bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Scope of Human Factors in Computer-Based Data Processing Systems
Authors: Parsons Henry M.
Published: July 2017

Work in human factors encompasses research and application in human engineering, procedure development, training techniques, personnel requirements, test and evaluation, task description, and task allocation. Opportunities and needs exist in computer-based data processing systems for all these endeavors, especially with regard to on-line users. Within human engineering, only manual entry has so far received much research attention. Work is also needed on displays, integrated entry-display, workspace and other equipment aspects, on-line languages, and program production. Of greatest concern to human engineering is the computer output, designed by programmers, rather than the hardware. Human factors people will have to master a new field and provide guidance to a new discipline which has not yet understood human factors requirements.
Computer-Generated Speech and Man-Computer Interaction
Authors: Smith Sidney L. , Goodwin Nancy C.
Published: July 2017

Large-scale use of talking computers may be anticipated for reasons of general convenience and special effectiveness. A telephone link to a computer, with touch-tone inputs and stored speech outputs, poses a number of design problems of interest for the human factors specialist. Recommended features include (1) user pacing and optional repetition of speech output in a transactional sequence, (2) use of different voices and other auditory coding to distinguish types of output, and (3) use of tone codes to indicate required input.
Analysis of Drivers' Control Movements
Authors: McLean John R. , Hoffmann Errol R.
Published: July 2017

Driver control movements were studied in two simple steering tasks: driving along a straight lane and on a circular path. In both cases drivers were found to make most of their control movements within a fairly small frequency range. Spectral analysis shows peaks in spectral density in the range 0.15 to 0.3 Hz. for the circular course and 0.1 to 0.2 Hz. for most cases on the straight course. In a number of trials, secondary peaks occurred in the region 0.35 to 0.6 Hz. An attempt is made to explain these results in terms of the information being used by the driver to steer the car. In the circular-course experiment each driver drove the vehicle with three different steering ratios. Change of steering ratio did not show any consistent effect on the form of the spectrum of steering-wheel angle.
Impact of Avionic Design Characteristics on Technical Training Requirements and Job Performance
Authors: Potempa Kenneth W. , Lintz Larry M. , Luckew Richard S.
Published: July 2017

This study was performed in two phases. The first phase concentrated on the influence of avionic design and technical training factors on student performance. The second phase dealt with the impact of design and personnel factors on the performance of technicians in operational Air Force units. Avionic components were scaled on a variety of design characteristics, and data were collected on the task time and error performance of students and technicians performing a functional checkout maintenance task on the components. Personnel data were also obtained on each subject. Multiple-regression equations were then developed to predict task performance from design characteristics and personnel measures. The multiple R's for students were 0.90 for time and 0.82 for errors. The multiple R's for technicians ranged from 0.60 to 0.88, depending on the type of maintenance and criterion measure used; all R's were significant at the p < .001 level.
A Human Resource Planning Model
Authors: Ceriello Vincent R. , Frantzreb Richard B.
Published: July 2017

The modern organization structure — whether in the public or private sector — is composed of a highly unpredictable resource: people. They enter the organization at different points and bring to it an almost infinite variety of skills. The staffing of an organizational entity, therefore, contains many uncertainties. To reduce the effect of these uncertainties, the authors have developed a sophisticated human resources forecasting system using computer-based modeling and simulation techniques. This model was designed and developed for use in a large branch banking system operating statewide. It is, however, applicable for use in other industries having different organizational structures. The Manpower Planning Quotas model (MPQ) is a tool which permits management to experiment with alternative staffing policies to achieve an optimum level of qualified personnel.
The Effect of Local Target Surround and Whole Background Constraint on Visual Search Times
Authors: Brown Brian , Monk Timothy H.
Published: July 2017

Two experiments are described in which the effect of nontargets in positions immediately adjacent to the target (target surround) on visual search times was examined under two background conditions. The target in the first experiment had a higher luminance than the background elements; in the second experiment the target was a “double-dot”, i.e., two background elements immediately adjacent. The backgrounds used were statistically generated using the parameter probability of transition (Pt) from the state “dot to no dot” to determine presence or absence of nontargets in the display matrix. When Pt= 0.5, a random background was generated and when Pt = 0.25, a constrained background was produced. Constrained backgrounds are those in which some grouping is imposed on the elements of the background.

