Calculation of signal detection theory measures

Signal detection theory (SDT) may be applied to any area of psychology in which two different types of stimuli must be discriminated. We describe several of these areas and the advantages that can be realized through the application of SDT. Three of the most popular tasks used to study discriminability are then discussed, together with the measures that SDT prescribes for quantifying performance in these tasks. Mathematical formulae for the measures are presented, as are methods for calculating the measures with lookup tables, computer software specifically developed for SDT applications, and general purpose computer software (including spreadsheets and statistical analysis software).     

An EEG alpha-detection,feedback stimulation,and data analysis system

A two-channel general-purpose EEG alpha-detection system is described, along with the associated computer hardware and software. A specific application for the study of the human orienting response using alpha-contingent visual stimulation is presented. Limitations are discussed.     

APE: average potential evaluation software for the LAB-8 system

A paper-tape software system is described which allows the addition and/or subtraction of signal averaging data from the DEC advanced averager program. This pooled averaging data may be plotted, printed, or punched. A DEC LAB-8 system with 4K memory and high-speed reader/punch are required. Several examples of the application of the system to human evoked brain response data are presented, and the application of the system to other problems is discussed.     

A real‐world MCDA application: evaluating software

A real‐world multi‐criteria decision aid (MCDA) application on software evaluation is presented in this paper. The decision process concerned a big Italian company faced with the management of a call for tenders for a very important software acquisition. The decision aiding process is extensively presented and discussed, mainly as far as its products are concerned, i.e. –the problem situation; –the problem formulation; –the evaluation model; –the final recommendation. The results of the experience are discussed using the comments of the client of the study. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Computer facilitation of communication within professional communities

This report is based on several projects at the University of Michigan. The software used is CONFER, a computer-augmented conferencing program. Access is provided nationally through TELENET data services. The paper describes hardware and software for information systems at the University of Michigan, the development of CONFER, and a rationale for computer-aided communication within professional communities. Six applications of this particular software and system are summarized: national committees, regional planning groups, on-campus working groups, and user consulting services. One innovative application (support of an international congress held recently in Ann Arbor) is described in detail. Computer-based conununications were used for sending messages, adjusting schedules, planning additional sessions and trips, and developing written material through computer-mediated caucuses on specific topics. Contributions of computing to professional communications are summarized, with particular attention given to projected impact on teaching and research in universities.     

Components of high-performance computing and communication in the behavioral sciences

By its very nature, the spectrum of computational problems approached in the behavioral sciences necessitates the use of almost all elements of high-performance computing and communication. The salient performance issues of various components—networking, disk and tape storage, memoryprocessor configurations, and processing elements—are discussed. Hardware, software, and application issues surrounding parallel computing performance are also discussed.     

The computer as a tool in instructional computing: Students as software architects

The computer-rich environment that exists when every student has a computer provides a variety of new opportunities for instructional use of computers, including new opportunities for the use of microcomputer application programs. After arguing that computer programming has a limited role in instructional computing, this paper describes the assumptions, development, and structure of a psychology course in which students make use of the microcomputer and its application programs as a tool in software design. However, programming is not required. Rather, the personal computer and its application programs provide an environment in which the student has the freedom to develop software design and explore course content without being constrained by the mind-numbing minutiae involved in programming a rigid, inflexible tutee.     

Fill My Datebook: A software tool to generate and handle lists of events

Electronic calendars, and especially Internet-based calendars, are becoming more and more popular. Their advantages over paper calendars include being able to easily share events with others, gain remote access, organize multiple calendars, and receive visible and audible reminders. Scientific experiments often include a huge number of events that have to be organized. Experimental schedules that follow a fixed scheme can be described as lists of events. The software application presented here allows for the easy generation, management, and storage of lists of events using the Internet-based application Google Calendar.     

贝叶斯统计方法的应用与现状

贝叶斯统计方法是心理学数据分析的热门方法。研究全面论述贝叶斯方法在心理学领域的应用与方向。现阶段贝叶斯方法以模拟研究为主,应用方向为心理学研究常用的项目反应理论、认知诊断、计算机自适应、结构方程模型。同时,评述发现贝叶斯方法正逐步被国内心理学研究者所接受。最后,文章讨论了当下贝叶斯统计在心理学研究中应用的局限性及可能的原因,建议统计学者开发界面友好的贝叶斯软件,并在心理学课程中加入贝叶斯知识。     

RegRand: Statistical software for the multiple-baseline design

RegRand (Version 1.0) is Macintosh-based software that enables a researcher to conduct a nonparametric statistical analysis of the data from Koehler and Levin’s (1998) recently described regulated randomization single-case multiple-baseline design. Regulated randomization design and analysis principles are reviewed in relation to an educational research application and a step-by-step illustration of them in relation to the RegRand program is presented.     

