The Functional Measurement Experiment Builder suite: Two Java-based programs to generate and run functional measurement experiments

We propose a free, easy-to-use computer program that does not requires prior knowledge of computer programming to generate and run experiments using textual or pictorial stimuli. Although the FM Experiment Builder suite was initially programmed for building and conducting FM experiments, it can also be applied for non-FM experiments that necessitate randomized, single, or multifactorial designs. The program is highly configurable, allowing multilingual use and a wide range of different response formats. The outputs of the experiments are Microsoft Excel compatible .xls files that allow easy copy-paste of the results into Weiss's FM CalSTAT program (2006) or any other statistical package. Its Java-based structure is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh operating systems, and its compactness (< 1 MB) makes it easily distributable over the Internet.     

A statistical analysis system (SAS) computer program for Markov chain analysis

A computer program for Markov chain analysis is presented and discussed. The program is written in the language of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) but detailed knowledge of SAS is not required for its use. The program tests hypotheses about the goodness of fit of first- and second-order Markov models. It also tests if transition probabilities are homogeneous between the first and the second half of each sequence.Presented, in part, at the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy Convention, November 1984.     

Computer program to generate operant schedules

A computer program for programming schedules of reinforcement is described. Students can use the program to experience schedules of reinforcement that are typically used with nonhuman subjects. A cumulative recording of a student’s responding can be shown on the screen and/or printed with the computer’s printer. The program can also be used to program operant schedules for animal subjects. The program was tested with human subjects experiencing fixed ratio, variable ratio, fixed interval, and variable interval schedules. Performance for human subjects on a given schedule was similar to performance for nonhuman subjects on the same schedule.     

A tachistoscopic software system for use in remote timesharing applications

A program is described that permits the use of an Imlac PDS-1 display computer, in conjunction with a host timeshare system, as a software-controlled tachistoscope. Alphanumeric and graphic message strings are received from the host computer over a telephone line, and are then displayed for specified periods of time in sequence. The display computer records the S’s responses and reaction time and reports this information back to the host computer for recording and analysis. The system is designed so that the burden of software development for the realization of a specific experimental plan is shifted to the large-capacity host machine, and it can utilize all of the features of standard FORTRAN as implemented on the host computer system.     

Three computer-automated social psychology laboratory tasks

This paper describes three common social psychology tasks and accompanying computer programs that allow standardized administration. The first program administers a contingency judgment task for use in research on covariation assessment; the second administers a concept formation task for manipulation of response-outcome noncontingency. The third program administers a visual discrimination task for manipulation of success and failure.     

Increase in mastery levels using a computer-based tutorial/simulation in experimental psychology

A computer program was written in PCPilot to teach a unit in basic concepts in experimental design. The graphics-based program includes both tutorials and simulations. The students who used the program had significantly higher test scores than those in another class who did not; they reported that they enjoyed learning to use the program.     

Fast-dm: A free program for efficient diffusion model analysis

In the present article, a flexible and fast computer program, called fast-dm, for diffusion model data analysis is introduced. Fast-dm is free software that can be downloaded from the authors' websites. The program allows estimating all parameters of Ratcliff's (1978) diffusion model from the empirical response time distributions of any binary classification task. Fast-dm is easy to use: it reads input data from simple text files, while program settings are specified by commands in a control file. With fast-dm, complex models can be fitted, where some parameters may vary between experimental conditions, while other parameters are constrained to be equal across conditions. Detailed directions for use of fast-dm are presented, as well as results from three short simulation studies exemplifying the utility of fast-dm.     

NUANCE: Naturalistic University of Alberta Nonlinear Correlation Explorer

In this article, we describe the Naturalistic University of Alberta Nonlinear Correlation Explorer (NUANCE), a computer program for data exploration and analysis. NUANCE is specialized for finding nonlinear relations between any number of predictors and a dependent value to be predicted. It searches the space of possible relations between the predictors and the dependent value by using natural selection to evolve equations that maximize the correlation between their output and the dependent value. In this article, we introduce the program, describe how to use it, and provide illustrative examples. NUANCE is written in Java, which runs on most computer platforms. We have contributed NUANCE to the archival Web site of the Psychonomic Society (www.psychonomic.org/archive), from which it may be freely downloaded.     

Usability and Utility of a Computerized Cognitive-Behavioral Self-Help Program for Public Speaking Anxiety

This study describes the use of a cognitive-behavioral computer-administered self-help program with minimal therapist contact for public speaking anxiety. Participants (N = 10) with social phobia, as measured by a structured clinical interview, completed the self-help program in an open clinical trial. The program was delivered via a CD-ROM during individual sessions at an outpatient clinic, including 4 sessions of psychoeducation/cognitive therapy and 4 sessions of exposure therapy using a virtual audience presented on a computer screen. A therapist was available in another room to answer questions and to debrief for up to 10 minutes after each session. Participants completed standardized self-report questionnaires assessing social anxiety at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up. Participants also completed measures of computer usability. Results showed decreases on all self-report measures of social anxiety from pre- to posttreatment, which were maintained at follow-up (n = 8). Participants also reported that they were satisfied with treatment, that they felt improved after treatment, and that the computer program was user-friendly. This study provides preliminary evidence that a computer-administered cognitive-behavioral-based program that includes minimal therapist contact may reduce public speaking anxiety and suggests that further research with a controlled design is needed.     