For both background conditions, mean search times increased sigmoidally as a function of the number of nontargets in the target surround. Search times were longer for unconstrained than for constrained backgrounds. A search strategy is suggested which would produce these results; further experiments are suggested to test the validity and generality of these concepts in visual search experiments.
The Effect of Scapular Restriction on Manual Work Space
Authors: Rozier Carolyn K. , Faulkner Kenneth K.
Published: July 2017

The effect of scapular restriction on the manual work space of 20 subjects was studied. The three-dimensional method to determine work space is presented. The work spaces of the extremity when unrestricted and when restricted by a shoulder harness are compared. The restriction of scapular movement reduced the work space volume by 54%. Less difference was found in the volumes of the restricted and unrestricted work spaces at the extreme anterior and posterior areas of the work space. Volume differences were greatest in the intervals immediately in front of the body. The work space was decreased in the areas above shoulder level due to restriction of the scapula. The lower regions of the work space, over the knees, showed minimal differences due to restriction. There were also changes in the bimanual work space when one scapula was restricted.
Research Note: The Interactions Among Stress, Vigilance, and Task Complexity
Authors: Kennedy Robert S. , Coulter Xenia B.
Published: July 2017

A simple (one-channel) or a complex (three-channel) vigilance task was administered with or without threat of shock to a large group of flight students. It was found that a larger absolute decrement was obtained in the complex task, but the relative decrements were equivalent for both. One-channel monitoring was better overall than three-channel monitoring in the non-stressed condition. Stressed subjects performed better than nonstressed, and this enhancement was greater for three-channel monitoring.
Estimation and Control Theory: Application to Modeling Human Behavior
Authors: Rouse William B. , Gopher Daniel
Published: July 2017

The methodology of estimation and control theory is considered in terms of response, stability, estimation, and control of linear dynamic systems. Within the context of discrete-time systems, multi-input, multi-output, nth-order linear systems are discussed, and general results for optimal estimation, optimal control, and other topics are presented. The application of these results to modeling human behavior is considered with special emphasis on man-machine system models.
A Design Procedure for Control/Display Systems
Authors: Curry Renwick E. , Kleinman David L. , Hoffman William C.
Published: July 2017

This paper proposes a design procedure for control and display systems in which levels of automation vary over a significant range. The elements of the primary analysis tool (the Optimal Control Model of the Human Operator) are briefly reviewed, and the use of the model at three levels of specification (information level, display-element level, and display-format level) is discussed. Based on observation and pilot commentary, it is assumed that the pilot allocates his attention to control the aircraft to the desired level of performance, and then, with remaining capacity, to monitor displays. This facet of behavior is incorporated into the design procedure so that regardless of the level of control automation, all systems are compared at the same level of control performance. The design procedure is applied to the longitudinal control of a CH-47 helicopter. The procedure points out the need for performance-workload relations for control, which are fairly well understood, and performance-workload relations for monitoring, about which little is known.
Human Factors and the Handicapped
Authors: Nickerson Raymond S.
Published: July 2017

This article presents an overview of some of the problems of handicapped people and the challenge they represent to human factors specialists and engineering psychologists. It focuses, as does the entire issue, on several types of handicapping conditions (impaired vision and hearing, paralysis, missing and malfunctioning limbs, mental retardation) and their implications for several aspects of normal life (mobility and transportation, manipulation and control, communication, employment, and independent living).
Development of Communication Aids for the Deaf
Authors: Elliott Lois L.
Published: July 2017

This paper is written primarily for the reader who is not expert in areas of communicative disorders nor actively engaged in research on devices to assist persons with hearing impairments. The intent is to provide a brief introduction and to explain some of the challenges associated with development of sensory aids for the deaf. The discussion also comments on some of the basic human factors questions that deserve attention in the context of improving communication aids.
The Effects of Payoff on the Visual Processing of Dental Radiographs
Authors: Mobley William H. , Goldstein Irwin L.
Published: July 2017

The objective of the present study was to reassess the magnitude of observer error by dental students observing dental radiographs. Additionally, the effects of different payoff conditions on observer responses were examined. These data indicated high false positive rates as well as an inability to judge which radiographs were most difficult to assess. Further analyses indicated that false positive rates remained high even when payoff conditions penalized such responses. A payoff condition specifically designed to lower the false positive rate instead resulted in subjects lowering their hit rate and thus raising the miss rate. It is apparent that control of observer error must not only consider the technical quality of the radiograph but also the decision processes of the observer.
Effects of Visual Distraction on Reaction Time in a Simulated Traffic Environment
Authors: Holahan Charles J. , Culler Ralph E. , Wilcox Brian L.
Published: July 2017

This study investigated the effect of visual distraction on reaction time to a target stimulus in a simulated traffic environment. Subjects viewed slides of simulated roadside signs, some of which included a traffic stop sign. Reaction time was measured to their “stop” or “go” response. As predicted, the number and color of distractors, as well as the proximity of distractors to the target stop sign, all had significant effects on reaction time: In addition, all two-way interactions between the distractor dimensions were statistically significant. Practical suggestions for reducing visual distraction in the traffic environment are discussed.
Prediction of Ratings of Lifting Difficulty from Individual and Task Variables
Authors: Konz Stephan A. , Coetzee Jacobus
Published: July 2017

Subjects (6 male, 6 female) lifted and lowered boxes at eight variations of location and direction. For each of the eight, there were three weights (5, 10, and 15 kg for males, 5, 7.5, and 10 for females), three volumes (150, 225, and 300 mm cubes), and two techniques (bend and squat); 144 conditions in all. Subjects rated difficulty using a 7-point scale (1 = prepared to do continuously, 3 = 1110 min for 8 hr, 5 = 1/120 min for 8 hr, 7 = refuse to do).

