Research Methods (Psychology)

Reversal Without Remapping: What We Can (and Cannot) Conclude About Learned Associations From Training-Induced Behavior Changes

by Marc Coutanche

Coutanche, M. N., & Thompson-Schill, S. L. (2012) - Perspectives on Psychological Science

The “cognitive revolution” in psychology is often framed as a departure from associationist principles rooted in... more The “cognitive revolution” in psychology is often framed as a departure from associationist principles rooted in animal learning research, yet it is clear that these principles have immediate relevance for contemporary questions in cognitive and social psychology. Intuitions about the consequences of learning procedures can easily be misleading, making these principles particularly important. To illustrate this point, we identified recent examples of studies applying a particular learning paradigm—response-reversal training—to the study of three different psychological problems (e.g., why objects in the right side of space are preferred to those in the left in right-handed people). The strategy of each study was to alter a typically encountered contingency once in the laboratory, in order to reverse a hypothesized learned response. Yet, contrary to intuitions, we demonstrate that behavior changes can be observed without the reversal of a prior association. Further, many different associative changes can underlie response reversals. We focus on these examples of response-reversal training, but our broader aim is to help connect the animal learning literature to problems in cognitive and social psychology in an effort to strengthen the inferences that might be drawn about learned associations in these contexts.

A Revised Method for Analysing Neglect Using the Landmark Task

by Alessio Toraldo

Toraldo A., McIntosh R.D., Dijkerman H.C., Milner A.D. (2004). Cortex 40, 415-431.

In order to better disentangle 'perceptual' and 'response' biases in neglect patients, Bisiach and his co-workers... more In order to better disentangle 'perceptual' and 'response' biases in neglect patients, Bisiach and his co-workers developed a new version of the 'landmark task'. In their version, subjects are required to choose which is the longer (first condition) or the shorter (second condition) of the two portions of a pre-bisected horizontal line. Two indices were proposed, for the purpose of measuring perceptual and response bias respectively. The perceptual bias index (PB) is the constant error across conditions, while the response bias index (RB) is the degree of response consistency between conditions. Although valuable in a clinical context, these indices are not mathematically independent of one another. Furthermore, they do not exploit all of the information available in a given set of landmark data, since the responses made at the different landmark locations are all averaged together. To overcome these problems, we propose two new indices that can be derived from the revised landmark task. Our perceptual bias index is the Point of Subjective Equality (PSE)--the mean landmark location that appears to be halfway along the line. The response bias index, M, is the mean probability of making a response that opposes the patient's subjective midpoint. PSE and M are mathematically independent of each other and use most of the landmark information. The method and its theoretical foundation are summarized, and illustrative data obtained from brain damaged patients and control subjects are presented. Finally, computational procedures are provided for both PSE and M.

Error analysis at the level of single moves in block design

by Alessio Toraldo

Toraldo A., Shallice T. (2004). Cognitive Neuropsychology 21(6), 645-659.

The method of error analysis has been fruitfully applied to the performance of brain-damaged patients in a number of... more The method of error analysis has been fruitfully applied to the performance of brain-damaged patients in a number of different domains. This approach has also been used for investigating the visuo-constructional abilities of neurological patients, but only in a limited fashion. In the present work we applied error analysis to the performance of three patients, each showing a different pattern of errors, and 12 controls on a modified version of the WAIS Block Design task. Data were collected about the single moves made by the subjects to arrive at a copy of the model, and errors were classified using 14 categories. The error patterns of the three patients were found to be reliably different and so putatively suggest different processing impairments. Patient BV showed errors possibly reflecting the lack, or absence, of a plan during the reproduction attempt. Patient GP mainly showed errors reflecting impairment in the processing of metric spatial relations, while patient VQ's errors were those predicted by impaired mental rotation ability. Overall, we showed that Block Design performance can be used productively in the investigation of spatial processing by means of the single-case approach.

