Showing papers in "Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology in 1960"
TL;DR: The results showed that those subjects, who reached two or more incorrect conclusions, were unable, or unwilling to test their hypotheses, and the implications are discussed in relation to scientific thinking.
Abstract: This investigation examines the extent to which intelligent young adults seek (i) confirming evidence alone (enumerative induction) or (ii) confirming and discontinuing evidence (eliminative induct...
1,748 citations
TL;DR: In this article, two messages were presented dichotically and subjects were asked to shadow whatever they heard on one ear. Somewhere in the middle the two passages were switched to the opposite ears.
Abstract: Two messages were presented dichotically and subjects were asked to “shadow” whatever they heard on one ear. Somewhere in the middle the two passages were switched to the opposite ears. Subjects oc...
984 citations
TL;DR: Human performance at a typical pursuit tracking task has been analysed by information theory and it is suggested that with full preview the rate should reach a maximum of about 10 bits per sec.
Abstract: Human performance at a typical pursuit tracking task has been analysed by information theory. Without preview of the course, the channel-capacity was found to be about 4 bits per sec. With preview ...
143 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a series of tape-recorded sentences were presented to various groups of listeners, totalling 164, and it was found that errors were made which were large compared with the duration of a single speech sound; which suggests that the listener does not deal with each sound separately but rather with a group of sounds.
Abstract: A series of tape-recorded sentences were presented to various groups of listeners, totalling 164. During each sentence an extraneous sound was present on the recording, and the listener had to indicate the exact point in the sentence at which this sound occurred. It was found that errors were made which were large compared with the duration of a single speech sound; which suggests that the listener does not deal with each sound separately but rather with a group of sounds. Errors were reduced if the sentence consisted of a series of digits rather than an ordinary text, or if the listeners were trained in phonetics. Prior knowledge of the content of the sentence did not affect accuracy. The direction of error was usually to refer the extra sound to an early point, but it is affected by the relative position of the extra sound in the sentence. These results can be regarded as an extension, to the case where all stimuli are presented to the same sense, of classic results on prior entry.
117 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the Ear-of-Arrival (EoA) is defined as the list of digits, each presented to one ear separately so that the items in the two series coincide in time, are grouped together according to the ear of arrival.
Abstract: Broadbent (1956) reports that two lists of digits, each presented to one ear separately so that the items in the two series coincide in time, are grouped together according to the ear-of-arrival, a...
107 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, it was suggested that the increase in choice reaction times commonly thought to accompany an increase in the number of alternative choices provided reflects the unpractised state of the responder.
Abstract: Two kinds of choice reaction time experiments are reported, both of which make use of a highly overlearned sensori-motor response. When a response is required for each stimulus presented, no increase in reaction time occurs as a function of the number of alternative stimuli available. It is proposed that the increase in choice reaction times commonly thought to accompany an increase in the number of alternative choices provided reflects the unpractised state of the responder. When a response is required for only one out of n possible stimuli, a slight but consistent increase in reaction time takes place with an increase in the number of alternatives. An analogy is drawn between the second experiment and a vigilance task and an expectancy hypothesis is invoked to explain the results.
80 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the ability of albino and black rats to detect n-aliphatic alcohols in the vapour phase has been investigated and probit analysis used to evaluate the results.
Abstract: The ability of albino and black rats to detect n-aliphatic alcohols in the vapour phase has been investigated and probit analysis used to evaluate the results. At median threshold (= 50 per cent, success level) detectability tends to increase by logarithmic increments as the number of carbon atoms in the molecule is increased. However, a similar but reverse relationship occurs between carbon chain length and the gradient of the probit regression lines; and detectability at the 85 per cent. success level, as estimated by interpolation, shows a trend towards oscillation. It is suggested that this finding can resolve the apparent conflict in the literature concerning the pattern of odour intensity in homologous series, and that it may reflect the influence of low water solubility in limiting response to high concentrations of longer chain alcohols. When expressed as pressures, median threshold values for alcohols in the rat vary directly with saturated vapour pressures; when expressed as thermodynam...
63 citations
TL;DR: In this article, groups of digits were presented binaurally and dichotically to subjects who were asked to recall them and different rates and patterns of presentation were used, the design being based on that of Broa...
Abstract: Groups of digits were presented binaurally and dichotically to subjects who were asked to recall them. Different rates and patterns of presentation were used, the design being based on that of Broa...
57 citations
TL;DR: Recall improved significantly with longer delay of the interpolated material and was delayed so that some time was available for rehearsal after the message had been presented.
Abstract: ( a ) -4 very brief delay due to interpolating a single stimulus between the end of a message and the beginning of the recall of it, led to a small memory loss. ( b ) \"hen the interpolated material consisted of five pairs of digits, the memory loss was very much greater. (c) V7hen the interpolated material (three pairs of digits) was delayed so that some time was available for rehearsal after the message had been presented, recall improved significantly with longer delay of the interpolated material.