For the same weight, females rated tasks more difficult than males. In addition, for each additional kg of weight, the female rating increased 0.44 versus 0.14 for males. The effect of volume was significant for females but not males. Lowering was 3% easier than lifting. Bending was 2% easier than squatting. Isometric back muscle strength is a good index of the maximum weight a person will lift (r = 0.84; rating standard error = 0.4).
Evaluation of an Experimental Treatment for Problem Drivers
Authors: Prothero Jon C.
Published: July 2017

This preliminary study compared the effectiveness of a new treatment for problem drivers with the National Safety Council's Defensive Driving Course (DDC) and a control group. Hearing officers from four large Florida cities randomly assigned 432 problem drivers, whose licenses had been suspended, to three groups. Safety officers from each of the four locations taught both the experimental course and the DDC. Pretests and posttests on driving knowlege and attitudes were administered to the three groups. Driving record data of the 358 subjects who completed treatment were used to help identify long-term effectiveness of the treatments. Although there was no significant improvements between the groups in driving knowledge or in attitudes after treatment, the experimental group had a greater reduction than the DDC group and a significantly greater reduction than the control group in traffic law violations and collisions during a one year follow-up period. A larger investigation of the effectiveness of the experimental course is recommended.
Comparison of Five Mental Workload Assessment Procedures in a Moving-Base Driving Simulator
Authors: Hicks Thomas G. , Wierwille Walter W.
Published: July 2017

Five methods of measuring mental workload (secondary task performance, visual occlusion, cardiac arrhythmia, subjective opinion rating scales, and primary task performance) were compared for sensitivity to changes in operator loading. Each was used to differentiate among low, medium, and high levels of workload defined in terms of the application point of crosswind gusts in a driving task.

The driving task was produced using an automobile driving simulator with a six-degree of freedom computer generated display, a four-degree of freedom physical motion system, and a four-channel sound system. Techniques of mental workload measurement that have shown promise in previous studies were used as a between-subjects factor, and subjects were presented with a within-subject factor of wind gust placement. Gusts at the front of the vehicle represented high workload levels, and gusts toward the center of the vehicle represented progressively lower levels of workload.

The results showed significant differences among workload levels for subjective opinion scales and primary performance measures of lateral deviation, yaw deviation, and steering reversals. A relative sensitivity estimate of these would be, from highest to lowest sensitivity, steering reversals and yaw deviation, rating scales, and lateral deviation. The techniques of occlusion, cardiac arrhythmia, and secondary task performance yielded no significant workload effect.
An Application of a Multi-Attribute Utilities Model to Training Analysis
Authors: Swezey Robert W.
Published: July 2017

Edwards, Guttentag, and Snapper's, (1975) multi-attribute utilities model is applied to a decision making problem in a military training analysis situation. Multi-attribute utilities is a Bayesian-oriented decision making paradigm. Results of the application are presented and the model is compared to a second simple judgment analysis model using the same input data. Aspects of the multi-attribute utilities approach are discussed.
Time of Day Effects in a Range of Clerical Tasks
Authors: Monk Timothy H. , Conrad Margot C.
Published: July 2017

A battery of eight clerical tasks, a typing test, and two questionnaires were given to 34 secretaries in 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. sessions. Afternoon performance was found to be superior in speed of information extraction, and in accuracy of proofreading and complex date sorting. Intertask differences appeared to outweigh interpersonal ones.
Visual Contrast Sensitivity Functions Obtained with Colored and Achromatic Gratings
Authors: Nelson Michael A. , Halberg Ronald L.
Published: July 2017

Threshold contrasts for red, green, and achromatic sinusoidal gratings were measured. Spatial frequencies ranged from 0.25 to 15 cycles/deg. No significant differences in contrast thresholds were found among the three grating types. From this finding it was concluded that, under conditions of normal viewing, no significant differences should be expected in the acquisition of spatial information from monochromatic or achromatic displays of equal resolution.
Oral and Craniofacial Anomalies of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome: Dental Management in the Context of a Rare Disease
Authors: Panny A. , Glurich I. , Haws R.M. , Acharya A.
Published: July 2017

