Do handwritten words magnify lexical effects in visual word recognition?

An examination of how the word recognition system is able to process handwritten words is fundamental to formulate a comprehensive model of visual word recognition. Previous research has revealed that the magnitude of lexical effects (e.g., the word-frequency effect) is greater with handwritten words than with printed words. In the present lexical decision experiments, we examined whether the quality of handwritten words moderates the recruitment of top-down feedback, as reflected in word-frequency effects. Results showed a reading cost for difficult-to-read and easy-to-read handwritten words relative to printed words. But the critical finding was that difficult-to-read handwritten words, but not easy-to-read handwritten words, showed a greater word-frequency effect than printed words. Therefore, the inherent physical variability of handwritten words does not necessarily boost the magnitude of lexical effects.     

Integration processes during frequency graph comprehension: Performance and eye movements while processing tree maps versus pie charts

Frequency graph types differ in the way how data are translated into visual representations. We compared 2 visualization methods, a traditional circular representation (pie chart) and a rectangular representation (constant column width tree map), which were hypothesized to differ regarding the cognitive ease of visual comparison processes. Performance was evaluated in tasks involving proportion and comparison judgments under both highly controlled and more realistic circumstances. The results showed performance benefits (in terms of reduced response times or error rates) for rectangular representations. Additional eye movement analyses revealed that this benefit was mainly due to a facilitation of scanning the graph for relevant information. The results suggest that facilitating comparison processes by representing the critical variable in less complex visual dimensions (i.e., straight length with constant orientation instead of surface area or curved length) eventually enhances the efficiency of integration processes during graph comprehension.     

Feedback frequency of graphical countdown timers affects pedestrian estimated waiting time at red lights

Graphical countdown timers (similar to a progress bar) have the potential to shorten pedestrians’ perceived waiting time at the red light. Based on the findings from human-computer interaction (HCI) and time estimation theories, the potential may be affected by feedback frequency. This study tested how the feedback frequency of countdown progress bar in traffic light influenced time estimation in a field experiment, and further explored its mechanism in a laboratory experiment. In both experiments, participants estimated various durations (30 s, 45 s, 60 s) under three levels of feedback frequency: low (0.5 Hz), medium (1 Hz), and high (2 Hz). The results showed that although waiting time was underestimated in all conditions, lower feedback frequency led to shorter estimated duration, with slight changes in different contexts. In the traffic context, the effect of feedback frequency was comparable across different countdown duration, but it became stronger at longer countdown duration in the non-traffic context. Overall, the effect of feedback frequency was accompanied by changes in neither arousal level (measured by the subjective scale and physiological indices) nor internal clock speed, which are two critical determinants of time perception. The findings have practical implications on the display design of red light and theoretical implications on time estimation processes.     

中文阅读中快速读者与慢速读者的词频效应

在熟练的中文阅读中,个体阅读效率越高,词汇加工效率是否越高,目前还缺少直接证据。本研究通过记录快速读者与慢速读者在阅读含有高频或低频目标词句子时的眼动轨迹来考察该问题。结果发现,在第一遍注视时间、回视路径时间和总注视时间上,快速读者对高频词与低频词的注视时间无显著差异,但都短于慢速读者;而慢速读者对低频词的注视时间显著长于高频词。即快速读者的早期词汇识别和后期词汇整合效率都较高,不受词频影响;而慢速读者的整个词汇加工效率较低,受词频影响较大。这些结果表明两组读者的词汇加工模式具有本质差异,符合个体差异性观点与词汇质量假说。     

Differences in self-talk frequency as a function of age, only-child, and imaginary childhood companion status

In three studies, we examined differences in the frequency with which people report talking to themselves. Using a standardized measure of self-talk frequency, the Self-Talk Scale (Brinthaupt, Hein, & Kramer, 2009), we collected information about college student participants’ age, sex, and family configuration (i.e., only or sibling child), and whether they had an imaginary companion in childhood. In Study 1, significant differences in self-talk were found between different age groupings. In Study 2, children without siblings reported more self-talk than children with siblings. Finally, in Study 3, respondents who reported having an imaginary companion in childhood also reported significantly more self-talk than those who did not have an imaginary childhood companion. We discuss the self-regulatory and developmental implications of these results.     