53 citations
TL;DR: Differences in the behaviour of rats on these three types of apparatus suggest first, that the formation of learned habits based on olfaction depends on the close contiguity of stimulus and reward, and second that the sense of smell possesses weak orientating properties by comparison with those exerted by other modalities.
Abstract: The capacity of the rat to respond to olfactory cues has been studied in three experimental situations: (i) an elevated Y-maze, (ii) a rectangular choice apparatus in which extraneous environmental cues were present, and (iii) a circular choice apparatus from which such cues were either excluded or randomized. No rat showed any sign of learning on the Y-maze even after extensive training and the application of electric shock as deterrent for error. Some rats succeeded in performing an olfactory discrimination in the rectangular choice apparatus but learning was retarded, and in some cases inhibited, by the counter-influence of non-olfactory factors. All rats readily learned an identical discrimination when shielded from such cues in the circular choice apparatus which provides a satisfactory medium both for training and for the study of olfactory acuity. Differences in the behaviour of rats on these three types of apparatus suggest first, that the formation of learned habits based on olfaction de...
48 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the relationship between the relative speeds of the two rectangles representing objects participating in dynamic interrelationships and the length of path of the more passive of the objects.
Abstract: In his studies of the perception of causality, Michotte describes a number of “impressions” concomitant with precisely defined experimental conditions, of which “Launching” and “Triggering” are two of the most important. Two major factors influencing the nature of the impressions are the relative speeds of the two rectangles representing objects participating in dynamic inter-relationships, and the length of path of the more passive of the two objects. This investigation was an attempt to discover the quantitative relationships obtaining between these two independent variables and the dependent variable of the subjects' responses to the experimental conditions.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors performed a test of visual watch-keeping twice, at the same hour of the same day of successive weeks, and the test lasted 40 min. On one of these occasions the test was done after normal sleep the previous night; signals were detected at a steady rate throughout.
Abstract: Sixteen subjects performed a test of visual watch-keeping twice, at the same hour of the same day of successive weeks. The test lasted 40 min. On one of these occasions the test was done after normal sleep the previous night; signals were detected at a steady rate throughout. On the other occasion the subjects had no sleep the previous night; they passed the time in innocuous leisure activities. Here a similar level of performance was maintained for the first 20 min. of the test. After this the rate of signal detection declined steadily. In the final quarter of the test the rate was roughly one third that of the first quarter. Signals missed were divided into three categories, (u) signals missed while watching the display, (b) signals missed while not watching, and, (c) signals missed while asleep. Lack of sleep produced increases in all three of these categories. These results support previous suggestions that a test has to be prolonged before performance is affected by moderate loss of sleep; t...
TL;DR: The split-brain approach was utilized in 6 cats to test the degree of functional autonomy in the visual system, and the results indicated that geniculo-striate damage was not the limiting factor.
Abstract: The split-brain approach was utilized in 6 cats to test the degree of functional autonomy in the visual system. The central visual cortex of one hemisphere was isolated by the removal of most of the extravisual neocortex of the same hemisphere. Visual inflow was restricted to the isolated side in four cases by sectioning the crossed optic fibres at the chiasma and masking one eye and in two cases by section of the contralateral optic tract. The isolation produced severe deficits in visual performance, although all cases retained some ability to learn and to recall simple pattern discriminations. The results of two- and three-stage removals of the non-visual cortex, and of terminal section of the callosum, as well as histology of the lateral geniculate nucleus indicated that geniculo-striate damage was not the limiting factor. Removal of fronto-parietal cortex produced as much or more decrement in visual discrimination than did removal of temporal cortex.
TL;DR: In this paper, it was shown that delays in the second response are not necessary or invariable, and that the pattern and timing of the second responses when they are performed without delay differ in important respects from those to be expected of grouped responses.
Abstract: When a subject is called upon to respond independently to two stimuli, the second of the two responses is often delayed if the stimuli follow closely on one another, and this has led to the suggestion that in making decisions the human operator accepts and organizes the available input information intermittently in the manner of a discontinuous servo. According to this view two nearly simultaneous stimuli can only be dealt with equally fast if they are grouped into a single decision to respond to both stimuli; otherwise one will have to wait for the attention of the central mechanism until the other has been dealt with. In the present experiment it is shown that delays in the second response are not necessary or invariable, and that the pattern and timing of the second responses when they are performed without delay differ in important respects from those to be expected of grouped responses. It is concluded that the central mechanisms concerned in the response do not possess the limitations that ...
