Categorical Perception Research Articles

Relationships between native and non-native speech perception.

Individuals differ in their ability to perceive and learn unfamiliar speech sounds, but we lack a comprehensive theoretical account that predicts individual differences in this skill. Predominant theories largely attribute difficulties of non-native speech perception to the relationships between non-native speech sounds/contrasts and native-language categories. The goal of the current study was to test whether the predictions made by these theories can be extended to predict individual differences in naive perception of non-native speech sounds or learning of these sounds. Specifically, we hypothesized that the internal structure of native-language speech categories is the cause of difficulty in perception of unfamiliar sounds such that learners who show more graded (i.e., less categorical) perception of sounds in their native language would have an advantage for perceiving non-native speech sounds because they would be less likely to assimilate unfamiliar speech tokens to their native-language categories. We tested this prediction in two experiments in which listeners categorized speech continua in their native language and performed tasks of discrimination or identification of difficult non-native speech sound contrasts. Overall, results did not support the hypothesis that individual differences in categorical perception of native-language speech sounds is responsible for variability in sensitivity to non-native speech sounds. However, participants who responded more consistently on a speech categorization task showed more accurate perception of non-native speech sounds. This suggests that individual differences in non-native speech perception are more related to the stability of phonetic processing abilities than to individual differences in phonetic category structure. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Association of Cochlear Implant Management Skills of Parents and Outcomes in Their Cochlear Implanted Wards: An Indian Perspective.

Parental involvement in the rehabilitation process is one of the critical factors for the success of cochlear implants in their wards. Skills to use a cochlear implant (CI) device appropriately and manipulate the different settings are essential to gain maximum benefits. There was a need to have a tool in Hindi to assess the skills of parents to manage the CI device. The study was conducted with the following aims: To translate and adapt Self-administered Cochlear Implant Management Skills (CIMSSelf) into the Hindi language. To find an association between the CI management skills of parents and outcomes in their implanted wards. To compare pre-post retraining scores on CIMS-self in Hindi (HN) and to find out factors affecting the scores. CIMS-self (English) was translated into Hindi using the forward and backward translation method. CIMS-self (HN) was administered to 22 parents of cochlear implanted children to evaluate their CI device management skills in the pretraining phase. The questionnaire was re-administered between 2 and 4weeks to check the reliability. The outcome of CI in the children was assessed using the test tools viz. Categories of Auditory Perception, Integrated Scales of Development, Speech Intelligibility Rating, and Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale (MAIS). Subjects with less than 100% score received retraining on CI device management skills. CIMS-self (HN) was readministered two weeks after completing training, and results were compared between pre-post training sessions. There was no significant correlation between CIMS-self (HN) scores and demographic of the parents and their implanted wards, CI device factors, and clinical outcomes. A significant correlation was found between the CIMS-self (HN) and MAIS scores (p < .05). The Cronbach's alpha for test-retest reliability of the CIMS-self (HN) survey was 0.998. Participants showed a significant improvement in CIMS-self (HN) scores following the intervention, demonstrating that the CIMS-self (HN) is sensitive enough to detect changes in CI device management following retraining. A client who self-reports difficulty may benefit from consultation if it helps to improve their confidence in CI device management. The CIMS-self (HN) survey can be used to evaluate and re-evaluate CI device management skills at regular intervals and may save clinical time.

Degree of Breathiness in a Synthesized Voice Signal as it Differentiates Masculine versus Feminine Voices

Most studies determining speakers' perceived gender as binarily female or male are reliant on F0 perception, although other vocal parameters may also contribute to the perception of gender. The current study focused on the impact of breathiness on the perception of speakers' gender as a biological variable (feminine or masculine). n=31 normal hearing, native English speakers, 18 female, 13 male, mean age 23 (SD=3.54), were auditorily and visually trained in and then took part in a categorical perception task. A continuum of nine samples of the word "hello", was created in an airway modulation model of speech and voice production. Resting vocal fold length, resting vocal fold thickness, F0, and vocal tract length were fixed. Glottal width at the vocal process, posterior glottal gap, and bronchial pressure were continually modified for all stimuli. Each stimulus was randomly presented 30 times within each of the fiveblocks (150 presentations in total). Participants rated stimuli as binarily female or male. Showed a sigmoidal shift in breathiness along the continuum between perceived feminine or masculine voicing. This shift was evident at stimuli four and five, indicating a nonlinear, discrete perception of breathiness among participants. Response times were also significantly slower in these two stimuli, suggesting a categorical perception of breathiness among participants. Breathiness created by the change in glottal width of at least 0.21cm may influence the perception of a speaker's perceived gender.

