Selection of software in the instructional laboratory

In this paper, I discuss a number of issues concerning software selection in instructional laboratories. First, I describe several taxonomies of instructional software and argue that the most important dimension of instructional software is that it must be an efficient tool. Second, I discuss some elements of the context of the instructional lab, including sophistication of users. Third, I explore design features, especially those related to ease of learning to use packages. Several other issues are also considered, such as where to find software reviews.     

A critical evaluation of software for experiment development in research and teaching

This paper compares several software packages that allow users to create new computer-run experiments, but do not require that users be able to program. Three dimensions are considered: package requirements, ease of learning, and power and flexibility.     

The linkage between stimulus frequency and covert peak areas as it relates to monaural localization

Head-related transfer functions for differently centered narrow noise bands were obtained on 6 subjects. Derived from these measurements were covert peak areas (CPAs), defined as the spatial constellation of loudspeakers that generates maximal sound pressure at the entrance of the ear canal for specific bands of frequency. On the basis of previous data, we proposed that different frequency bands served as important spectral cues for monaural localization of sounds from different loci and that location judgments were directed toward the CPAs associated with the different bands. In the first study, the stimuli were bandpass filtered so that they contained only those frequencies whose associated CPAs occupied either the monaural listener’s “upper” or “lower” spatial regions. Loudspeakers, separated by 15°, were stationed in the left hemifield, ranging from 0° to 180° azimuth and ?45° to 60° elevation. Subjects reported the loudspeaker from which the sound appeared to originate. Judgments of the sound’s elevation were in general accord with the CPAs associated with the different frequency segments. In the second study, monaural localization tests were administered in which different 2.0-kHz-wide frequency bands linked with specific CPAs were notch filtered from a 3.5-kHz highpass noise band. For the control condition, the highpass noise was unfiltered. The data demonstrated that filtering a frequency segment linked with specific CPAs resulted in significantly fewer location responses directed toward that particular spatial region. These results demonstrate in greater detail the relation between the directional filtering properties of the pinna and monaural localization of sound.     

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.     

Instructional programs for psychology: A review and analysis

This paper presents 10 general observations about current software for instruction in psychology and examines selected examples employing four instructional techniques for computer-assisted instruction. We find that although the number of programs employing experimental or data-oriented approaches to psychology as a primary vehicle of instruction is increasing, tutorial drill and practice programs and gaming are not well represented.     

Evidence for scanning with unilateral visual presentation of letters

When letters and words are presented tachistoscopically, material from the right visual field (RVF) can be reported more accurately than that from the left visual field (LVF). The RVF superiority may reflect either left hemispheric dominance for language or directional scanning. Previous studies have deliberately focused on the cerebral asymmetry factor while "controlling" scanning and, thus, have cast some doubt on the potency of the scanning factor. Two experiments were conducted to show that scanning can induce a RVF superiority comparable to that often associated with cerebral asymmetry. The first experiment required bilingual subjects to report six English or six Hebrew letters, shown briefly in either the LVF or RVF, with order of report controlled. A RVF superiority found with English characters was matched by an equal but opposite LVF effect with Hebrew. In a second experiment, five English characters were shown briefly in either the LVF or RVF, and subjects had to identify a single character indicated by a post exposural cue. Using a spatial cue to by pass scanning, there were no field differences; with an ordinal position cue--a procedure thought to force scanning--there was a strong RVF superiority. The results show clearly that scanning can induce visual field differences.     

Integrating statistical software into laboratories and laboratory courses

Reasonable quality statistical software that is easy to use and easy to learn to use is available, and more will become available. This paper describes nine features of statistical software programs that make such programs easy to use. Some methods for evaluating the capability, accuracy, and speed of statistical software are discussed. In addition, some issues about university and software company support are considered. Finally, a technique for integrating software into laboratories is presented.     

Survey on present and potential instructional use of computers in psychology

A survey of academic psychologists was taken to determine present use of computers in instruction, willingness to use good education software, and kinds of potential uses of computers in psychology courses. A majority of the respondents reported using computers in instruction. Respondents indicated substantial willingness to adopt computer-based courseware. Respondents believed that a variety of uses, including classroom demonstrations and student experiments, would facilitate student learning. The results of the survey are compared with the instructional modules the task force is developing.     

Do letter features migrate? A note of caution

Summary The feature-integration model of visual information processing (Treisman & Gelade, 1980) predicts perceptual errors based on the incorrect grouping of stimulus features in multi-element displays. Experiment 1 examined the frequency of such errors with a tachistoscopic bar probe task using letters and novel patterns with a production response. A substantial proportion of the errors did involve figures that were not present in the display but contained combinations of features which had been present. Such errors were especially prominent with novel patterns. The results with letters suggested that such responses were due to guessing, not feature migration, and this was confirmed by Experiment 2. In the second study, responses were collected for single character displays but were scored as if they had been responses to the multielement displays in Experiment 1. The results showed the same high proportion of illusory conjunction errors as the previous results and it was concluded that both results were due to guessing. Spatial confusions in the bar probe task with letters appear to involve whole characters, not character features.This research was supported by grant A-9581 from the National Science and Engineering Council of Canada to the senior author. This research was reported as a paper to the annual meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Toronto, 1981. Ian Morrison is now a post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Psychology, Carnegie-Mellon University.