Standardized guidelines for the oral health management of patients with rare diseases exhibiting morphologic anomalies are currently lacking. This review considers Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS), a monogenic autosomal recessive nonmotile ciliopathy, as an archetypal condition. Dental anomalies are present in a majority of individuals affected by BBS due to abnormal embryonic orofacial and tooth development. Genetically encoded intrinsic oral structural anomalies and heterogeneous BBS clinical phenotypes and consequent oral comorbidities confound oral health management. Since the comorbid spectrum of BBS phenotypes spans diabetes, renal disease, obesity, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive disorders, a broad spectrum of collateral oral disease may be encountered. The genetic impact of BBS on the anatomic development of oral components and oral pathology encountered in the context of various BBS phenotypes and their associated comorbidities are reviewed herein. Challenges encountered in managing patients with BBS are highlighted, emphasizing the spectrum of oral pathology associated with heterogeneous clinical phenotypic expression. Guidelines for provision of care across the spectrum of BBS clinical phenotypes are considered. Establishment of integrated medical-dental delivery models of oral care in the context of rare diseases is emphasized, including involvement of caregivers in the context of managing these patients with special needs.
Inhibition of the miR-17-92 Cluster Separates Stages of Palatogenesis
Authors: Ries R.J. , Yu W. , Holton N. , Cao H. , Amendt B.A.
Published: July 2017

The role that noncoding regions of the genome play in the etiology of cleft palate is not well studied. A novel method of microRNA (miR) inhibition that allows for specific miR knockdown in vivo has been developed by our laboratory. To further understand the role of miRs in palatogenesis, we used a new mouse model to inhibit specific miRs within the miR-17-92 cluster. Transgenic mice expressing inhibitory complexes for miR-17 and miR-18 manifested a clefting phenotype that was distinct from that observed in mice carrying inhibitory complexes for miR-17, miR-18, miR-19, and miR-92. An in silico candidate gene analysis and bioinformatics review led us to identify TGFBR2 as a likely target of miR-17 and miR-19 family members. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) experiments showed that TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 expression levels were elevated in the palates of these miR transgenic embryos at embryonic day 15.5. RT-PCR data also showed that the expression of mature miRs from the miR-17-92 cluster was significantly decreased in the transgenic embryos. Decreased expression of TGFB pathway signaling ligands was also observed. Experiments in cells showed that inhibition of miR-17 and miR-18 was sufficient to induce increases in expression of TGFB receptors, while a concomitant decrease in TGFB signaling ligands was not observed. RT-PCR of mature miR-17-92 in cells demonstrated the selectivity and specificity of inhibitory complexes. While this study builds on previous studies that have implicated miR-17-92 in the regulation of important molecular components of the TGFB signaling pathway, it is likely that interactions remain to be elucidated between miR-17-92 and as-of-yet unidentified molecules important for the control of palatogenesis. The differential regulation of palatogenesis by members of the miR-17-92 cluster indicates that several gene combinations regulate palate elevation and extension during development.
A Developmental Crisis Theory of Stuttering
Authors: Wyatt Gertrud Lasch
Published: July 2017

The relationship between mother and child has been considered as the interpersonal matrix within which the development of language in children occurs. Processes of successful language learning and of developmental deviations have been analyzed within this framework. Stuttering has been interpreted as the result of a crisis in language learning coincident with a crisis in the relationship between mother and child. The general hypothesis is that a disruption of reciprocal identification between mother and child, occurring at the time when the child is in the practising stage of early grammatical speech, results in the child's inability to master language learning, expressed in a regression to earlier forms of language behaviour. An experimental study was designed to test four operational hypotheses derived from the theory. This study has implications for research in symbolic learning occurring within an interpersonal matrix, and also for therapy with stuttering children and their mothers.
Communication of Verbal Modes of Expression
Authors: Pollack Irwin , Rubenstein Herbert , Horowitz Arnold
Published: July 2017

Talkers were instructed to read neutral sentences and ‘sound happy’, or ‘sound bored’, etc. Listeners attempted to identify the intended mode of expression drawing their responses from a limited number of alternatives. Results are presented showing how the identification of modes of expression is affected by: (1) number of response alternatives, (2) noise, (3) whispering, and (4) temporal sampling. Reasonably high levels of performance may be achieved under conditions of reduced acoustic information.
Recurrently Impulsed Resonators in Speech and Psychophysical Studies
Authors: Gandhi Om P. , Peterson Gordon E. , Yu Francis
Published: July 2017

The need for data on the perception of sounds produced by the excitation of resonance systems is discussed in relation to speech and psycho-acoustics. The voltage response of a series of N decoupled low-pass resonator sections to the sudden application of various types of input pulse trains is reviewed.