TL;DR: In an enquiry modelled upon that of Humphrey (rgjr), ten subjects have been found who are left-handed writers but preferentially right-handed for a variety of other activities as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: It is widely held that the “ambidextrous” individual is almost always a natively left-handed person, trained t o use the right hand but still naturally skilful with the left (Wile, 1934; Brain, 1945; Burt, 1950). Whatever the truth of this view, it is a t all events clear that left-handed individuals who have been obliged to write with the right hand commonly show a greater variety of hand preferences than similar individuals who have been permitted to write with the left (Hildreth, 1949 ; Humphrey, 1951). At the same time, it is noteworthy that right-hand preference for certain tasks is not uncommon even among sinistrals who have been allowed-or even encouraged-to persist in their left-handed writing (Humphrey, 19 51). For instance, no fewer than ten of the 35 left-handed writers studied by Humphrey (1951) were stated to prefer the right hand for throwing, for unimanual games, or for both these activities. It is evident, therefore, that enforced shifting to the use of the right hand in writing cannot be the sole cause of “mixed” hand preference. In some cases, a t least, a somewhat different explanation of “ambidexterity” must be sought. In an enquiry modelled upon that of Humphrey (rgjr) , ten subjects have been found who are left-handed writers but preferentially right-handed for a variety of of other activities. These represent roughly r j per cent. of the total group of left-handed subjects so far studied. Of the ten subjects, five consider themselves to be left-handed, four ambidextrous, and one described herself as “split” in her hand preferences. The object of this note is to give a short account of the lateral preference patterns in this atypical group.
TL;DR: In this paper, the basis of the widely held opinion that the spectral sensitivities of the mechanisms determining trichromacy must be linearly related to the spectral mixture functions is examined, and a proof from simple assumptions is stated.
Abstract: The basis of the widely held opinion that the spectral sensitivities of the mechanisms determining trichromacy must be linearly related to the spectral mixture functions is examined, and a proof from simple assumptions is stated. It is proved also that, on the van der Velden hypothesis of independent sensitive units, a spatial or temporal summation law of the form AIn = c implies a frequency-of-seeing curve of the form Q = I—e−KIn (Q = probability of detecting a stimulus of size A and intensity I; n, c and K are constants).
TL;DR: Experiments are described in which each eye is presented with a target whose image remains on the same part of the retina when the eye moves, and there is a small negative correlation between the times of clear vision with the two eyes.
Abstract: Experiments are described in which each eye is presented with a target whose image remains on the same part of the retina when the eye moves. The patterns presented to each eye may be similar and m...
TL;DR: This paper investigated response behavior in imbeciles and normals, in a conflict situation between a general verbal instruction and direct stimuli, and found that combined verbal-motor responses did not give better results than either verbal or motor responses alone.
Abstract: Experiments which investigated response behaviour in imbeciles and normals, in a conflict situation between a general verbal instruction and direct stimuli, were carried out. It was found that combined verbal-motor responses did not give better results than either verbal or motor responses alone. Results in accordance with the general instruction were significantly better if the subnormal children responded in a different modality from the one in which the signals were given. While normals and imbeciles differed markedly in their ability to perform the tasks in like-modality trials, this difference was less apparent in cross modality responses.
TL;DR: Two methods of testing between excitatory and inhibitory tendencies in simultaneous two-choice discrimination learning by monkeys are proposed and results favouring an excitatories as opposed to an inhibitory mechanism as the unitary process in discrimination learning.
Abstract: Two methods of testing between excitatory and inhibitory tendencies in simultaneous two-choice discrimination learning by monkeys are proposed. The use of both methods yields results favouring an excitatory as opposed to an inhibitory mechanism as the unitary process in discrimination learning.
TL;DR: Three experiments on small shape discrimination are described, one of which investigates the discrimination of square from circle, a discrimination claimed by Lashley to be extremely difficult for the rat and which has since become a matter of theoretical interest.
Abstract: Three experiments on small shape discrimination are described. The first investigates the discrimination of square from circle, a discrimination claimed by Lashley to be extremely difficult for the rat and which has since become a matter of theoretical interest. The second and third test a prediction from the writer's theory of shape recognition; the prediction is refuted.
TL;DR: In this article, the relation between absolute sensitivity and the strength of the C.N.S was investigated, and it was shown that sensitivity to light in the periphery of the dark adapted eye was correlated with high reactivity, and hence with high sensitivity to peripheral stimulation.
Abstract: This paper is concerned with the relation between absolute sensitivity and the “strength” of the C.N.S., in the sense in which the term was used By Pavlov. The authors advance the hypothesis that “weakness” of the nervous system is correlated with high reactivity, and hence with high sensitivity to peripheral stimulation; conversely, “strength” of the nervous system is correlated with low reactivity; and hence with low sensitivity to peripheral stimulation. Two sets of experiments were carried out in order to test this hypothesis, one concerned with visual and the other with auditory sensitivity. In the visual experiments, absolute sensitivity to light in the periphery of the dark adapted eye was measured on 26 subjects by means of an adaptometer. Measurements were taken at two minute intervals over a period of about half an hour, the mean threshold value for each subject being calculated from the results obtained at a number of experimental sessions distributed over 3 to 5 days. In the auditory ...
