Response requirements and the contrast effect in loudness judgments

Ss responded to a series of soft tones via category judgments, reaction time responses, or simple nonquantitative discrimination judgments. An evaluation was then made of the contrast effects obtained in the category judgments of these same soft tones when subsequently presented along with a series of loud tones. A control group was also used which did not receive the initial trials with the soft tones. The results indicated: (1) equivalent contrast effects for all four groups for the soft tones and (2) significantly greater judgments of the loud tones in the group that had used category judgments on the initial trials with soft tones. These results, alonR with a trend analysis, were used to argue for a joint semantic shift and equalization of category usage process underlying the contrast effect when Ss are required to denote the stimuli initially by means of category judgments.     

Adolescents' time spent viewing television

This study examined the amount of time adolescents spend viewing television. Findings indicated that adolescents viewed television 147 minutes per day, or an average of 17 1/4 hours per week. Employment of mother significantly affected the time adolescents spend viewing television. Sex of adolescent, age of father, mother, and adolescent, education of father and mother, income of family, and day of week were not significant factors. Adolescents watched television with another family member 65% of the total viewing time, but were unlikely to engage in other activities at the same time.     

Measuring Social Status with Occupational Information: A Simple Method1

A measure of social status was devised: a multiple-choice question that obtains occupational information and is scalable with both the Duncan Socioeconomic Index and the Siegel Prestige Scale. The correlations of this device with other measures of social status and with tests of general ability were assessed in a study of white and black Navy recruits. The correlations were similar to those obtained with a conventional measure that relies on judges scaling occupational information elicited by an openended question. The present device may be a good prototype for a standardized, multiple-choice measure of social status.     

The effects of intradimensional and extradimensional shifts on visual discrimination learning in humans and non-human primates

Human subjects and non-human primates (the common marmoset) were trained on a series of reversals of both a simple (stimuli varying along one dimension) and compound (stimuli varying along two different dimensions) visual discrimination, using computer-generated stimuli. They were then shifted to a third series of reversals using completely novel compound stimuli. Those humans and marmosets for which the previously relevant dimension remained relevant, following the shift (shapes to shapes or lines to lines; intradimensional shift) made fewer errors than those for which the previously irrelevant dimension became relevant (shapes to lines or lines to shapes; extradimensional shift). These findings suggest that both humans and marmosets can learn to attend to the specific attributes or dimensions of a stimulus and use this information in visual discrimination learning.     

Multivariate statistics and three-dimensional graphics

This paper describes the process by which a system of three-dimensional computer-generated graphics was developed for use by students and researchers in analyzing multivariate psychological data. Examples of the application and use of the system in analyzing factor analytic and discriminant analysis data are presented. Details on the operation of the system are also included.     

Computer “personalities”: A new approach to understanding user compatibility

While many scholars have looked at computer processes as a means of better understanding how the brain functions, very few have explored the opposite perspective, that computers have personalities which may influence how they interact with people. This article describes a study which compared the personalities of two popular personal computers, then discusses the implications for computer development, documentation, marketing and training.John Penrose is a professor in the Information and Decision Systems Department at San Diego State University. Lawrence M. Seiford is Associate Professor at the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at the University of Massachusetts.