The output of such a series of resonators to a recurrent impulse which is suddenly applied contains a d.c. term, a series of transient terms at the uncoupled resonator frequencies, and a steady-state term involving the harmonics of the input pulse train. A circuit for psychophysical tests is described which provides a number of discrete positions of resonator frequency and damping. Sound spectrographic analyses demonstrating the transient and steady-state terms for a single resonator are presented.
On the Choice of Strategies in the Identification of Spoken Words Mixed with Noise
Authors: Sumby William H.
Published: July 2017

When subjects are given a word set of one or two alternatives before presentation of a word stimulus from that set, the probability of correctly specifying the word in noise is consistently higher than when the word set becomes known after the presentation. in a pre-cueing situation, when the task is to identify the stimulus as being either one word which is given or any other word in the language, but not given, the subject will make a correct identification more often than when the task is to identify the stimulus as being either one of two given alternatives. The reason for a difference in this direction is posited as being the acceptance of different listening strategies. The opposite is true with post-cueing, and the assertion is that similar strategies were used.
Incorrect Responses to Unknown Messages Restricted in Word Frequency
Authors: Pollack Irwin
Published: July 2017

Words, selected from a limited range of word frequency, were presented in noise to listeners. The distribution of word frequencies of the listeners' incorrect responses were determined. The median response frequency decreases with more favourable signal-to-noise ratios, as previously noted, but only when the word frequency of the presented words was lower than the overall median response word frequency.
An Experiment on Slips of the Tongue and Word Association Faults
Authors: Veness Thelma
Published: July 2017

A word association task with time pressure was used to induce slips of the tongue and misreadings. The incidence of these was not greater for affectively-toned words than for neutral words: individual differences were great. Measures similar to the usual word association faults were also taken: these were more frequent with emotional words, but were also related to word frequency and to a measure of the associative power of the words. The nature of the individual differences involved is discussed.
A “Doubling and Halving” Technique for Measuring Causation among Opinions
Authors: Dodd Stuart C. , Hong Sung Chick
Published: July 2017

This paper describes exploratory testing of an operationally defined model whereby causal analysis is possible among two opinions in one poll. The model is used in a controlled experiment on some hypotheses of intergroup attitudes.
The Classification of Parts of Speech for the Characterization of Aphasia
Authors: Jones Lyle V. , Goodman Morris F. , Wepman Joseph M.
Published: July 2017

Evidence from recent research suggests that aphasia patients may be distinguished, one from another, by assessing the extent to which their speech departs from normal in terms of frequencies of usage of words from various grammatical classes. A system is proposed for classifying words into distinct grammatical classes. The system is designed to provide ease of classification, for speech either from aphasic patients or normal speakers, and to entail consistent application of grammatical criteria. It lends itself to inclusion in a computer programme for processing English language texts. Some potential uses of the classification system are briefly noted.
A Perceptual Study of American English Diphthongs
Authors: Gay Thomas
Published: July 2017

This study utilized synthetic speech for describing the phonemic boundaries and the effects of formant course on the identification of / i, ai, au/. In the first experiment, synthesized formant transitions appropriate to classes of / i-ai/ and /au-o/ were presented to ten phonetically trained listeners for purposes of phoneme labelling. Results showed that preferred / i/ courses were from [ ] or [u] to [i, y, I], /ai/ courses from [a] to [I] and /au/ from [a] to [ ].

The purpose of the second experiment was to determine whether the phonetic identity of the targets or the absolute course of the second formant transition serves as the primary identifying cue. These features were separated along the time dimension by synthesizing diphthongs whose second formant frequency course remained fixed but whose durations varied. Results of the listening tests showed shifts in perception from simple vowel to diphthong occurring as a function of duration rather than frequency onset or offset positions. Further, in the case of / i-ai/, second formant rate of change serves as the primary distinguishing cue.

The results suggest / i, ai, au/ are characterized by an invariant second formant rate of change, whose onset and offset values vary across changes in duration.
Psychological Scaling of Linguistic Properties
Authors: Danks Joseph H. , Glucksberg Sam
Published: July 2017

Adults' abilities to judge selected properties of sentences were examined in three separate studies. In the first two, subjects rated the grammaticalness of sentences varying in grammaticalness according to linguistic theory. The judgments showed high within-subject consistency and between-subjects agreement. Furthermore, the resultant scales were linear, indicating that grammaticalness may be viewed as a unitary dimension. There was, however, some indication that differential interpretability affected the judgments. In the third study, subjects rated sentences on the basis of (a) grammaticalness, (b) meaningfulness, (c) familiarity, or (d) ordinariness. Using a principal components analysis of the ratings, grammaticalness and meaningfulness were represented by orthogonal factors while familiarity and ordinariness could not be distinguished from one another. Implications of these data for the relations between linguistic and psychological analyses of language and language behaviour are examined.
Formant Transitions and Stop Consonant Perception in Syllables
Authors: Menon K.M.N. , Rao P.V.S. , Thosar R.B.
Published: July 2017

