触觉超锐敏度的实验研究:Ⅰ微差实验

在被动触觉的微差实验中,将三个点沿一条想象的水平直线排开,其中间的一个点处于外侧两点间想象的连线的中点位置,但向上或向下稍微偏离该线。安排五个作业,按外侧两点间的不同距离而区分。实验时刺激在右食指第一节腹侧表面通过,但手保持不动,实验应用三种不同的刺激速度。根据对偏离想象直线的75%的正确判定来确定阈限。这种微差的辨别阈限低于通常的两点阈并在多数情况下低于触觉定位阈限。在同一作业内,不同的刺激速度没有不同的作用。但在同一速度下,外侧两点间距离大的,其中间一点的辨别阈限较高,反之则较低,作者对微差作业的特点作了分析并从结构效应的角度讨论了实验结果.     

谜语问题解决中线索的作用

汉语谜语在性质上属于顿悟问题,当谜语的谜底为汉语成语时,这样的谜语问题称为成语谜语问题。本研究探讨线索在成语谜语问题解决中的作用特点与方式。三个实验以汉语成语谜语问题为实验材料,采用了语义线索与规则线索,操纵了线索的有效性（有效线索占75％,无效线索占25％）,以及线索呈现的时间长短（长时间即阈限上呈现线索（实验1）,短时间（20ms）即阈限下呈现线索（实验2与实验3））两个因素。实验1与实验2的任务是要求被试写出成语谜语问题的答案（谜底）,实验3则要求被试从6个备择答案中选择出正确的答案。被试为武汉某大学的206名低年级本科生。实验结果表明,（1）无论是阈限上还是阈限下呈现规则线索,有效规则线索对成语谜语问题的解决具有促进作用;（2）有效语义线索对谜语问题的解决具有促进作用,而且,阈限上有效语义线索对谜语问题解决的促进作用更大;（3）阈限上呈现两类无效线索时,它们对成语谜语问题的解决都具有干扰作用;但是,阈限下呈现两类无效线索时,它们对成语谜语问题的解决没有干扰作用。     

阈下知觉研究中觉知状态测量方法的发展与启示

该文对近百年来围绕阈下知觉研究一直争论不休的觉知状态的测量方法进行了全面回顾,通过比较和分析在主观阈限和客观阈限以及不断改进后的其它觉知阈限测量方法条件下所获得的实验结果,并结合有关意识和无意识之间关系的理论假设,认为这种状况本身就否定了有关意识与无意识关系的排它观点。今后的研究应该跳出这一陷阱,并从无意识知觉如何影响有意识的行为以及阈下知觉的神经活动指标等方面开辟研究的新途径。     

面部表情觉知阈限的测量及其年龄和性别差异

将自信心评定法与心理物理学的方法结合起来,测量了年轻人和老年人6种面部表情(愤怒、厌恶、恐惧、高兴、悲伤、惊讶)的觉知阈限,并进行了比较。结果发现,在所有情绪类型条件下,老年人的觉知阈限显著大于年轻人的;在年轻人组,愤怒表情的觉知阈限显著大于厌恶、恐惧和高兴表情的,恐惧和高兴表情的觉知阈限显著小于愤怒、悲伤和惊讶表情的。在老年人组,愤怒表情的觉知阈限显著大于其他表情的,高兴表情的觉知阈限显著小于其他表情的;女性的觉知阈限显著小于男性的。可见,与年轻人相比,老年人觉知面部表情的能力发生了衰退,且不同表情衰退的程度不同,高兴表情的觉知能力衰退的程度最小,愤怒和恐惧表情的觉知能力衰退的程度最大;女性的面部表情觉知能力较男性更强。     

触觉超锐敏度的实验研究:Ⅱ曲线知觉

在被动触觉实验中,被试的手保持不动,而曲线线段以一定速度通过其右食指腹侧表面。应用五种不同弦长的曲线,在每个弦长的范围内,曲线的弧高由0到3.5毫米,梯度为0.5毫米。采用三种刺激运动速度(静止、慢速和快速)。以对应于75%曲线判定概率的弧高(毫米)为辨别阈限值,结果发现,无论在哪种速度条件下,曲线辨别阈限均低于两点阈和触觉定位误差.并且快速条件下的辨别阈限低于慢速的和静止的,出现速度效应。作者对曲线知觉和微差定位的实验作了比较分析,并主张将曲线知觉引入触觉超锐敏度的测量。     

多种因素对时间连续阈限的影响

该研究做了两个实验,研究了七个因素——刺激的类型、刺激的复杂度、刺激的强度、刺激的呈现时间、被试对两刺激的判断标准、同一种感觉道的个数、性别——对时间连续阈限的影响.在实验一中,结果表明,刺激的类型、刺激的呈现时间、被试对两刺激的判断标准和同一种感觉道的个数四个因素对时间连续阈限有显著影响,而刺激的复杂度、刺激的强度和性别三个因素对时间连续阈限没有显著影响。在实验二中,结果表明,在影响显著的四个因素之间不存在交互作用。     

