VSearch: Macintosh software for experiments in visual search

In this paper, we describe software that turns a Macintosh computer into an off-the-shelf tool for experiments on visual search. Our design goals included portability (between members of the Macintosh computer family and between various research settings), user-friendliness (equivalent to Macintosh programming standards), flexibility (to allow replication and extension of important experiments on visual search), and adaptability (very short design-to-data and data-to-analysis turnaround times). We describe how the software meets these goals in three major phases of an experiment: stimulus construction, experimental control, and statistical analysis. We then list several landmark studies of visual search that can be easily designed and extended with the software. Finally, we outline plans for expanding the experimental variations that will be supported in future versions of the software.     

MacLaboratory Controller: A switch and A/D interface between Apple’s Macintosh and peripheral apparatus

Apple’s Macintosh microcomputer has advantages over other systems used for laboratory control and data acquisition, especially because of its graphic and user-friendly features. However, a major perceived limitation has been its closed architecture. We describe an interface using the RS 422 modem port that supports up to 64 input/output (I/O) functions including analog-to-digital 4–12 channel input. The Controller software supplies an easily edited authoring tool in which functional relationships, logical operators, timing (millisecond accuracy), and counting functions are established through simple mouse and menu commands. Data from I/O functions may be displayed or saved as tab-delimited files that can be opened by various Macintosh statistical and spreadsheet packages and that are transportable to some mainframe applications.     

Signal-processing software for teaching and research in psychoacoustics under UNIX and X-Windows

A package of software is described that generates, analyzes, stores, and displays sampled waveforms. The package is designed for use under UNIX and includes C source code, UNIX manual pages, and tutorial documents. The programs interact via UNIX pipes using an ASCII-text data format, which enables the user to view the data in numerical form as well as through the use of plotting programs. Among many other functions, the programs can do the following: efficiently generate linearphase FIR filters with arbitrary transfer functions; generate impulse responses for rectangular rooms of specified dimensions; convolve waveforms with each other; perform Fourier transformation and inverse Fourier transformation; filter waveforms in the Fourier domain; filter waveforms according to the peripheral frequency selectivity of the human auditory system; cross-correlate waveforms; autocorrelate waveforms; synthesize complex waveforms, including vowel sounds and white noise. The software can read and write a variety of commonly used waveform file formats. The data can be plotted on an X-Window display using thegnuplot software, which has been included in the package. The complete software package is available via anonymous ftp from ftp.ihr.mrc.ac.uk in ~ftp/pub/johncu/wave.tar.Z     

Using digitized auditory stimuli on the Macintosh computer

Hardware/software packages that digitize sound on the Apple Macintosh can help researchers prepare and present auditory materials needed for their experiments. Common features and benefits of commercially available sound digitizing packages are discussed in terms of some possible applications to cognitive psychology experiments.     

MIDI and Macintosh: Searching for a better mousetrap

This paper will explore how MIDI (musical instrument digital interface)-technology can benefit researchers interested in using Apple Macintosh computers for stimulus control and response timing. One example presented here will illustrate how MIDI equipment can be adapted to provide millisecond precision response timing that cannot be obtained with solely software-based timing techniques. Another example will show how to use MIDI to control sound-generating devices that far surpass the sound-producing capabilities built into the Macintosh. There will also be a discussion of how certain MIDI equipment can provide information on the velocity and the duration of a response that is not available with traditional laboratory hardware. The examples presented here rely on a commercial software library called MIDIBASIC that was designed to be used with Microsoft QuickBasic. The availability of a millisecond timer that can be called from QuickBasic may offer a special advantage for researchers who have previously written programs in an Apple II environment using AppleSoft Basic.     

Integrated software for analysis and synthesis of voice quality

Voice quality is an important perceptual cue in many disciplines, but knowledge of its nature is limited by a poor understanding of the relevant psychoacoustics. This article (aimed at researchers studying voice, speech, and vocal behavior) describes the UCLA voice synthesizer, software for voice analysis and synthesis designed to test hypotheses about the relationship between acoustic parameters and voice quality perception. The synthesizer provides experimenters with a useful tool for creating and modeling voice signals. In particular, it offers an integrated approach to voice analysis and synthesis and allows easy, precise, spectral-domain manipulations of the harmonic voice source. The synthesizer operates in near real time, using a parsimonious set of acoustic parameters for the voice source and vocal tract that a user can modify to accurately copy the quality of most normal and pathological voices. The software, user’s manual, and audio files may be downloaded from http:// brm.psychonomic-journals.org/content/supplemental. Future updates may be downloaded from www.surgery .medsch.ucla.edu/glottalaffairs/.     

Cinematica: A system for calibrated,Macintosh-driven displays from within Mathematica

Cinematica is a minimal system for producing calibrated grayscale movies on an Apple Macintosh computer from within the Mathematica programming environment. It makes use of the ISR Video Attenuator and the VideoToolbox software library developed by Denis Pelli. By design, Cinematica provides a very low-level interface to the display routine. Display instructions take the form of a list of pairs (image index, colormap index). The philosophy is that programming is much easier in Mathematica than in C, so we reserve the complexity for Mathematica. A few simple examples are provided.     