This study examines the acoustic characteristics of the English stop consonants /b,d,g/ in selected vowel-consonant-vowel syllables in order to obtain information concerning the question as to what consistent transition patterns exist in the vowel formants associated with these consonants. The steady state and terminal frequencies of the first three formants of the initial and final vowels were obtained spectrographically. The data showed that each of the stop consonants can be described in terms of the position of the second and third formant terminal frequencies relative to the formant frequencies of the vowels. Perception experiments with synthesized consonant-vowel syllables using the frequency values showed good agreement between the acoustic characteristics of the stop consonants and their perception. Some implications of the results for the nature of the relationship between articulation, acoustic features and the perception of stop consonants are discussed.
A Linguistic Analysis of the Morphemic and Syntactic Structures of a Hard-of-Hearing Child
Authors: West Jacqueline J. , Weber Jack L.
Published: July 2017

Presented is a detailed study of the expressive language of one hearing impaired 4-year-old girl using concepts of both descriptive and generative linguistics as the means of analysis. Morpheme boundaries, word boundaries and syntactic functions were not assumed a priori but were derived out of the systematic verbal behaviour of the subject. The results showed a large number of single-morpheme words identical in structure to adult English. However, in various other words she exhibited a level of morphemic combinative control which did not reproduce Standard English forms. For instance, several adult words had not yet attained whole word status and instead were used as bound morphemes. Other words which in Standard English illustrate morphemic combinations, actually were not beyond the monomorphemic structure level. Her only productive affix, that is also a standard form was the diminutive "-y" as in " doggy". Syntactically six word-classes were derived using the syntactic slot technique. It was found that seven main rules combined these words in two- and three-word syntactic structures. By applying grammatical terms to the above syntactic combinations, five types of syntactic relations emerge. This paper offers new and valuable approaches to language therapy for hard-of hearing children.
Acoustical Measurements of Distinctive Vowel Quantity in Malayalam
Authors: Velayudhan S. , Howie John M.
Published: July 2017

The physical nature of distinctive length in Malayalam vowels has been investigated by means of sound spectrograms made of two informants' speech. Measurements of short and long vowels, in isolation and in connected speech, show that the duration of long vowels is always in the range of twice that of short vowels in comparable environments. The environment of the vowel is also shown to have a significant effect on its duration; both short and long vowels have shorter durations before long consonants than before short ones. Relative duration, specifically a ratio of 2 to 1, is proposed as the acoustic correlate of the long versus short distinction in Malayalam vowels.
Perceptual Characteristics of Female Voices
Authors: Batstone Susan , Tuomi Seppo K.
Published: July 2017

This study attempted to define perceptually salient characteristics in the voices of 30 young adult females, as perceived by female and male listeners. The listeners were asked to rate the voices on 20 individual seven point semantic differential scales representing unique vocal features. The ratings were subjected to factor analysis involving both orthogonal and oblique rotation of the data. Both groups of listeners identified two similar factors, one of which appeared to describe "passive", traditionally feminine characteristics such as soft, gentle, sweet and feminine while the other consisted of "active" characteristics such as lively, colourful, interesting, and sexy. The female listeners found the "active" characteristics more salient while the male listeners preferred the "passive" characteristics. Interestingly the stereotyped association of lowness and breathiness with sexiness was not found in this study. Implications of the results for future voice research are discussed.
A Content-Processing View of Hesitation Phenomena
Authors: Hieke Adolf E.
Published: July 2017

Hesitation phenomena are intricately connected with prospective and retrospective speech-production tasks and mark critical points in processing. They are also causally related to types of quality control which can be expressed as conversational postulates governing wellformedness criteria. Corresponding to the concepts of forestalled versus committed errors (error-free or error-full output), two major hesitation categories suffice: stalls and repair. Supported by a corpus of English and German, the new taxonomy captures previously uncategorized information: the grammatical locus of repair operations and the structural changes they cause.
Silent and Non-Silent Pauses in Three Speech Styles
Authors: Duez Danielle
Published: July 2017