内隐学习研究40年

内隐学习至今已有40年的研究历史。在这期间,内隐学习的研究对象、研究方法和本质特征都得到了深入和扩展。主要体现在：内隐学习的研究材料从同时性刺激走向序时性刺激;内隐学习的研究方法从主观阈限的测量逐渐扩展到客观阈限测量,又再回到主观阈限测量之上;内隐学习的本质特征从抽象到具体,再落脚于熟悉性     

Zollner错觉的阈限测定

该研究选取大学生为被试,采用最小变化法,分别测量了干扰线对数、干扰线与主线之间的间隔、主线之间的间隔等三个变量导致Z?llner错觉产生的绝对阈限。每个变量中主线与水平面的夹角分为45°和90°两种条件。结果发现,若要产生Z?llner错觉：1）干扰线对数的阈限分别为5对、7对;2）干扰线与主线之间的间隔阈限分别为6.58像素、4.48像素,3）干扰线之间的间隔阈限分别为124.44像素、131.73像素。此外还发现：4）在Z?llner错觉形成的影响因素中,从大到小依次是：干扰线对数、主线之间的间隔、干扰线与主线之间的间隔;5）45°情况下比90°情况下更容易产生错觉;6）在Z?llner错觉知觉中,期望误差严重。     

高低特质焦虑水平个体面部表情觉知阈限的测量

该研究采用后掩蔽范式,将自信心评定法与心理物理学的方法相结合,测得了高、低特质焦虑水平个体的6种基本表情(愤怒、厌恶、恐惧、高兴、悲伤、惊讶)的觉知阈限,并进行了比较。结果发现:在恐惧表情条件下,高特质焦虑个体的觉知阈限显著小于低特质焦虑个体的,在其他表情条件下,高、低特质焦虑个体的觉知阈限没有显著差异;在低特质焦虑组,愤怒表情的觉知阈限显著大于厌恶、恐惧和高兴的,恐惧和高兴表情的觉知阈限显著小于愤怒、悲伤和惊讶的。在高特质焦虑组,愤怒表情的觉知阈限显著大于厌恶、恐惧和高兴的,高兴表情的觉知阈限小于愤怒、悲伤和惊讶的,恐惧表情的觉知阈限显著小于其他表情的;女性的觉知阈限显著小于男性的。因此,较低特质焦虑水平的个体,高特质焦虑水平的个体觉知恐惧表情的能力更强;面部表情觉知存在性别差异,女性的觉知能力较男性更强。     

针刺对两点辨别觉的作用

本研究报告证实了针刺能够显著地提高两点阈限。本文探讨了针刺对两点阈限改变的时间关系和空间关系。分析了情绪状态、电针刺激强度、频率对针刺提高两点阈限的影响。还分析了针刺对痛阈的提高与对两点阈限的提高的关系。     

Measuring, estimating, and understanding the psychometric function: A commentary

The psychometric function, relating the subject’s response to the physical stimulus, is fundamental to psychophysics. This paper examines various psychometric function topics, many inspired by this special symposium issue ofPerception & Psychophysics: What are the relative merits of objective yes/no versus forced choice tasks (including threshold variance)? What are the relative merits of adaptive versus constant stimuli methods? What are the relative merits of likelihood versus up-down staircase adaptive methods? Is 2AFC free of substantial bias? Is there no efficient adaptive method for objective yes/no tasks? Should adaptive methods aim for 90% correct? Can adding more responses to forced choice and objective yes/no tasks reduce the threshold variance? What is the best way to deal with lapses? How is the Weibull function intimately related to thed’ function? What causes bias in the likelihood goodness-of-fit? What causes bias in slope estimates from adaptive methods? How good are nonparametric methods for estimating psychometric function parameters? Of what value is the psychometric function slope? How are various psychometric functions related to each other? The resolution of many of these issues is surprising.     

Measuring, estimating, and understanding the psychometric function: a commentary.

The psychometric function, relating the subject's response to the physical stimulus, is fundamental to psychophysics. This paper examines various psychometric function topics, many inspired by this special symposium issue of Perception & Psychophysics: What are the relative merits of objective yes/no versus forced choice tasks (including threshold variance)? What are the relative merits of adaptive versus constant stimuli methods? What are the relative merits of likelihood versus up-down staircase adaptive methods? Is 2AFC free of substantial bias? Is there no efficient adaptive method for objective yes/no tasks? Should adaptive methods aim for 90% correct? Can adding more responses to forced choice and objective yes/no tasks reduce the threshold variance? What is the best way to deal with lapses? How is the Weibull function intimately related to the d' function? What causes bias in the likelihood goodness-of-fit? What causes bias in slope estimates from adaptive methods? How good are nonparametric methods for estimating psychometric function parameters? Of what value is the psychometric function slope? How are various psychometric functions related to each other? The resolution of many of these issues is surprising.     