习惯研究的现状与展望

习惯是一种由某特定线索引发并指向某特定目标(包括外显目标与内隐目标)的自动化反应。它具有过去有行为的重复、环境线索的稳定与自动化的反应等特征。关于习惯的测量方式主要采取自我报告法（如自我报告过去行为频率、自我报告习惯频率、自我报告习惯索引等）和反应频率测量法。对习惯的形成的理论解释主要有环境促进、态度促进、目标促进等几种观点。未来研究应继续深入探讨习惯的本质、整合形成机制的相关理论及开发更可靠方便的测量工具。     

择偶与人类嗓音

本文对择偶与人类嗓音之间的关系进行了深入分析。首先, 人类具有普遍的异性嗓音偏好：男性偏爱高音调的女性嗓音, 女性偏爱低音调的男性嗓音, 这种普遍偏好受到一系列跟自身婚配价值有关的因素的调节。其次, 人类的嗓音偏好跟嗓音背后的进化意义密切关联：女性化嗓音是女性生育力的线索, 而男性化嗓音是男性好基因和好资源的线索。而且, 富有吸引力的男性嗓音和女性嗓音能够预测个体的性行为和繁殖成功。再次, 富有有吸引力的人类嗓音影响个体的社会认知, 对亲密关系的维系也会带来消极影响。最后, 我们探讨了未来研究的若干方向：研究基频之外的其他嗓音参数, 探讨嗓音偏好的性选择机制、特殊群体的嗓音偏好, 以及嗓音偏好与其他认知过程的关系。     

Co-occurrence frequency evaluated with large language corpora boosts semantic priming effects

In recent decades, many computational techniques have been developed to analyse the contextual usage of words in large language corpora. The present study examined whether the co-occurrence frequency obtained from large language corpora might boost purely semantic priming effects. Two experiments were conducted: one with conscious semantic priming, the other with subliminal semantic priming. Both experiments contrasted three semantic priming contexts: an unrelated priming context and two related priming contexts with word pairs that are semantically related and that co-occur either frequently or infrequently. In the conscious priming presentation (166-ms stimulus-onset asynchrony, SOA), a semantic priming effect was recorded in both related priming contexts, which was greater with higher co-occurrence frequency. In the subliminal priming presentation (66-ms SOA), no significant priming effect was shown, regardless of the related priming context. These results show that co-occurrence frequency boosts pure semantic priming effects and are discussed with reference to models of semantic network.     

Age of acquisition ratings score better on criterion validity than frequency trajectory or ratings “corrected” for frequency

From the very first studies on the effect of age of acquisition (AoA) on word processing, researchers have validated their AoA ratings by correlating them with other, more objective indices of the age at which children know words. Still, the ratings have been questioned, and alternative measures have been proposed. Two of these are differences in word frequency between language directed at young children and language directed at older children (frequency trajectory) and AoA ratings corrected for word frequency. Surprisingly, the criterion validity of these alternative measures has never been established, partly because one of the validation criteria (the age at which children are able to name pictures) has been questioned. In the present study, four databases are used that aimed to establish the order of English word acquisition, going from the very first words learned to words taught in secondary education. The criteria for word knowledge included word production, multiple-choice questions about the meaning of the words, and teacher judgments about when words should be taught in the school curriculum. For all databases, the frequency trajectory correlated substantially less with the criterion than AoA ratings. For all but one, the same was true for AoA ratings “corrected” for other variables. On the basis of these findings, researchers should be cautious interpreting null effects with the “improved” variables as evidence against a genuine AoA effect.     

How does information from low and high spatial frequencies interact during scene categorization?

Current models of visual perception suggest that, during scene categorization, low spatial frequencies (LSF) are rapidly processed and activate plausible interpretations of visual input. This coarse analysis would be used to guide subsequent processing of high spatial frequencies (HSF). The present study aimed to further examine how information from LSF and HSF interact and influence each other during scene categorization. In a first experimental session, participants had to categorize LSF and HSF filtered scenes belonging to two different semantic categories (artificial vs. natural). In a second experimental session, we used hybrid scenes as stimuli made by combining LSF and HSF from two different scenes which were semantically similar or dissimilar. Half of the participants categorized LSF scenes in hybrids, and the other half categorized HSF scenes in hybrids. Stimuli were presented for 30 or 100?ms. Session 1 results showed better performance for LSF than HSF scene categorization. Session 2 scene categorization was faster when participants attended and categorized LSF than HSF scene in hybrids. The semantic interference of a semantically dissimilar HSF scene on LSF scene categorization was greater than the semantic interference of a semantically dissimilar LSF scene on HSF scene categorization, irrespective of exposure duration. These results suggest a LSF advantage for scene categorization, and highlight the prominent role of HSF information when there is uncertainty about the visual stimulus, in order to disentangle between alternative interpretations.