The Implications of Cognitive Linguistics for English Vocabulary Teaching in Primary and Middle Schools from the Perspective of Basic Category Theory

Vocabulary teaching is an essential element of English teaching in middle schools and occupies a large proportion of the current English textbooks for primary and middle schools in China, but there are many problems with its vocabulary teaching. Basic category theory suggests that the process by which people develop an understanding of vocabulary formation and meaning is based on the perception of basic categories and their related relationships. This theory provides teachers with a new way of thinking about vocabulary teaching. Teaching vocabulary within the framework of basic category theory can help students grasp the scientific principles, philosophical views and cultural connotations embedded in English vocabulary, thus effectively improving their language ability and humanistic literacy.

The perceptual categorization of multidimensional stimuli is hierarchically organized

As we interact with our surroundings, we encounter the same or similar objects from different perspectives and are compelled to generalize. For example, despite their variety we recognize dog barks as a distinct sound class. While we have some understanding of generalization along a single stimulus dimension (frequency, color), natural stimuli are identifiable by a combination of dimensions. Measuring their interaction is essential to understand perception. Using a 2-dimension discrimination task for mice and frequency or amplitude modulated sounds, we tested untrained generalization across pairs of auditory dimensions in an automatized behavioral paradigm. We uncovered a perceptual hierarchy over the tested dimensions that was dominated by the sound's spectral composition. Stimuli are thus not perceived as a whole, but as a combination of their features, each of which weights differently on the identification of the stimulus according to an established hierarchy, possibly paralleling their differential shaping of neuronal tuning.

Perception Related to Labour Participation, Power Relations, and Social Expectations in Nigeria

Women and girls especially face gendered disadvantages in health, political representation, and the labour participation. As a result, this study explored the perception of men and women on gender inequality in Nigeria as it relates to labour participation, power between men and women, and social expectations. This study was descriptive and cross-sectional in design and used an online-based structured survey to elicit data from 238 men and women. Perception related to labour participation, power relations, and social expectations were determined on 8-item, 6-item, and 10-item perception scales, respectively. The majority (78.2%) were females, and the average age was 25.0±7.2 years. More men had unfavourable perceptions across the assessed perception categories compared to females. More than half (57.6%) of the respondents had unfavourable perceptions related to labour participation of women and men. Furthermore, one-third (31.1%) of respondents had unfavourable perception on power relations that exist between men and women. The majority (86.6%) of the respondents had favourable perception of social expectations of men and women. Sex was significantly associated with all perception categories (P ≤ 0.05). The high proportion of unfavourable perceptions related to women’s labour participation and power relations could be addressed through comprehensive social norms interventions that will lead to positive perception change.

Comparing performance between a deep neural network and monkeys with bilateral removals of visual area TE in categorizing feature-ambiguous stimuli.

In the canonical view of visual processing the neural representation of complex objects emerges as visual information is integrated through a set of convergent, hierarchically organized processing stages, ending in the primate inferior temporal lobe. It seems reasonable to infer that visual perceptual categorization requires the integrity of anterior inferior temporal cortex (area TE). Many deep neural networks (DNNs) are structured to simulate the canonical view of hierarchical processing within the visual system. However, there are some discrepancies between DNNs and the primate brain. Here we evaluated the performance of a simulated hierarchical model of vision in discriminating the same categorization problems presented to monkeys with TE removals. The model was able to simulate the performance of monkeys with TE removals in the categorization task but performed poorly when challenged with visually degraded stimuli. We conclude that further development of the model is required to match the level of visual flexibility present in the monkey visual system.