A marginal maximum likelihood method for the vector threshold model to analyze dichotomous choice data

Abstract: At least two types of models, the vector model and the unfolding model can be used for the analysis of dichotomous choice data taken from, for example, the pick any/ n method. The previous vector threshold models have a difficulty with estimation of the nuisance parameters such as the individual vectors and thresholds. This paper proposes a new probabilistic vector threshold model, where, unlike the former vector models, the angle that defines an individual vector is a random variable, and where the marginal maximum likelihood estimation method using the expectation-maximization algorithm is adopted to avoid incidental parameters. The paper also attempts to discuss which of the two models is more appropriate to account for dichotomous choice data. Two sets of dichotomous choice data are analyzed by the model.     

A methodological study of auditory lateralization

The just-noticeable-shift (JNS) threshold of a centered image was determined for four naive Ss A two interval forced choice situation was used under the method of constant stimuli. The three manners of presentation of the intensity imbalance were as follows: (1) an increase in intensity at one ear, (2) a decrease in intensity at one ear, (3) an increase in intensity at one ear produced concommitantly with a decrease in intensity at the opposite ear. The sign test demonstrated significant differences between method (2) and methods (1) and (3).     

Preference for free or forced choice in Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii)

Empirical investigations of humans, pigeons, rats, and monkeys have indicated that these species will select free over forced choice, even when faced with identical outcomes. However, the same has yet to be quantitatively confirmed in nonhuman great apes. This experiment is the first systematic investigation of preference for free or forced choice in great apes using a paradigm in which extraneous variables are highly controlled. Three orangutans were given a choice of one of two virtual routes, one that provided a choice and one that did not via a touchscreen computer program. Choice of either route was rewarded with the same type and quantity of food. Initial results indicated a preference for free choice across all three participants. However, in two control conditions, orangutans' preferences varied, suggesting a weaker tendency to exercise choice than species previously tested. We suggest further investigation of preference for free and forced choice in orangutans and other great apes through alternative experimental paradigms that focus on increasing the fidelity of free and forced choice options.     

Recognition models evaluated: A commentary on Keren and Baggen

In a recent paper (1981), Keren and Baggen proposed two new models for alphanumeric confusion data, based on Tversky’s (1977) feature model of similarity, and compared them with Luce’s (1963) biased choice model. On the basis of their data, they concluded that, although the choice model fit slightly better, their models were to be preferred on grounds of parsimony and interpretability. It is shown here that both of these models are special cases of the Luce model, so that the general Luce model will necessarily fit better. This leads to considerable reinterpretation of Keren and Baggen’s conclusions. Finally, better methods of estimating parameters and evaluating goodness-of-fit are suggested, taking advantage of this relation between the models.     

A Comparison of the Psychometric Properties of the Forced Choice and Likert Scale Versions of a Personality Instrument

The present research investigated if an item response theory (IRT)‐scored forced‐choice personality questionnaire has the same normative data structures as a similar version that uses a 5‐point Likert scale instead. The study was conducted using a sample of 349 training delegates who completed both an IRT‐scored forced‐choice and a normative single‐stimulus version of the questionnaire. Results largely supported the scaling properties, measurement precision, and equivalence of the data structures of the two scoring methods.     

Attention and attribute overlap in preferential choice

Attributes that are common, or overlapping, across alternatives in two-alternative forced preferential choice tasks are often non-diagnostic. In many settings, attending to and evaluating these attributes does not help the decision maker determine which of the available alternatives is the most desirable. For this reason, many existing behavioural theories propose that decision makers ignore common attributes while deliberating. Across six experiments, we find that decision makers do direct their attention selectively and ignore attributes that are not present in or associated with either of the available alternatives. However, they are as likely to attend to common attributes as they are to attend to attributes that are unique to a single alternative. These results suggest the need for novel theories of attention in preferential choice.     

An adaptive algorithm for fixation,saccade, and glissade detection in eyetracking data

Event detection is used to classify recorded gaze points into periods of fixation, saccade, smooth pursuit, blink, and noise. Although there is an overall consensus that current algorithms for event detection have serious flaws and that a de facto standard for event detection does not exist, surprisingly little work has been done to remedy this problem. We suggest a new velocity-based algorithm that takes several of the previously known limitations into account. Most important, the new algorithm identifies so-called glissades, a wobbling movement at the end of many saccades, as a separate class of eye movements. Part of the solution involves designing an adaptive velocity threshold that makes the event detection less sensitive to variations in noise level and the algorithm settings-free for the user. We demonstrate the performance of the new algorithm on eye movements recorded during reading and scene perception and compare it with two of the most commonly used algorithms today. Results show that, unlike the currently used algorithms, fixations, saccades, and glissades are robustly identified by the new algorithm. Using this algorithm, we found that glissades occur in about half of the saccades, during both reading and scene perception, and that they have an average duration close to 24 msec. Due to the high prevalence and long durations of glissades, we argue that researchers must actively choose whether to assign the glissades to saccades or fixations; the choice affects dependent variables such as fixation and saccade duration significantly. Current algorithms do not offer this choice, and their assignments of each glissade are largely arbitrary.