Why we need more psychology programmers/ EL Knife, a data utility for transforming spreadsheets

The software needs of psychology researchers are sufficiently diverse that they cannot be met by the commercial sector. The field needs more psychologists who publish software, and individual researchers need to be able to write their own. To support this view, the author offers EL Knife, a data utility for reconfiguring multifactor spreadsheet files. Data may be divided by up to four factors, each of which may have an unlimited number of levels. The interface makes it easy to specify a wide variety of different configurations (different ways of packing multiple data dimensions into a two-dimensional spreadsheet). Many other possibilities for useful research software remain to be invented.     

Group discussion and first advocacy effects in computer-mediated and face-to-face decision making groups

This study examines whether the first group member to advocate a position in the group publically has disproportionate influence on the group decision, and whether group discussion by computer mail or face-to-face determines the extent of the first advocate's influence. Possible explanations of first advocacy influence were tested in an experiment that allowed simultaneous observation of three independent variables: (1) assignment of first advocate (self-selected/randomly assigned), (2) early discussion before advocacy (discussion/no discussion), and (3) mode of communication (face-to-face/electronic mail). It was assumed that a first advocate effect exists if the group choice is closer to the first advocates' stated positions than to the group's average pregroup preferences. An “influence” hypothesis predicts that first advocates who self-select will be closer to the group decision than average pregroup preferences because these are first advocates most likely to persuade other members of the group. A “listening” hypothesis predicts that first advocates who hear an early group discussion will be closer to the group decision than average pregroup preferences because these first advocates are able to anticipate the group decision as a result of listening to what is communicated in group discussion. The results indicated strong support for the “listening” hypothesis. When groups held early discussions before someone advocated a position, the first advocate effect was observed; when groups did not hold early discussions but began their task by having someone advocate a position, there was no first advocate effect. The data suggest that the content and tone of electronic group discussions was qualitatively different from face-to-face group discussions, but the process of group decision making in both conditions was about the same. The implications of these results for group discussion and computer-mediated group decision making in organizations are discussed.     

The labtop Macintosh: An interface and communications software for experiment control of animal learning research

A peripheral interface and communications software are described that allow the Macintosh Plus microcomputer to control experiments in animal learning. A Walter/Palya experiment control board (ECB; Walter & Palya, 1984), connected to the Macintosh by a RS-232 modem cable, operates as the I/O interface. The Hayes-Smartcom II software provides an easily operated communications link through menu and icon commands. Smartcom II allows the Macintosh to transmit experiment control tasks to the ECB and to collect and store obtained data. Network communication over a single RS-232 modem cable is also described.     

SuperLab: General-purpose Macintosh software for human experimental psychology and psychological testing

SuperLab is a general-purpose psychology testing package for the Macintosh. SuperLab presents static visual and auditory stimuli in blocks of trials, each trial consisting of a user-specified sequence of stimuli. Responses can be recorded from the keyboard or from switches connected to an I/O board. Stimuli can be contingent on subjects’ responses, allowing feedback based on response accuracy. Timing uses Time Manager routines from the Macintosh Toolbox. Data are recorded in a text format with tabs delimiting fields, allowing analysis and presentation by other Macintosh spreadsheet, statistics, and graph-making applications. SuperLab has a Macintosh user interface for developing experiments. Psychological tasks can also be designed and modified with any application that generates a text format file.     

MacLaboratory for psychology: General experimental psychology with Apple’s Macintosh

Every student at Drexel University is required, on admission, to purchase a Macintosh computer. Consequently, there is an understandable demand to effectively utilize this resource in the undergraduate curriculum. We have developed what amounts to a series of “take-home” programs that convert the Macintosh into a number of “pieces” of experimental psychology equipment. Providing each student with a personal psychology “MacLaboratory” has apparent pedagogical and practical benefits, from creative hands-on experience to ease of independent research. This paper summarizes details of the program to date, its development process, supporting materials, and our experience when every student has a personal computer.     

ODAP: a stand-alone program for observational data acquisition

A software program written to collect real-time, observational data is described. The flexible program allows customized behavior codes and observational durations and simultaneously records both timed and counted events. The data are collected by means of single keystrokes, automatically stored to disk with 100th of a second resolution and summarized for each observational session. The program’s database files are dBASE III PLUS compatible and may be browsed, edited, or converted to ASCII files from the program’s main menu. Field testing demonstrated the efficiency and interobserver reliability of the program (for frequency,r=0.81; for durational behaviors,rs=0.89 and 0.96). The software operates on IBM XT/AT/PS 2s and most clones with PC/MS DOS version 2.0 or greater.     

Software for the generation and display of random-dot cinematograms on the Macintosh computer

The software packageDotMovie 1.3.8 was designed to create and display dynamic random-dot cinematograms for studies of motion perception on Macintosh II microcomputers. In each frame of the cinematogram, some dots move in random uncorrelated directions, while other dots move with constant speed in one direction. As the relative number of dots moving in a correlated direction increases, the observer sees flow in the direction of the movement. The software described facilitates the creation of random-dot cinematograms, their presentation, and collection of data from subjects’ responses.