HCI, Usability, Accessibility, Cognitive Psychology, Metadata, Semantic Web, Linguistics & Applied Linguistics, Cross-Cultural Communication, Cultural Identity

Deception cues in political speeches: verbal and non-verbal traits of prevarication

by Nicla Rossini

In Esposito A. et al. (2011) Analysis of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication and Enactment: The Processing Issue. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 6800, pp. 408-418. Springer-Verlag: Berlin and Heidelberg. Invited chapter.
Please find it on Springer:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/64l056688102q3q2/

N.B.: THIS IS A PRE-PUBLICATION DRAFT. IT MAY CONTAIN ERROS AND DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE PUBLISHED VERSION. FOR QUOTATION PLEASE ASK ME A COPY OF THE PUBLISHED VERSION OR FIND IT ON SPRINGER.

Deception is a determinant social phenomenon already observed
extensively in the literature of several different... more Deception is a determinant social phenomenon already observed
extensively in the literature of several different research fields. This study presents the analysis of both micro-expressions and voice features in sample TV clips, in order to outline a defined research agenda on the topic.

Generative Oscillation - A Cognitive Model for the Emergence of Language

by Thorold (Thor) May

Research Material for a discontinued PhD

DRAFT COPY ONLY

NOT READY FOR PRINT PUBLICATION

The GO model proposes a co-generative view of the emergence of language. Most conventional linguistics models conceive... more The GO model proposes a co-generative view of the emergence of language. Most conventional linguistics models conceive of language as a representational system of symbols which refer to events, either mental or external to the organism. This representational function is said to motivate the linguistic system and (depending upon the linguistic model) largely control its form. The GO (Generative Oscillation) model proposed here recognizes the representational role of language. However it notes that as the mental linguistic system itself becomes efficiently organized, it creates an internal logic and drive of its own. To some extent this internally motivated linguistic system is conceived to override the external motivation to represent another reality. Since the internal linguistic system is dynamic and generative, it may give rise to linguistic output which seems strange in an inter-human communicative context (or even within the reflective mind of the creator). Thus while the external communicative context can become a constraint on unmotivated non-representational "internal language", it might not eliminate it. The Generative Oscillation model proposes that actual language production is an oscillating compromise between the representational function of language and the mental "language bot" itself (i.e. an internal self-organizing system) which is generating language strings just because that is what language language bots do. As far as I know, the Generative Oscillation Model, or anything like it, had not been suggested before in linguistics at the time of writing. Some conventional linguists may find it a bit "off the wall".

Inexpensive Immersive Environments

by Jon Schull

Multichat: persistent, text-as-you-type messaging in a web browser for fluid multi-person interaction and collaboration.

by Jon Schull

Please Tell Me Some Idioms to Learn

by Thorold (Thor) May

What is an idiom? The answer is both complex and fuzzy. This short paper is a colloquial discussion that begins with a... more What is an idiom? The answer is both complex and fuzzy. This short paper is a colloquial discussion that begins with a student inquiry about learning idioms and progresses to the realization that idioms are an indeterminate category which raise deep questions about the nature of collocation and cognitive language processing.

Verbs of Result in the Complements of Raising Constructions

by Thorold (Thor) May

Australian Journal of Linguistics 7 (1987), 25-42

Note: The author has now moved on from Joan Bresnan's Lexical Functional approach. This is relevant to interpreting the paper as it is presented here, although the actual issues with which the content deals are, I hope, still usefully clarified by the argumentation.

Abstract : The analysis considers the manner in which a class of matrix verbs, the so-called raising verbs, have been... more Abstract : The analysis considers the manner in which a class of matrix verbs, the so-called raising verbs, have been fitted into some generative linguistic models. Taking as a cue the difficulty posed for these models by sentences of the kind, *Linda believes Gary to murder David, the analysis proceeds beyond existing criteria for "raising" to the notion of Relative Tense.

It is found that Relative Tense has a direct bearing on the infinitival complements permitted by raising-to-object verbs and some raising-to-subject verbs. The relevant constraints are formulated for incorporation into Bresnan's Lexical Functional Grammar as the Independent XCOMP Singularity Condition. The IXCSC may be recorded for convenience in the functional structure of LFG as a complex feature. When IXCSC carries a positive marking the functional structure of a sentence, that sentence may only be interpreted if ASPECT (AUX) is also marked as positive.

Postsuppositon and Pastiche Talk

by Thorold (Thor) May

University of Melbourne Working Papers in Linguistics 14 (1994): 31-46

Abstract : Natural languages are examined as members of the class of complex dynamic systems in nature. The... more Abstract : Natural languages are examined as members of the class of complex dynamic systems in nature. The mathematical models of Complexity Theory have shown that complex dynamic systems as diverse as cyclones, the stock market and the human genome have the properties of a) being self-organising, b) existing in a precarious state of cyclical activity which alters slightly on each cycle, and c) containing an inherent indeterminacy. This last property, indeterminacy, is taken as a cue to develop an argument that language cannot be entirely representational, or altogether functional. It is proposed that in the generation of language there is a constant oscillation where thought sometimes gives rise to language, and alternatively, where unmotivated fragments of language force the development of post-rationalised ideas. Evidence is sought from the behaviour of formulaic phrases and apparent presuppositions

Dragonfly: An Ecological Approach to Digital Architectural Design

by Michael J. Braund

Published in ACADIA 2011: Integration Through Computation, ed. by J.M. Taron, V. Parlac, B. Kolarevic and J.S. Johnson, pp.178-186. Stroughton, WI: The Printing House, 2011.