The frequency, duration and distribution of pauses in French were investigated acoustically in three types of speech styles: political interviews and casual interviews, which belong to spontaneous speech, and political speeches, which are carefully prepared. The speech samples were subdivided into articulated sequences, silent pauses, and non-silent pauses. The total time of silent pauses was 50% greater in political speeches than in either type of interview. It appears to be one of the characteristics of political speeches. In all three styles, the distribution of silent pauses was generally correlated with the syntactic structure of the sentence. Most of the time, these pauses occurred at clause or phrase boundaries. In political speeches, however, their frequency was greater and their duration longer. Some of these pauses, particularly the long ones, must have a predominantly stylistic function. In interviews, non-silent pauses were frequent and long, particularly in casual interviews, whereas they were almost completely absent in political speeches. These results confirm previous studies that involve other languages as well, and investigate the syntactic distribution of pauses and the importance of hesitation in spontaneous speech; they open onto a new research area concerned with the stylistic function of pauses.
The Comprehension of Double-Object Constructions in Psycholinguistics and Neurolinguistics
Authors: Scholes Robert J. , Klepper Brian R.
Published: July 2017

A series of studies utilizing the Double Object Comprehension Test is reviewed. This test, designed to distinguish between classes of lexical and syntactic comprehension errors, was administered to normal children, good and poor readers, hearing-impaired populations, mentally retarded populations, aphasics and non-native speakers of English. The results strongly indicated that linguistically "immature" individuals often can correctly comprehend only "base" double-object constructions, while linguistically "mature" individuals can readily comprehend both the "base" and the "derived" double-object forms. These trends are shown to be much like comprehension differences displayed between active and passive sentence constructions. Furthermore, it is argued that such "base" forms serve as comprehensional prerequisites for the more linguistically complex "derived" forms. Implications are discussed in terms of a psycho- and neuro-linguistic framework.
Children's Color Vocabulary
Authors: Sleight Christine C. , Prinz Philip M.
Published: July 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of color terms by male and female elementary school children. Thirty-six children were asked to label colors. A significant difference was found between younger females and older females, tentatively indicating a developmental trend that may explain the differences in color term production between adult females and adult males. No significant differences were found between males and females, or between younger males and older males.
A Study of the Acquisition of Fricatives By Three-Year-Old Children Learning Mexican Spanish
Authors: Eblen Roy E.
Published: July 2017

Spontaneous picture naming and imitated-sentence responses of six three-year-old monolingual Spanish speaking Mexican children were examined for their sound patterns in the acquisition of the fricatives /x/, /f/ and /s/. The data tend to support the position that children learning the phonology of a particular language may produce forms exemplifying a) constraints by a geographical dialect, b) examples of general developmental processes across languages, and c) variability across children both in their stage of development and individual patterns for dealing with the adult forms of the language being learned.
Deep-Structure Syntactic Relations: to-be-Retrieved Information and Retrieval Cues in Prompted Sentence Recall
Authors: Elio Renée , Healy Alice F.
Published: July 2017

The saliency of deep-structure syntactic relations in the memory representation of sentences was investigated using two measures of saliency: accessibility as to-be-recalled information and ability to access other sentence information. A cued-recall task employed sentences in which the semantic, deep-structure syntactic, and surface-structure syntactic relations were varied orthogonally across target nouns. In one condition, the target noun served as the retrieval cue for the rest of the sentence, and in the second condition, all the words in the sentence excluding the target noun were used as a retrieval cue for the target noun. When the sentence served as the recall cue, the surface-structure object of the preposition was better recalled than the surface-structure subject. When the target noun served as the retrieval cue, the surface-structure subject was a better recall cue than the surface-structure object of the preposition. There was no significant difference between the deep-structure subject and deep-structure object of the preposition either in their retrievability given the sentence as a cue or in their ability to cue recall of the sentence. There was a small advantage of experiencer over goal under each of these cued-recall methods. The asymmetrical aspect of the saliency of the surface-structure grammatical relations was related to general methodological issues in the attempts to establish psychological differences between grammatical relations. The finding of no effect of syntactic deep structure was taken as evidence against the psychological saliency of this level of language.
The Hunting of the Quark: The Particle in English
Authors: Browman Catherine P.
Published: July 2017

The verb-particle construction in English has two forms when occurring with a nominal direct object. The particle can precede the object, e.g., look up the information, or follow it, e.g., look the information up. Experimental evidence based on 224 subjects is presented showing that the particle tends to be contiguous to the verb when the verb-particle combination is semantically or phonologically cohesive, i.e., when the combination is idiomatic or when the particle begins with a vowel. A model within the framework of variable rules is proposed to handle the data.
The Narrative Styles of Normal First and Third Grade Children
Authors: Klecan-Aker Joan S. , Swank Paul R.
Published: July 2017

The present study assessed the oral narrative abilities of normal first and third grade children. Narratives were assessed using Applebee's (1978) system for the development of story organization. The narratives were also examined for the specific components used within the stories themselves. Findings revealed different developmental levels of narrative structure and a differentiation in the specific components within the story episodes between the groups of subjects. These findings are discussed relative to the need for establishing a data base on normal children as a precursor to assessing the stories of children with language-learning problems.
Phonemic, Associative, and Grammatical Context Effects with Identified and Unidentified Primes
Authors: Lukatela Georgije , Carello Claudia , Turvey Michael T.
Published: July 2017