Fractional Design Wizard: A computer program for cost-effective experimental research design

The computer program Fractional Design Wizard creates fractional factorial designs that are cost-effective and especially useful for discarding irrelevant factors from a large number of possible candidates. The program is intended for researchers who are relativelynew to the field of fractional design and who want to acquaint themselves with the use of fractions for the reduction of large experimental designs. Fractional designs allow estimation of main effects, and sometimes two-way interactions, without one’s having to examine all treatment conditions. The program needs Microsoft Windows 95 or better and 32 MB of memory. In a step-by-step fashion, the user can specify the required properties of the fractional design. When there are more valid designs, the user can generate these successively If necessary the user can go back to diminish the requirements. The output can be copied, printed, and saved. The program generates all the information that is needed for the use and interpretation of fractional designs. A help file explains the use of the program and also the purpose, the analysis, and the interpretation of fractional designs. The program, which is written in Object Pascal, is available as freeware on www.fss.uu.nl/ms/hl/fracdes.htm.     

IBM PC Tachistoscope: Text stimuli

Due to cost, speed, and flexibility, the IBM PC and compatibles are good computers for laboratory use. Outlined here is a program that allows a computer from this class of machines to be used as a tachistoscope. The example given is for visual half-field presentation and can be easily modified for other presentation paradigms.     

Computer Implication and the Curry Paradox

There are theoretical limitations to what can be implemented by a computer program. In this paper we are concerned with a limitation on the strength of computer implemented deduction. We use a version of the Curry paradox to arrive at this limitation.     

STAZ: Interactive software for undergraduate statistics

STAZ is an interactive computer program that demonstrates statistical concepts, many of which cannot be readily demonstrated using conventional methods. Use of dynamic graphics encourages active engagement with challenging statistical concepts. The program consists of 13 graphical demonstrations, most of which allow for interactive participation by students. A detailed Help file with guided explanations accompanies each demonstration. STAZ is a multiple document interface program that makes full use of Windows features, such as tiling, links, and multitasking. Designed to be used as a supplement for any undergraduate statistics course, STAZ may be used by either instructors in classroom settings or students working independently.     

Computerized Testing in the United States Air Force

Computerized testing in the United States Air Force finds its historical beginnings in apparatus tests developed during World War II. The advent of fast, small, and inexpensive computers led to the establishment of a research program to use computers in pilot selection. Later, computerized tests were demonstrated for more familiar aptitude measures such as verbal and quantitative ability. Several large-scale efforts to implement computerized testing have proved informative. Many Air Force tests are routinely administered by computer. Continued advances in computer technology promise to make computerized testing more common and more commonplace. Computer use in measuring physiological correlates of human ability is discussed.     

Implementing faculty computer literacy programs

A faculty computer literacy grant underwrote distribution and analysis of surveys of faculty computer use and expectations, publication of an extensive newsletter, seminars and workshops, and a computers-on-loan program in which faculty members could take out portable computers like library books. Survey results, successes, and failures are discussed.     

The analysis of proximities: Multidimensional scaling with an unknown distance function. II

The first in the present series of two papers described a computer program for multidimensional scaling on the basis of essentially nonmetric data. This second paper reports the results of two kinds of test applications of that program. The first application is to artificial data generated by monotonically transforming the interpoint distances in a known spatial configuration. The purpose is to show that the recovery of the original metric configuration does not depend upon the particular transformation used. The second application is to measures of interstimulus similarity and confusability obtained from some actual psychological experiments.     

A computer program for Spearman-K?rber and probit analysis of psychometric function data.

PMETRIC is a computer program for the analysis of observed psychometric functions. It can estimate the parameters of these functions, using either probit analysis (a parametric technique) or the Spearman-K?rber method (a nonparametric one). For probit analysis, either a maximum likelihood or a minimum chi 2 criterion may be used for parameter estimation. In addition, standard errors of parameter estimates can be estimated via bootstrapping. The program can be used to analyze data obtained from either yes-no or m-alternative forced-choice tasks. To facilitate the use of PMETRIC in simulation work, an associated program, PMETGEN, is provided for the generation of simulated psychometric function data. Use of PMETRIC is illustrated with data from a duration discrimination task.     

A SAS/IML program using the Kalman filter for estimating state space models

To help disseminate the knowledge and software implementation of a state space model (SSM), this article provides a SAS/IML (SAS Institute, 2010) program for estimating the parameters of general linear Gaussian SSMs using the Kalman filter algorithm. In order to use this program, the user should have SAS installed on a computer and have a valid license for SAS/IML. Since the code is completely open, it is expected that this program can be used not only by applied researchers, but also by quantitative methodologists who are interested in improving their methods and promoting SSM as a research instrument.     

Play it again with feeling: computer feedback in musical communication of emotions

Communication of emotions is of crucial importance in music performance. Yet research has suggested that this skill is neglected in music education. This article presents and evaluates a computer program that automatically analyzes music performances and provides feedback to musicians in order to enhance their communication of emotions. Thirty-six semi-professional jazz /rock guitar players were randomly assigned to one of 3 conditions: (1) feedback from the computer program, (2) feedback from music teachers, and (3) repetition without feedback. Performance measures revealed the greatest improvement in communication accuracy for the computer program, but usability measures indicated that certain aspects of the program could be improved. Implications for music education are discussed.     

A virtual terminal program for data transfer between a data general MicroNOVA laboratory computer and a DECsystem-10 timesharing system

A program for transferring data files between a small lab computer and a large timesharing system is described. The program is based on the concept of having the lab computer simulate a timesharing terminal. General features of the approach and the major implementation problems are discussed.