(Co-authored with Daniel Hambleton)

In his keynote address delivered to The American Society for Esthetics in 1976, James J. Gibson wrote, “Architecture... more In his keynote address delivered to The American Society for Esthetics in 1976, James J. Gibson wrote, “Architecture and design do not have a satisfactory theoretical basis.” He then asked, “Can an ecological approach to the psychology of perception and behavior provide it?” (1976, p. 413) We believe that it can, at least in part. In this paper, we expand upon Gibson’s insights into the nature of perceptual experience by applying the concept of “affordances” to the design of architectural objects in general, and to the domain of digital architectural design in particular. On our account, the affordance-concept supplies a useful theoretical basis for conceptualizing the relationship between environments and occupants with respect to the form and behavioral meaning of geometrically constructed layouts.

Donald Norman (1988) first introduced affordances to interaction design theorists, as a conceptual tool for predicting how agents will interact with a given product. The extensive body of literature that has since emerged, from human-computer-interaction studies (Ackerman, 1996; Conn, 1995; Moran, 1997; Norman, 1999) to architectural theory and practice (Koutamanis, 2006; Maier and Fadel, 2009), has followed Norman’s lead in defining affordances, somewhat amorphously, as whichever action-related properties of objects are sufficient to elicit the intended forms of behavioral interaction between the agent and object. However, while this is correct, it is only half the story. It leaves unexplained how human perceivers detect and “pair down” on the potentially vast range of possible affordances (at a given time), to select the ones that will be relevant to the coordination and guidance of the targeted actions. Call this the “selectivity problem,” a proper treatment of which is missing from the literature. This is no small matter. If the theory of affordances is to be useful to architects and designers, if it is to have explanatory and predictive power over how perceivers will interact with their surroundings, then some account of the cognitive procedure by which affordances are selected for the deployment of specific behaviors is necessary. Otherwise, it is unclear what the theory hopes to predict or explain.

To this end, we maintain that the couching of affordances in a framework of human intentionality is not only consistent with Gibson’s theoretical views (i.e., the action-oriented definition of the concept of affordances not only suggests an intentional perspective), indeed, such a perspective is necessary if we are to succeed in implementing the affordance-concept into an architectural design context in a way that addresses the selectivity problem. This is one of the goals of “Dragonfly,” a first attempt at implementing the affordance-based control of perceptually guided-action into a digital design simulation. Dragonfly enables human interaction with geometry by encoding the basic principles of ecological psychology (including a rudimentary form of intentionality) into an interactive CAD environment. New vistas for future research and interdisciplinary approaches to design are then discussed, with a special emphasis on their applicability to architecture.

Semantic Web in Comparison to Web2.0

by Parth Agarwal

TAGS: Semantic Web, Ontology, RDF, Twine, Metadata, Semantic Publishing

The Semantic Web is not a separate Web but an extension of the current one, in which information is given well-defined... more The Semantic Web is not a separate Web but an extension of the current one, in which information is given well-defined meaning, better enabling computers and people to work in cooperation. It is also referred to as Web 3.0 and is an upcoming technology. The Semantic Web is a web of data. The Semantic Web is about two things: it is about common formats for integration and combination of data drawn from diverse sources and about how the data relates to real world objects. Semantic Web can be considered a part of artificial intelligence as it puts into use Model theory, Web effect. Oracle, IBM, Adobe, Software AG, Mozilla and Yahoo! are some of the large corporations that have picked up this technology. This paper presents a comparison of Semantic Web and Web2.0 as well also discusses on the features and capabilities of Semantic Web.

Patterns in Authoring of Adaptive Educational Hypermedia: A Taxonomy of Learning Styles

by Elizabeth FitzGerald (née Brown)

Full citation:
Brown, E.,Cristea, A., Stewart, C. and T. Brailsford (2005) Patterns in Authoring of Adaptive Educational Hypermedia: A Taxonomy of Learning Styles. Journal of Educational Technology & Society 8 (3), 77-90.

This paper describes the use of adaptation patterns in the task of formulating standards for adaptive educational... more This paper describes the use of adaptation patterns in the task of formulating standards for adaptive educational hypermedia (AEH) systems that is currently under investigation by the EU ADAPT project. Within this project, design dimensions for high granularity patterns have been established. In this paper we focus on detailing lower granularity adaptive patterns based upon learning styles. Several patterns from existing AEH system case studies are identified and classified according to an extended learning style "onion" model. This model forms the basis of a learning style taxonomy, introduced here, whose components determine adaptation patterns for AEH. These patterns are of importance both for authoring, as well as for interfacing between adaptive hypermedia systems. From an authoring point of view, these patterns may be used to establish a fine-grain approach to instructional strategies that can be implemented in AEH systems, as a response to a particular learning style. The implementation of this adaptation pattern taxonomy is discussed, both generally and in detail.

