Additivity of loudness across critical bands: A critical test

The use of magnitude estimation as well as axiomatic measurement theory has led to the suggestion that loudness adds across critical bands. In the present paper, we challenge this postulate by applying a more sensitive methodology, based on Falmagne’s (1976) random conjoint measurement procedure. A necessary condition for additivity of loudness was investigated in tone complexes consisting of 2-kHz and 5-kHz (resp. 3-kHz) components; the results showed systematic deviations from additivity. We argue that these deviations are due to asymmetric masking of the higher component by the lower one, and we propose a tentative quantitative model to account for the data. Such a model is in line with results from tone-on-tone masking, which show masking to be effective over a range of several critical bands.     

On reduced matrices

It is shown that the class of reduced matrices of a logic is a 1 ^st order -class provided the variety associated with has the finite replacement property in the sense of [7]. This applies in particular to all 2-valued logics. For 3-valued logics the class of reduced matrices need not be 1 ^st order.     

Domains of mental functioning: An introduction

Summary An introduction is given to the Thematic Issue on Domains of Mental Functioning: Attempts at a Synthesis. First, some of the efforts that have been made at charting the territory of Cognitive Science are reviewed. The second section considers the emerging new consensus on certain conceptual issues such as representation, intentionality, functionalism, and symbol systems. Finally, some types of synthesis between approaches to mental functioning are discussed.     

Expansion of the functional visual field and context skipping in a continuous search task

Summary A new experimental paradigm for the investigation of visual search processes is presented. In a continuous visual search task, the target occurs several times in each search list, and a response is required to each occurrence of the target. The analysis of the data is based on the regression of the interresponse intervals on the distance between successive target occurrences. With a view to measure the size of the functional visual field and the efficiency of skipping strategies, the size of letter groups and the minimal distance between successive target occurrences were varied. The rate parameter of the regression functions was used to infer the extent of the functional visual field; the efficiency of skipping was assessed on the basis of the intercept. A U-shaped relationship between the size of letter groups and the rate parameter of the regression functions was predicted and found; during practice, the minimum of the U-function shifted from small to large group sizes. This was taken as an indication that the functional visual field expands during practice in a continuous search task. Evidence for efficient skipping strategies was found at all stages of practice, subject to the constraint that there was a natural relationship between the size of letter groups and the minimal distance between target occurrences.Extended version of a paper given at the 19th Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen, Konstanz 1977. This paper is based on experimental work reported in the Diplom-Arbeiten by Layla Hanning, Ursula Schmidt and Wolfgang Wojde (Psychologisches Institut, Ruhr-Universität Bochum 1977)     

A microprocessor control and recording system for instrumental behavior research

This paper describes a miroprocessor system developed for experimental control and data collection in real time. By connecting the experimental equipment to the microprocessor via a serial communication interface, transmission of various animal test-chamber functions over greater distances with only a few cables is facilitated. The microprocessor is programmed on a host computer (PDP/8). A combined terminal station with a cassette deck is used for data and program storage.     

2-Element matrices

Sections 1, 2 and 3 contain the main result, the strong finite axiomatizability of all 2-valued matrices. Since non-strongly finitely axiomatizable 3-element matrices are easily constructed the result reveals once again the gap between 2-valued and multiple-valued logic. Sec. 2 deals with the basic cases which include the important F _i from Post's classification. The procedure in Sec. 3 reduces the general problem to these cases. Sec. 4 is a study of basic algebraic properties of 2-element algebras. In particular, we show that equational completeness is equivalent to the Stone-property and that each 2-element algebra generates a minimal quasivariety. The results of Sec. 4 will be applied in Sec. 5 to maximality questions and to a matrix free characterization of 2-valued consequences in the lattice of structural consequences in any language. Sec. 6 takes a look at related axiomatization. problems for finite algebras and matrices. We study the notion of a propositional consequence with equality and, among other things, present explicit axiomatizations of 2-valued consequences with equality.