Six experiments are reported that assess priming effects on lexical decision (in Serbo-Croatian) when the context is identifiable (unmasked conditions) and when it is unidentifiable due to forward masking (masked conditions). Word acceptance is slowed by a phone-mically similar context that is not masked but hastened by a phonemically similar context that is masked. Word acceptance is hastened by an associatively related context that is not masked; this facilitation is somewhat diminished when the context is masked. Finally, word acceptance is hastened by a grammatically related context that is not masked but is unaffected when the grammatical context is masked. These results can be rationalized in terms of a model of the language processor that maintains the autonomy of prelexical and postlexical levels but permits interaction among prelexical components.
Eye Fixations Predict Reading Comprehension: The Relationships between Reading Skill, Reading Speed, and Visual Inspection
Authors: Underwood Geoffrey , Hubbard Alison , Wilkinson Howard
Published: July 2017

This experiment addressed the question of whether reading comprehension and speed could be predicted by eye fixations. From a sample of university students who completed tests of reading comprehension and vocabulary, we selected a group of highly skilled readers and a group of less skilled readers. These two groups then read sentences as their eye movements were monitored, with fixation locations and durations recorded. A discriminant function analysis showed that fixation duration was a successful predictor of reading comprehension, but that the number of fixations, regressive fixations, reading speed, and vocabulary were not reliable predictors. A multiple regression analysis revealed that reading speed was predicted by the number of fixations, the average fixation duration, and the duration of the final fixation upon the sentence, but there was no relationship with reading ability. Highly skilled readers are those who can extract information efficiently, but are not necessarily those who have fast overall reading rates.
Effects of Alterations in Auditory Feedback and Speech Rate on Stuttering Frequency
Authors: Kalinowski Joseph , Armson Joy , Stuart Andrew , Gracco Vincent L.
Published: July 2017

This study investigated the effects of altered auditory feedback on stuttering frequency during speech production at two different speech rates. Nine stutterers, who exhibited at least 5% dysfluency during a reading task, served as subjects. They read eight different passages (each 300 syllables in length) while receiving four conditions of auditory feedback: nonaltered, masking, delayed, and frequency altered. For each auditory feedback condition, subjects read at both a normal and a fast rate. Results indicated that stuttering frequency was significantly decreased during conditions of delayed and frequency altered auditory feedback at both speech rates ( p < 0.05). These findings refute the notion that a slowed speech rate is necessary for fluency enhancement under conditions of altered auditory feedback. Considering previous research and the results of this study, it is proposed that there may be two interdependent factors that are responsible for fluency enhancement: alteration of auditory feedback and modification of speech production.
Perception and Production of a Voicing Contrast by French-English Bilinguals
Authors: Hazan Valerie L. , Boulakia Georges
Published: July 2017

The use of spectral information at vowel onset, which constitutes a stronger cue to the voicing contrast in English than in French, was investigated in French-English bilinguals in order to determine whether the primary language in terms of early experience determines acoustic cue weighting. The /pεn/-/bεn/ minimal pair, meaningful in both languages, was used as a base for identification tests, which were presented with either an English or a French precursor word before each token. Two stimulus continua, formed of digitally-edited natural speech tokens, had an identical VOT range but varied in their [εn] stem. In their production of the contrast, bilinguals showed clear evidence of code-switching but did not always produce monolingual-like VOTs in their weaker language. In perception, the code-switching effect was significant but small. The bilingual group with English as primary early language showed a greater effect of vowel onset characteristics, in conflictingcue conditions, than the bilingual group with French as their primary early language, and, on average, cue-weighting was not affected by the language of the precursor. An effect of language dominance on cue-weighting was therefore found.
Productions of English Vowels by Native Speakers of Arabic: Acoustic Measurements and Accentedness Ratings
Authors: Munro Murray J.
Published: July 2017

Productions of ten English vowels in /bVt/ and /bVd/ contexts were elicited from a group of native American English speakers and a group of native Arabic speakers who had learned English in adulthood. When a variety of acoustic measurements, including vowel durations, F1 and F2 frequencies, and movement in F1 and F2 were examined, the two groups were found to differ on at least one of these parameters for nearly every vowel considered. A subset of the Arabic speakers' productions, and the productions of two native English speakers, were rated for accentedness by five native English judges. The rating data indicated that only a minority of the Arabic group's productions were regarded by the judges as “native-like”. When the acoustic measurement data were regressed on the mean ratings, it was found that the accentedness scores were correlated primarily with F1 frequency and movement in F2, although the significant predictors varied from vowel to vowel.