HyperCard administration of a block-design task

HyperCard (Atkinson, 1987) is a new development environment for the Macintosh that shows promise for use in psychological research and testing. In this paper, we discuss the development of HyperCard stackware with which a block-design task similar to that of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) can be administered. The reliability and validity of the computerized block-design task was evaluated by administering both the computerized task and the WAIS-R subtest to college undergraduates. Results indicated that the computerized task’s reliability compared favorably with that of the WAIS-R subtest. Validity coefficients were equivocal; although an elapsed-time measure showed moderate correlation between the tasks, the numbers of designs correctly completed in each condition were not significantly correlated.     

Using the microcomputer as a visual aid in the statistics classroom

A microcomputer running a spreadsheet program makes an excellent visual aid for demonstrating statistical concepts and procedures. Some advantages of this setup over traditional visual aids are described. Several statistical demonstrations that I have found to work well are presented.     

A comparison of inexpensive statistical packages for microcomputers running MS-DOS

The purpose of the present paper is to describe and compare some inexpensive software packages that calculate a variety of statistics on microcomputers running MS-DOS. For each package, hardware requirements, program capabilities, limitations, accuracy, error handling, and other features are considered.     

Statistical analysis of fuzzy-set data from neuronal networks

In this study, we describe the process of transforming neuron polarization values that meet the assumptions of ratio data into ordinal data. This is a crisp-to-fuzzy set transformation. A computerized simulation of the application of this process is discussed and nonparametric methods of analyzing fuzzy-set data are presented.     

The potential of HyperCard for psychological research and instruction: A general discussion and description of two research applications

In this paper, we discuss the potential of HyperCard for research and instruction in psychology. First we give a general overview of the HyperCard program; after that, we present two HyperCard stacks as sample solutions for two specific research applications. Surveyor, a self-contained survey tool, is a HyperCard-based vehicle for developing, administering, and processing tests and surveys. Queston demonstrates how HyperCard can be used as a data-management and data-analysis tool during the stages of questionnaire development. Both stacks illustrate how flexible HyperCard is and how easy it is to use it to manage, analyze, and process data, to transfer data to other programs, and to print reports. HyperCard, unlike traditional applications, gives the user a great degree of control over the way information is stored, mainipulated, and presented. Although both stacks are custom-made for specific purposes, the concepts underlying the design can be generally applied and adapted for other purposes.     

Frequency analysis of electromyographically measured covert speech behavior

Eleven subjects were asked to silently read slides of the letters “P” and “T,” and to view meaningless control slides similarly as they were presented visually. One-eighth-second electromyographic excerpts were sampled from the baseline and response periods. The data were then transformed into the frequency domain for inferential analyses. The mean power spectral frequencies for the response period were significantly lower than those for the base-line in the overall analysis. There were, however, no significant changes from baseline as a function of kind of stimulus (T, P, or Control) or muscle activated (lips or tongue). It was concluded that there was a generalized responding, not unique to the processing of the specific stimuli studied. Frequency analysis of EMG measures of covert behavior holds some promise of yielding unique information not available through traditional analysis procedures, but more sensitive methods than those used here would be required to demonstrate this.     

NEWSART: Negative binomial weighted spectral analysis in real time

In this paper, digital filters are described for concurrent adaptive estimation of the spectral powers at several target frequencies. Least-squares estimation is used, with a tapered weight function that discounts time-series data according to age. Frequency selectivity and reliability of spectral estimates are controlled by different parameters. The spectral windows are closely approximated by Student’st distribution, which is useful in the planning of experiments.     

A program for constructing SVT tests: An alternative way of assessing text comprehension

The sentence verification technique (SVT), developed by Royer, Hastings, and Hook (1979), provides developmental and educational researchers with an alternative way of assessing text comprehension based on all of the information contained in a passage. Students must decide if test sentences have the same meaning as sentences that appeared in an original passage. The program described here automates the more laborious aspects of constructing SVT tests. The user must create a passage using a word processor. The program will prompt the user for information as needed. Finally, printable text files (SVT test and answer key) are generated. The program is written in BASIC for IBM and IBM-compatible computers.     

Teaching self-treatment of cold symptoms to an anoxic brain injured adult

Traumatic brain injury can result in behavioral and physical deficits that require intensive post-acute residential rehabilitation. Behaviors targeted by such programs include basic self-care and living skills. We examined the efficacy of a behavioral training strategy to teach appropriate medical treatment of four different groups of simulated cold symptoms to an anoxic brain injured adult. The strategy included instructor prompting and feedback in the use of written task analyses and picture cues as self-administered prompts. Subsequent to baseline, the participant used written generic task analyses combined with picture cues and then, if necessary, written specific task analyses combined with picture cues to prompt appropriate self-treatment of the four types of colds. Written individualized task analyses, tailored to participant errors, were used to fade specific task analysis prompts and transfer stimulus control to the discriminative stimuli present in the picture cues. A multiple baseline design across responses showed that skill acquisition did not occur after generic task analysis training, but did so after specific task analysis training. The participant responded to all four types of colds for three consecutive trials at 100% correct under baseline conditions. Follow-up results indicated that transfer of stimulus control to the cold symptoms simulated by the picture cues alone did not maintain over time. Correct responding was retrained using generic and, if necessary, individualized task analysis training conditions.