Methods in Health Psychology

by Charlotte Taylor

Upton, D,. & Taylor, C. (2010). Methods in Health Psychology. Psychology Review, 16(2), 22-25.

Effects of age, reminders, and task difficulty on young children's rule-switching flexibility

by Gedeon Deák

Deák, G.O., Ray, S.D., & Pick, A.D. (2004). Effects of age, reminders, and task difficulty on young children’s rule-switching flexibility. Cognitive Development, 19, 385-400.

To test preschoolers’ ability to flexibly switch between abstract rules differing in difficulty, ninty-three 3-, 4-,... more To test preschoolers’ ability to flexibly switch between abstract rules differing in difficulty, ninty-three 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds were instructed to switch from an (easier) shape-sorting to a (harder) function-sorting rule, or vice versa. Children learned one rule, sorted four test sets, then learned the other rule, and sorted four more sets. In a control condition, seventy-two 3–5-year-old children learned one rule and were re-trained on that rule before the second test block. Half of each group received metacognitive reminders to “think about” the current rule before each test trial. The shape rule was easier: many 3-year-olds failed to follow the function rule, confirming findings of Deák et al. (2002). Switching rules did not reduce overall rule-following. However, reminders facilitated rule-following when rules were switched, but not when a rule was repeated (i.e., control condition). Reminders actually reduced rule-following by control children who got the easier (shape) rule. The results show (1) 4-year-olds readily switch between abstract rules, even if the second rule requires ignoring obvious, conflicting perceptual information (i.e., shape); (2) some rule-switching tasks do not impose performance costs on children, and (3) children’s rule-following consistency and flexibility depend on the nature of available social support.

The Effects of Task Comprehension on Preschoolers′ and Adults′ Categorization Choices

by Gedeon Deák

Deák, G. & Bauer, P.J. (1995). The effects of task comprehension on preschoolers' and adults' categorization choices. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 60, 393-427.

In experimental tasks in which subjects sort sets of objects with conflicting appearances and taxonomic relations,... more In experimental tasks in which subjects sort sets of objects with conflicting appearances and taxonomic relations, preschoolers often have been found to categorize according to appearance. The procedures used in past studies, however, may have biased preschoolers to attend to appearance instead of taxonomic relations. This possibility was examined in two experiments. In Experiment 1, children′s preference for taxonomic- or appearance-based sorting was affected by both the training and the instructions they received. Adults in Experiment 1 were affected by instructions, but not by training. In Experiment 2 preschoolers sorted above chance according to the criterion for which they received training and instruction (taxonomic relations or appearance). Consistency data, children′s justifications, and spontaneous labeling support the conclusions that training and instructions have a significant effect on children′s preference to sort according to taxonomic relations or appearance, and that both criteria can be used systematically by children as young as four. Implications for task comprehension, flexibility, methodology, and education are discussed.

Review of "How to Display Data" by Freeman, Walters, Campbell

by Ju-Lee Hong

published in academici, 2009

Expression on Record: An Empirical Analysis of the Pedagogical Influence on Performing Brahms' Cello Sonatas

by Ju-Lee Hong

in preparation, (2010 Joint Aubery Hickman Award)

This paper aims to identify the pedagogical influence on the handling of musical expression in cello performance... more This paper aims to identify the pedagogical influence on the handling of musical expression in cello performance trends on record. A quantitative analysis of musical expression (in this case expressive timing) is investigated in the twelve selected recordings of the second movements of the two Brahms cello sonatas. The hypothesis on pedagogical influence is investigated through the correlation rates of musical expression by artists in the same pedagogical groups as well as by artists with no pedagogical links through the absolute level of inter-beat-interval (IBI) data sets, and also through the relative level of variants, which is further calculated through the algorithmic modelling equation of musical expression. The empirical findings have identified some pedagogical influences between the Rose line (i.e. Rose, Harrell, Ma) on the handling of musical expression in performing the Brahms F major sonata on record, whereas some other interesting outcomes have been detected in the case of the Brahms E minor sonata on record.