A computer system for automatically constructing stimulus material

A FORTRAN system for constructing various kinds of stimulus materials is described. A user enters the basic components of an experiment (stimulus items, presentation parameters, trial identifiers, etc.) as files, and uses the system to combine the basic files, automatically constructing the desired stimuli. The system contains file-manipulation functions for combining files (including factorial combination), functions for separating out parts of a file, and functions for randomizing files. The user can use the standard FORTRAN function-embedding and function-definition features to easily specify elaborate operations on the basic files to construct complex stimulus files.     

Field dependence-independence and social traditionalism

Three independent variables—ethnicity, sex, and urbanism—were used to investigate differences in the cognitive style, field dependence-independence, among six ethnic subcultures of Trinidad. It was assumed that differences in field dependence-independence reflected differences in adherence to values of social traditionalism among the six subcultures. The major hypothesis of the study was that a field-dependent cognitive style would be functional for the maintenance of social traditionalism, whereas a field-independent cognitive style would facilitate modernization. It was found that ethnicity, sex and urbanism were significant predictors of field dependence-independence, but because of a significant interaction effect, the results were not uniform. Ethnicity was the strongest predictor of cognitive style, for example, but whether it did, in fact, significantly predict field dependence-independence depended on the sex and the urbanism of the subjects. Consequently, the hypothesized rank order of ethnic groups by field dependence-independence held only for urban males.     

Teacher awareness of classroom dyadic interactions

Systematic classroom observation has frequently been used to provide teachers with feedback as to the type and frequency of their interactions with students. This process assumes that teachers are unaware of their interaction patterns; however, this assumption has seldom been tested directly. In order to test this hypothesis, the interactions between teachers and individual students in 30 classrooms were observed. Immediately following these observations teachers were asked to estimate the frequency of occurrence of various types of interactions. The results indicated a general lack of awareness of the frequency of occurrence of the types of interactions observed.     

Effects of educational and career exploration system on vocational maturity

An experimental group of 792 tenth graders spent from 1 to 17 hr (average 3 hr) on ECES, a computer-based educational and occupational exploration system.Gains on a test of vocational maturity administered at the beginning and end of the school year were compared with a control group of 1453 tenth graders, matched on relevant variables. ECES users showed larger gains than nonusers in (1) degree of planfulness and (2) knowledge and use of resources for career exploration, as measured by the Career Development Inventory, not in information about education, occupations and career decision making. Gains were related to amount of time spent on ECES but male-female differences were not exhibited.     

A model for free recall of two lists: Individual recall sequences and the effect of list-2-dominance

A free recall model which assumes a probability search for two kinds of items within one search set is outlined. Predictions for individual recall sequences are derived and an explanation for the effect of list-2-dominance is suggested. An index of dominance is also given.