Using HCI Techniques to Evaluate Electronic Commerce

by Carina de Villiers

An investigation into web accessibility standards as a practical study with older and disabled citizens

by Amr Ahmed

L'informazione taskabile. Corriere.it, Repubblica.it, Affaritaliani e ilNuovo testati con i metodi della web usabili.

by Francesco Mazzucchelli

Co-authored with Marco Vanoli

Namibian and American social media perspectives on death

by Anicia Peters

CHI 2012 Workshop "Memento Mori: Technology Design for the End of Life." (forthcoming)

The findings of a cross-cultural study investigating American and Namibian Facebook usage and privacy perceptions are... more The findings of a cross-cultural study investigating American and Namibian Facebook usage and privacy perceptions are discussed. Differences in expressions and privacy concerns of death are elaborated upon as well as differences observed in younger Namibian Facebook users’ expressions of death.

Namibian and American Cultural Orientations Toward Facebook

by Anicia Peters

Co-authored with Mike Oren and Nicola Bidwell
CHI2012 Extended Abstracts (forthcoming)

Nadkarni and Hofman’s (2012) meta-review of literature on Facebook usage recommends examining differences in Facebook... more Nadkarni and Hofman’s (2012) meta-review of literature on Facebook usage recommends examining differences in Facebook use between collectivistic and individualistic cultures. We discuss early findings of an exploratory study to compare use between participants in America, Namibia, and expatriate Namibians. From this, we identified five key areas of difference: 1) Motivations for joining Facebook; 2) Attitude toward Facebook connections; 3) Self presentation and photo sharing; 4) Communication about death, religion, and politics; 5) General privacy definitions. However, our findings showed no statistical difference in the Collectivism Scale administered among the three groups, despite Namibia being considered a highly collectivistic county and the US being a highly individualistic country.

Panorama de estudos e projetos de ergonomia com foco em acessibilidade e TIC; Studies and projects on ergonomy focusing acessibility and information tecnology

by Ana Isabel B. B. Paraguay

Crossing Barriers of Communication and Culture in Traumatized Societies

by Patrick James Christian

Paper presented to the 13th Intercultural Management Institute, American University, Washington DC 15-16 March 2012

Every day, thousands of men and women are deployed to conflict zones around the world from governmental,... more Every day, thousands of men and women are deployed to conflict zones around the world from governmental, intergovernmental, and private organizations in SW Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. They constitute a corps of dedicated interventionists who engage seemingly intractable issues of violence and development that plague cultures struggling with adaptation to change and growth. Very often these practitioners of conflict engagement are forced to operate insufficiently trained to cross barriers of language, culture, time and psychology. The use of under-trained personnel in conflict engagement risks both the public and private donor dollars spent as well as the success of the mission and the lives of those who serve. This paper addresses some of the gaps in cross cultural training for conflict zones such as power and solidarity; communicating in shame based societies; communicating through rage and trauma; strategic communication as part of identity management; and adapting western egocentric communication to sociocentric societies. The objective of this paper is to establish the necessity for specialized training to enable personnel from government and non-government organizations to successfully engage traumatized societies during conflict and post-conflict stability operations. Optimally, this training should develop critical methods, skills and strategies required to successfully cross boundaries of communication and culture in traumatized societies while conserving donor dollars and preserving life.

Should environmental issues be securitised?

by Owais Rajput

Environmental issues
The variables that have defined national security for the most part of the World’s history... more Environmental issues
The variables that have defined national security for the most part of the World’s history have largely been military in nature. Security was primarily made up of the physical defence of the country, its people and whatever they possessed. Profound factors outside the traditional area of military operations have been realised that could affect the securities of many countries.
It is within this background that environmental issues have raised to importance, and the term ‘Environmental Security’ has entered the language of environmentalists, policy makers and security planners. With the ending of the cold war, the usual concepts of the nature of national security and the methods to achieve it have changed. The global powers at the time were engaged in military containment of each other, as in the case of America and the Soviet Union containment of each other.

THE CENTRE FOR MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER

by Owais Rajput

Hard to Reach Communities: Living in the UK, and Issues Facing British Muslims of Kashmiri Heritage Born & Bred in the UK

by Owais Rajput

In my presentation I will focus on British Muslim Communities living in UK; my main focus will be on the British local... more In my presentation I will focus on British Muslim Communities living in UK; my main focus will be on the British local community with Kashmiri heritage, as most of the time they are labelled in the media as “Home Grown Radicalised” Muslims, even if they are the fourth & fifth generation born & bred in UK.

I will also focus on Processes to Radicalisation in UK, in local communities, again particularly in the Kashmiri community.

I will also focus on design and delivery processes so far used by authorities in de-radicalisation processes and the results so far, and why we need to change those design and delivery processes, especially when we focus on the British Diaspora with Kashmiri heritage, the fourth & fifth generation born & bred in the UK.