Getting started with multimedia

This paper provides an overview of the symposium “Multimedia in Instruction” by addressing four basic issues: What does multimedia mean? Does it have advantages beyond traditional means of presentations in a classroom? What equipment does one need? What software are available for psychology instruction? Although multimedia represents a revolutionary technology, its application to instruction is an extension of computer-assisted instruction.     

Standardizing management of software engineering projects

For a software engineering division of a company, the most important standards are those used for the management of the software engineering projects. While numerous, relevant, de jure, software engineering standards exist, national guidelines, such as the Department of Defense’s Capability Maturity Model, and corporate standards, such as the Microsoft Solutions Framework, exert a significant influence on the marketplace. A study of the existing standards shows significant similarity across them. Case studies of the use of the standards suggest that a major factor in determining the adoption of one standard over another is the environment of the adopter. A company that depends on Microsoft in important business ways is more likely to adopt the Microsoft Solutions Framework. Likewise a company that is a major customer of the Department of Defense may be inclined to use the Capability Maturity Model. The review of software engineering management standards also reveals the dearth of explicit guidance on the roles and processes to use in upper management. Financial process and audit practices influence the application and need for standards. An examination of the operation of a major manufacturing firm (referred to as Company X) shows again the challenge of managing software projects well and the remarkable success that can accrue from a systematic and standard approach across projects.     

社会关系模型在心理研究中的应用

社会关系模型(SRM)将个体在双方关系中的行为和人际知觉的变异分解为个体和关系两个层次, 适用于研究行为和社会知觉的复杂性和多重性问题, 弥补传统心理学研究中缺乏生态效度的缺陷。SRM的研究设计包括循环设计和区组设计, 多种数据分析方法及相应软件可供研究者在处理成对互动关系数据时选择, SRM在心理学各分支领域有各自的应用特点、优点及问题。未来的研究应拓展SRM区组设计的应用、参数估计方法的进一步比较以及向多变量SRM分析转变。     

Detecting nonlinearity in psychological data: Techniques and applications

Modern graphical and computational techniques for detecting nonlinearity in psychological data sets are presented. These procedures allow researchers to determine the information complexity of temporal data, using physiological and psychological measurements, and to provide evidence for chaos in time series contaminated by measurement noise. Problems with noise reduction and appropriate experimental control, using surrogate time series, are discussed, and applications of the technology are illustrated, using response time, handwriting, and typing data sets. In an experimental application of appropriate nonlinear analysis procedures, the results of a time series prediction experiment confirm that some subjects are sensitive to chaos. In contrast to previous attempts demonstrating sensitivity to chaos, the experiment reported here employs surrogate series to control for linear stochastic aspects of the stimulus sequences, such as autocorrelation. Recommendations for the selection of appropriate software for performing nonlinear analyses are presented, including a comprehensive list of World-Wide Web sites offering such software.     

Computer control of memory experiments on a large-scale timesharing system

This paper describes a computer system for running verbal learning and memory experiments using a large-scale timesharing computer. Its application is illustrated by control programs used to set up, execute, and analyze a series of interactive free recall experiments. While limitations of timesharing systems for experimental control surely exist, they can often be removed by simple hardware or software. Further, a large machine can provide significant advantages in cost and software development over dedicated laboratory minicomputers. It is possible to obtain the advantages of both types of systems by introducing local intelligence to provide more precise timing and flexible control of experimental devices, while retaining the power and hardware and software resources of the large machine.     

Tutorial: Perl, a psychologically efficient reformatting language

Psychologists are often faced with the need to manipulate one or more files, either to modify the format or to extract specific information. Traditionally, these manipulations have been performed using programming languages or statistical software, but such solutions are often expensive, platform dependent, or limited in their ability to handle both numerical and textual data. This tutorial introduces the perl programming language, a free, platform-independent language that excels at pattern matching and text processing but that is also numerically capable. A running example illustrates an application of perl to psychological data.     

C-quence: A tool for analyzing qualitative sequential data

C-quence is a software application that matches sequential patterns of qualitative data specified by the user and calculates the rate of occurrence of these patterns in a data set. Although it was designed to facilitate analyses of face-to-face interaction, it is applicable to any data set involving categorical data and sequential information. C-quence queries are constructed using a graphical user interface. The program does not limit the complexity of the sequential patterns specified by the user.