What is in it for me? Norwegian radiographers and radiation therapists’ experiences from obtaining a master's degree

IntroductionRadiographers and radiation therapists are essential in providing patients with high-quality diagnostic imaging or therapeutic services. Therefore, radiographers and radiation therapists must get involved in evidence-based practice and research. Even though many radiographers and radiation therapists obtain their master's degrees, little is known about how this degree affects clinical practice or personal and professional growth. We aimed to fill this knowledge gap by investigating Norwegian radiographers’ and radiation therapists’ experiences when deciding to undertake and complete a master's degree and exploring the impact of the master's degree in clinical practice. MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim. The interview guide covered five broad areas: 1) the process of achieving a master's degree, 2) the work situation, 3) the value of competencies, 4) the use of competencies and 5) expectations. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. ResultsThe analysis included seven participants (four diagnostic radiographers and three radiation therapists) working at six different departments of varying sizes across Norway. Four main categories emerged from the analysis, of which the categories: Motivation and Management support, were categorized into the theme experiences pre-graduation, whereas the categories Personal gain and Application of skills were categorized into the theme experiences pre-graduation. The fifth category Perception of pioneering embraces both themes. ConclusionParticipants reported great motivation and personal gain, but challenges in management and application of skills post-graduation. The participants perceived themselves as pioneers, as there is a lack of experience with radiographers and radiation therapists undertaking master studies, hence no culture and systems for professional development are established. Implications for practiceThere is a need for professional development and research culture in the Norwegian Departments of Radiology and Radiation therapy. Radiographers and radiation therapists must take the initiative to establish such. Further research should investigate managers’ attitudes and perceptions toward radiographers’ master's competencies in the clinic.

The excessive generalization of fear affected by perceptual bias in experimental pain individuals: Evidence from an event-related potential study.

Excessiv generalization of fear contributes to the development and maintenance of pain. Prior research has demonstrated the importance of perception in fear generalization and found that individuals in painful conditions exhibited perceptual bias. However, the extent to which perceptual bias in pain affects the generalization of pain-related fear and its underlying neural activity remains unclear. Here, we tested whether perceptual bias in experimental pain individuals led to the overgeneralization of pain-related fear by recording behavioral and neural responses. To this end, we established an experimental pain model by spraying capsaicin on the surface of the seventh cervical vertebra of the participant. A total of 23 experimental pain participants and 23 matched nonpain controls learned fear conditioning and then completed the fear generalization paradigm combined with the perceptual categorization task. We found that the novel and safety cues were more likely to be identified as threat cues in the experimental group, resulting in higher US expectancy ratings compared to the control group. The event-related potential results showed that the experimental group exhibited earlier N1 latency and smaller P1 and late positive potential amplitudes than those in the control group. Our findings suggest that the experimental pain individuals exhibited an excessive generalization of fear affected by perceptual bias and reduced their attentional allocation to pain-related fear stimuli.

Legislation has Changed But Issues Remain: Provider Perceptions of Caring for People Who Use Cannabis During Pregnancy in Safety Net Health Settings, a Qualitative Pilot Study.

To identify perceptions of cannabis use and risk among maternal health providers who provide care for people who use cannabis during pregnancy in safety-net health settings. Using qualitative, constructivist ground theory methods, we conducted semistructured remote interviews with 10 providers (2 midwives, 6 OB/GYN physicians, and 2 OB/GYN residents) in Southern California, United States, between March 15, 2022, and April 6, 2022. We selected participants through selective sampling using a convenience sample and snowball approach. Providers were eligible for the study if they self-reported via survey to being a maternal health provider (e.g., physician, doula, midwife, and so on) providing care in a safety-net health setting and had cared for people who used cannabis during pregnancy in the last year. Analysis drew upon grounded theory methods to document the socio-structural contexts that contribute to provider perceptions about cannabis. This study was approved by the University of Southern California Institutional Review Board (UP-21-00282-AM009). We identified three categories of provider perceptions of cannabis use and risk during pregnancy: (1) Relying on self-education, (2) Taking a case-by-case approach, and (3) Avoiding cannabis discussions to maintain an alliance with patients. Findings indicate that provider reluctance to counsel patients about cannabis in favor of preserving a therapeutic relationship can overlook the lack of resources and access to health care alternatives available to low-income patients that can shape self-medicating. Nonpunitive policies and training on cannabis use are critical steps for supporting providers to counsel patients who use cannabis during pregnancy, alongside a harm reduction approach that acknowledges the broader socio-structural contexts and barriers facing patients who disclose use.

Categorical perception and language evolution: a comparative and neurological perspective.

Categorical perception and language evolution: a comparative and neurological perspective.

