiment can be run quickly and efficiently without further programming. A large number of examples are detailed, and operating procedures are specified.     

An on-line computer-based system for determining social costs and benefits

An on-line computerized program for determining social costs and social benefits for individuals in psychiatric treatment is described. The use of such a program yields a dollar value indicating how much a patient contributes to society. Mental health administrators and program evaluators can therefore be provided with information regarding the economic impact that their mental health programs have upon society. The program displays a series of multiple-choice questions on a CRT which reflect possible costs and benefits. Through the use of branching logic, unnecessary questioning is omitted. Each item is “costed” such that, upon completion of testing, a cost-benefit index is provided.     

On-line multidimensional scaling programs with interactive graphical display

The beginnings of a system of interactive multidimensional scaling programs with real-time display of the graphical output have been established on the Honeywell DDP-224 computer. Two programs have been completed: (1) MDPREF—a computer program for multidimensional analysis of preference data—has been converted from the GE-635 to run interactively on the DDP-224 computer. Its solution is printed from a typewriter, and the configuration of stimuli are displayed on a scope in two-dimensional view. (2) ROTATE—an on-line rotation program—enables the user to rotate the configuration in three dimensions within a higher dimensional space.     

Use of the TI-700 cassette terminal in the INTERACT system

The TI-700 terminal provides magnetic tape capability to the INTERACT user. The terminal is faster, quicker, and more versatile than a standard ASR-33 Teletype. Program duplication, editing, and storage is simplified and on-line program control of terminal operation is possible.     

Honest or Deceitful? A Study of Persons' Mental Models for Judging Veracity

This study focused on understanding the detailed and dynamic mental models that people develop for judging veracity. It was hypothesized that individual differences in such mental models, assessed by using Thagard's (1989) ECHO computer simulation program, would predict participants' attributions and confidence in making attributions. After watching videotapes of targets, 120 participants rated targets' veracity and their own confidence in making attributions. Half of these participants also provided “on-line” information that, in turn, was entered into ECHO. The two groups did not differ in their judgments of veracity, but the on-line group was significantly more confident. Results from ECHO and network analysis indicated not only that participants' mental models for detecting deception are detailed, changing, and idiosyncratic, varying in their structure and degree of coherence, but also that a number of previously unidentified cognitive structures are used for detecting deception. Results that confirm the hypotheses are also presented.     

Evaluating a blended-learning program on developing teamwork competence

The knowledge, skills and abilities that are required to work optimally in teams are critical for many types of work. Organizations can provide access to these skills by means of training programs. Diverse studies show how traditional in-site training methodologies can improve teamwork knowledge, skills and abilities. Nevertheless, in-site methods can be complemented with on-line strategies that result in blended-learning programs. The aim of this work is to analyze, following Kirkpatrick's assessment levels, the effectiveness of a blended-learning program of teamwork training in an organizational context. Carried out with 102 professionals, the results show participants' satisfaction with the program, high level of learning (of both declarative and procedural knowledge), and a moderate level of transfer of learning to the job.     

The Observer: A software system for collection and analysis of observational data

The Observer is a general-purpose software package for event recording and data analysis in behavioral research. It allows any IBM-type personal computer to serve as an event recorder. In addition, The Observer can generate dedicated event-recording programs for several types of non-IBM-compatible portable and hand-held computers and transfer files between the PC and such computers. The user specifies options through menus. The configuration can be either used directly for event recording on the PC or passed on to a program generator that creates a program to collect data on a hand-held computer. Observational data from either type of computer can be analyzed by the program. Event-recording configurations can be tailored to many different experimental designs. Keys can be designated as events, and modifiers can be used to indicate the limits of an event. The program allows grouping of events in classes and distinction between mutually exclusive versus nonexclusive events and duration events versus frequency events. Timing of events is accurate to 0.1 sec. An on-line electronic notepad permits notes to be made during an observation session. The program also includes on-line error correction. User comments as well as independent variables can be stored together with the observational data. During data analysis, the user can select the level of analysis and the type of output file. The Observer calculates frequency of occurrence and duration for classes of events, individual events, or combinations of events. For analysis of concurrence, one can select the number of nesting levels and the order of nesting. Output can be generated in the form of sorted event sequence files, text report files, and tabular ASCII files. The results can be exported to spreadsheet and statistical programs.     

Using Authorware Professional for developing courseware

This paper describes the use of Authorware Professional, an icon-based, object-oriented authoring system, to develop courseware and on-line experiments. Notable features include direct editability, facility with many response types, and built-in variables. Shortcomings include the difficulty of learning how to use the program, inability to present stimuli rapidly, the program’s linear development style, weak drawing tools, a lack of scroll bars for text, and some problems in the use of Authorware with other applications. Overall, the package is recommended for users with adequate resources.     

A miniprocessor PDP8/e-based system for investigations of on-line language processing: Automated program for psycholinguistic experiments (APPLE)

An on-line reaction time program designed for psycholinguistics research implemented on a DEC PDP8/e minicomputer is described. Current applications include: phoneme monitor, click detection, lexical decision, and sentence verification experiments. This assembly language program (PAL8) displays alphanumeric texts on remoted oscilloscopes and records decision-dependent response times with 1-msec accuracy. The system allows for simultaneous testing of three subjects. It operates either according to internally generated timing or in synchrony with audio tape. Individuals with little or no computer background can develop and run experiments without difficulty.