TL;DR: The principle of using a shutter which reflects light down one channel at the same time as it cuts it off from another to produce a high speed projection tachistoscope at a fraction of the cost of a comparable electronic model and a simple direct view classroom tachistsoscope.
Abstract: The principle employed in the two tachistoscopes described below is that of using a shutter which reflects light down one channel at the same time as it cuts it off from another. The principle has been applied to produce a high speed projection tachistoscope at a fraction of the cost of a comparable electronic model and a simple direct view classroom tachistoscope. The principle can be further adapted to a variety of uses.
TL;DR: In this article, it was shown that the time needed for small filament lamps to reach full brightness is dependent upon the time for which they have been previously switched off, which is a possible source of error in biassed choice reaction sequences.
Abstract: The purpose of this note is to draw attention to the fact that the time needed for small filament lamps to reach full brightness is dependent upon the time for which they have been previously switched off. This dependence is a possible source of error in biassed choice reaction sequences, and a circuit is given which avoids the difficulty.
TL;DR: This paper is concerned with the measure of redundancy derived from Information Theory, as an “objective” specification of material used in perceptual experiments, and argues that redundancy as calculated in the above experiments does not stand for a constituent of the experimental situation which can be assessed a Pviovi and treated as an experimental variable comparable with a physical measure such as length.
Abstract: (1960). Redundancy as an experimental variable. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology: Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 149-161.
TL;DR: The authors investigated the combination of drive and incentive as determinants of performance in nine groups of rats trained to press a bar under three levels of food deprivation (12, 24 and 36 hours) and three incentive conditions (1,2 and 3 pellets).
Abstract: This experiment was designed to investigate the combination of drive and incentive as determinants of performance. Nine groups of rats were trained to press a bar under three levels of food deprivation (12, 24 and 36 hr.) and three incentive conditions (1,2 and 3 pellets). Response strength was estimated by counting the number of responses with a latency of 1 sec. or less during five 20 trial sessions. The results indicated that response strength increased with hours of deprivation and with amount of food reward. Significant interactions between sessions and drive, and sessions and incentive provided additional support for the multiplicative combination of H (habit) and D (drive) and H and K (incentive). The lack of significant interaction between D and K was interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that D and K combine additively rather than multiplicatively.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors define T solely in terms of physical quantities which are actually measured, it being understood that the definition applies to the match condition, which is sometimes confusing to students.
Abstract: where P is the ratio of the “phenomenal” size of the two objects compared, S that of their stimulus, or perspective, sizes, and R that of their real sizes. While this formula in itself is satisfactory, there are advantages in applying it in the manner outlined below. (I) The introduction of P is sometimes confusing to students (and others), especially as in any actual experiment it is arranged that there is an equality match between the two apparent sizes: P = I and log P = 0. It seems better to define T solely in terms of physical quantities which are actually measured, it being understood that the definition applies to the match condition. Thus we may put
TL;DR: It was found that concurrent stimulation produced significantly greater response transfer than in controls, whereas preconditioning with spaced stimuli did not, and prior habituation produced no significant effect on the amount of response transfer.
Abstract: The effect of temporal separation and prior habituation was tested by measuring response transfer in a shuttle box following different initial treatments. Thirty hooded rats were split into three main groups and six sub-groups. One main group was preconditioned with concurrent light and sound stimuli, another with temporally spaced stimuli, and a control group had no preconditioning. Half of each main group was permitted to explore the apparatus before preconditioning on the supposition that this might reduce emotionality and hence reduce startle or attention responses. It was found that concurrent stimulation produced significantly greater response transfer than in controls, whereas preconditioning with spaced stimuli did not. Prior habituation produced no significant effect on the amount of response transfer.
TL;DR: In this article, an experiment on apparent movement reported by Brown and Voth and referred to by Osgood and Bartley was repeated and the results obtained differed from those reported by them, but exhibited phenomena not described by them.
Abstract: An experiment on apparent movement reported by Brown and Voth and referred to by Osgood and Bartley was repeated. The results obtained differed from those reported by Brown and Voth, but exhibited phenomena not described by them. Further experiments derived from their theories were also carried out, the results failing to support Korte's laws and raising some new points.
TL;DR: In this article, thirty-two subjects were examined on a visual matching task and tested for their ability to maintain an orientation with respect to a particular direction in the horizontal plane, while bein...
Abstract: Thirty-two subjects were examined on a visual matching task. They were tested for their ability to maintain an orientation with respect to a particular direction in the horizontal plane, while bein...