A computational model of prefrontal and striatal interactions in perceptual category learning

Work on multiple-system theories of cognition mostly focused on the systems themselves, while limited work has been devoted to understanding the interactions between systems. Generally, multiple-system theories include a model-based decision system supported by the prefrontal cortex and a model-free decision system supported by the striatum. Here we propose a neurobiological model to describe the interactions between model-based and model-free decision systems in category learning. The proposed model used spiking neurons to simulate activity of the hyperdirect pathway of the basal ganglia. The hyperdirect pathway acts as a gate for the response signal from the model-free system located in the striatum. We propose that the model-free system’s response is inhibited when the model-based system is in control of the response. The new model was used to simulate published data from young adults, people with Parkinson’s disease, and aged-matched older adults. The simulation results further suggest that system-switching ability may be related to individual differences in executive function. A new behavioral experiment tested this model prediction. The results show that an updating score predicts the ability to switch system in a categorization task. The article concludes with new model predictions and implications of the results for research on system interactions.

Cognitive physiological data analysis based on the XGBoost algorithm to realize positive perceptual sample classification

Designers refer to existing product cases and innovate products to develop new products. However, when designers screen product cases, there is no user participation, which leads to the lack of user-side knowledge and emotional drive that is very important for design. Therefore, it is necessary to play the role of user emotional knowledge in promoting the whole design process. This paper proposes the concept of the positive perceptual sample, which applies the knowledge emotion integration of designers and users to the screening sample case stage at the beginning of the design process. This study is based on the lack of user-side knowledge and emotional drive of reference cases and integrates user emotion into the reference case screening process. Then, in the emotion measurement process, users’ cognitive data in the screening process are obtained through the eye-brain fusion cognitive experiment. Finally, the XGBoost algorithm is used to process feature index data to realize the classification and recognition of cognitive data and applied to the positive perceptual classification of products. The results show that the classification accuracy of physiological cognitive data with user emotional representation by the XGBoost algorithm is 90.87%. The results of cognitive data classification are applied to the screening of positive perceptual samples, and the satisfaction rate is 98.35%. The results show that the method proposed in this paper provides a new source of ideas for obtaining positive perceptual samples and can be applied to new product development.

Accuracy and Consistency in Social Categorization Across Context, Motivation, and Time

Photos provide a literal snapshot of a person in a particular context at a specific moment in time. Previous studies have found that people can accurately categorize others from single photos of their faces along various social dimensions, yet this research typically assumes that one photo of an individual representatively samples other photos of the same individual. Across four studies, we investigated this assumption by testing the consistency of perceptions of social categories (viz. sexual orientation and political affiliation) based on multiple photos of the same individuals. We found that judgments of social categories exceeded chance and significantly correlated across different photo contexts, across variability in targets’ motivations, and across time. These data supplement earlier work showing similar consistency for other types of social judgments. Thus, single face photos can consistently convey some aspects of an individual's appearance.

Further tests of sequence-sensitive models in a modified garner task using separable dimensions.

In the study of perceptual categorization, a key distinction is made between separable and integral dimensions. Separable dimensions are easy to attend in isolation, while integral dimensions are not. Little et al. (2016) showed that when trial-by-trial responses are analyzed, a consistent pattern of sequential effects was found in a modified Garner paradigm using integral-dimension stimuli. The present experiments investigated whether these pronounced sequential effects are also found with separable-dimension stimuli. Four experiments using two different types of separable dimensions were conducted. The results indicated that similar patterns of sequential effects were present for separable-dimension stimuli, but, unlike for integral dimensions, the effect of a change in the irrelevant dimension in the filtering task was not found. Further, for separable dimensions, the overall pattern of sequential effects did not vary between the Garner tasks (i.e., control, correlated, and filtering). To explain these results, we fit a sequence-sensitive exemplar model and compared the fits of this model to a novel sequence-sensitive feature model, in which only the relevant feature influences the categorization decision. We found that the full exemplar model provided a more compelling account of both our separable dimension data and the integral dimension data of Little et al. (2016). These findings provide a more complete understanding of perceptual categorization and add to the growing body of literature on the prevalence and critical implications of strong sequential effects in cognitive tasks. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Young people assessment of measures to counteract the COVID-19 pandemic (on the example of Primorsky Region)

