Training with Images: Real and Representational

Abstract

A total of 60 subjects (24 males and 36 females) participated in a study to determine if a caricature's accentuation of critical cues results in improved recognition of handshapes used in the American Sign Language manual alphabet. Each subject was randomly assigned to one of two training groups. One group trained with photographs of the handshapes and the other group used caricatures. Once mastery of the alphabet was demonstrated, their ability to recognize the handshapes shown in four different modes (positive and negative photographs, and positive and negative caricatures) was tested. In the unrestricted condition, the duration of exposure was not artificially constrained. In the restricted testing condition, the handshapes were displayed at 320 msec, 500msec and 700 msec. Both speed and accuracy were equally emphasized in the training and in the testing. The findings did not support the superfidelity hypothesis of caricatures. In the unrestricted condition, those trained with photographs responded significantly faster, regardless of mode, than those trained with caricatures. As predicted in the most restrictive display time (320msec), mean response time was significantly faster with caricatures. This study has direct implications regarding the media used to train American Sign Language. The findings support the use of photographs to depict and to train novices in the ASL handshapes. Further research is needed to determine if these findings hold true as the complexity of the handshape increases.