During the study, the reconstruction of the respondents' ideas about the three main preventive measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic was carried out: self-isolation, mask regimen and vaccination, using a questionnaire, interview, association experiment, as well as a private semantic differential. As we have found, students consider self-isolation to be the most effective measure to combat coronavirus (71% of respondents). The mask regimen was considered ineffective. The survey showed a very ambiguous attitude of young people to vaccination against coronavirus. As it was found out, in case of a conflict of motives, even if they are convinced of the effectiveness of this or that protective measure, many students are not ready to sacrifice their freedom of movement, communications and contact with the outside world, even for their own safety. Comfort is often considered more important than safety. The attitude towards restrictive measures was influenced by such values of the younger generation as the desire for comfort, love of freedom and the value of one's own life. This system of values corresponds to the influence of society. The interviews demonstrated that there are two groups in the youth environment that differ in their personal characteristics, life position and strategies for solving health problems. The first, &amp;amp;quot;active&amp;amp;quot; group is characterised mainly by a passive attitude towards health issues. The acceptance of the vaccine was carried out by this group under pressure from the state and the employer. The second group of young people is characterised by an active position, rationalism, and personal maturity. This also determines more rational strategies for solving health problems. The second group operates a wider and more scientific range of information sources. We believe that both social influence and personal characteristics of the respondents play an important role in the choice of behavioural strategies in this situation. The application of the association experiment method allowed to determine the characteristics of ideas about the state policy to counter the pandemic in the minds of students at the figurative, emotional and affective level. The categories of perception of the phenomenon were also defined, such as freedom, comfort, efficiency and safety.

PERSEPSI DAN KEMAMPUAN CALON GURU MATEMATIKA DALAM NUMERASI

Students' numeracy ability in Indonesia, which is relatively low, has taken the Indonesian government's effort to improve immediately. The government's efforts could also be supported by LPTK (Institute of Teachers Education) by diagnosing, equipping, developing, and evaluating competencies of pre-service teachers related to numeracy ability. The numeracy ability of pre-service teachers is indeed detected through perception and numeracy ability. The information would lead to the actual numeracy ability and support issues on developing pre-service numeracy ability. To answer the goals, this research was conducted using quantitative methods. The population of this research was pre-service mathematics teachers in the 2021/2022 academic year in four LPTK in Lampung province, which are at the University of Lampung, UIN Raden Intan Lampung, IAIN Metro, and STKIP PGRI Bandar Lampung. The sample of this study was 81 mathematics pre-service teachers selected using simple random sampling technique. The data was generated through the questionnaire instrument and numeracy test kit. The results reveal the fact that the pre-service teacher had high positive category of perceptions and moderate category of numeracy ability. In addition, there is no significant relationship between the perception of pre-service mathematics teachers on numeracy and their the understanding and ability of numeracy.

Categorical Perception of Colours and the Temporal Progressive (Order) in Native Punjabi Male and Female (Educated and Uneducated) Speakers of Gujranwala

Categorical Perception of Colours and the Temporal Progressive (Order) in Native Punjabi Male and Female (Educated and Uneducated) Speakers of Gujranwala

EKSPERIMENTASI MODEL CASE METHOD BERBANTUAN E-MODULE TERHADAP HASIL BELAJAR ANALISIS KOMPLEKS DITINJAU DARI PERSEPSI MAHASISWA TERHADAP MATA KULIAH

EKSPERIMENTASI MODEL CASE METHOD BERBANTUAN E-MODULE TERHADAP HASIL BELAJAR ANALISIS KOMPLEKS DITINJAU DARI PERSEPSI MAHASISWA TERHADAP MATA KULIAH

Persepsi Mahasiswa Institut Bisnis dan Informatika Kosgoro 1957 Terhadap Kualitas Pelayanan di Program Studi Administrasi Bisnis

This study aims to examine the perceptions of Kosgoro 1957 Institute of Business and Informatics students' perceptions of the service quality of the Business Administration Study Program. The sampling method used is a simple random sampling method organized by educational staff. The research informants consisted of 100 students who had received and are currently receiving academic administration services. The perception assessment method uses the scoring method and continues with the perception category based on the score that has been generated. Student perceptions of service expectations are not matched by the performance of educational staff, they argue that the quality of services provided is quite optimal. These findings indicate that perceived service quality is less than student expectations on several service quality dimensions. Namely, tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. Therefore, to improve the quality of service to students, what needs to be improved is; (1) standard operating procedures (SOP); (2) speed and timeliness of service; (3) discipline of educational staff.