Forced-choice Test Research Articles

3-Isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine is neutrally perceived by consumers at usual concentrations in French Sauvignon and Fer wines from the Gaillac area

3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP) is a grape-derived aroma compound responsible for the bell pepper character of wine. It is still unclear whether this molecule is always negatively perceived by consumers. The objective of this study was to establish a consumer rejection threshold (CRT) for IBMP in French white and red wines from the Gaillac area made from Sauvignon and Fer respectively.The best estimate thresholds (BET) were determined by carrying out three-alternative forced choice (3-AFC) tests: 5.5 ng/L for Sauvignon and 16.8 ng/L for Fer. For the estimation of the CRT, consumers (n = 48) received pairs of samples consisting of a base wine and a base wine spiked with an ascending concentration of IBMP. They were asked to indicate which sample they preferred, and the CRT was calculated as the concentration for which the spiked sample was significantly rejected. CRTs were determined at 50 ng/L and 30 ng/L for Sauvignon and Fer respectively.Our findings indicate that IBMP is more acceptable in white wine than in red wine. As IBMP concentrations reported in the literature for Sauvignon and Fer are generally below CRT concentrations, IBMP appears to be neutrally perceived by consumers at usual concentrations in wines from Gaillac made from these two cultivars.Our findings tend to contradict the belief in the wine industry that consumers systematically reject ‘vegetative’ styles of wines, and do not encourage local winegrowers and winemakers to necessarily implement viticultural or enological practices to minimise IBMP concentrations in wine.

The dissociations of confidence from accuracy in forced-choice recognition judgments

Judgment of confidence in memory is likely to track memory accuracy if those factors shaping accuracy also shape confidence. In recognition memory, accuracy is determined by the relative level of evidence present for the target and that supporting the lures. As the discrepancy between targets and lures increases, so does the likelihood of correct responding. In contrast, this study shows that confidence can instead depend on the absolute evidence supporting the chosen target rather than the balance of evidence between targets and lures. In four experiments, using different types of forced-choice recognition tests, we demonstrate that generally manipulating the strength of evidence supporting targets affects confidence judgments but that varying the strength of evidence supporting lures creates robust confidence-accuracy dissociations, changing accuracy while not affecting confidence. Together, these data support an absolute account of confidence in forced-choice recognition and demonstrate that confidence-accuracy dissociations across recognition conditions are likely to be ubiquitous.

Females' ability to discriminate MSG from NaCl influences perceived intensity but not liking of MSG added vegetable broths.

This study investigated whether ability to taste monosodium glutamate (MSG) is associated with liking and intensity of sodium-reduced vegetable broths with added MSG. Six vegetable broths, with varying concentrations of added NaCl and MSG, were evaluated for overall intensity, and liking, by n = 115 female participants, mean age 24.1± 5.4. Broths evaluated included: control broth (0 gNaCl, 0 gMSG), high NaCl broth (0.8 g/100 mL),mediumNaCl(0.4 g/100 mL),lowNaCl(0.2 g/100 ml),mediumNaCl(0.4 g/100 ml)+29mMMSGand, low NaCl (0.2 g/100 mL)+29mMMSG.Participant's umami discrimination status was determined using forced-choice triangle tests (29mM MSG vs 29mM NaCl), and suprathreshold salt taste intensity (NaCl) was measured. A 7% Na reduction was possible by partially replacing NaCl with MSG without influencing intensity or liking in the low NaCl broth, in comparison to the highest liked NaCl only broth (medium NaCl). There was no significant difference in liking of broths between MSG discriminators (n = 37) and nondiscriminators (n = 78) (P > 0.2). MSG discriminators rated all broths as significantly more intense overall (except for control broth, P > 0.2) than nondiscriminators (P < 0.05). A significant relationship was found between MSG discrimination status, and salt taste intensity tertiles (χ2 (2, N = 115) = 8.45; P < 0.02) indicating that the Na ion dominates taste profile. The ability to discriminate MSG from NaCl does not influence liking of salt-reduced broths with added MSG. MSG discrimination status was associated with NaCl taste intensity, indicating that the sodium ion is dominant in influencing intensity (common to both MSG and NaCl). PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The addition of MSG to vegetable broths is an effective way to reduce total sodium in the broths without reducing liking of the broths, this is irrespective of an individual's ability to taste MSG or salt. Salt taste and umami taste (MSG) appear to be associated, indicating the sodium is important in influencing taste intensity for both salty and umami taste.

Identifying Feigned Cognitive Impairment: Investigating the Utility of Diffusion Model Analyses.

Forced-choice performance validity tests are routinely used for the detection of feigned cognitive impairment. The drift diffusion model deconstructs performance into distinct cognitive processes using accuracy and response time measures. It thereby offers a unique approach for gaining insight into examinees' speed-accuracy trade-offs and the cognitive processes that underlie their performance. The current study is the first to perform such analyses using a well-established forced-choice performance validity test. To achieve this aim, archival data of healthy participants, either simulating cognitive impairment in the Word Memory Test or performing it to the best of their ability, were analyzed using the EZ-diffusion model (N = 198). The groups differed in the three model parameters, with drift rate emerging as the best predictor of group membership. These findings provide initial evidence for the usefulness of the drift diffusion model in clarifying the cognitive processes underlying feigned cognitive impairment and encourage further research.

A Diversity Combination Model Incorporating an Inward Bias for Interaural Time-Level Difference Cue Integration in Sound Lateralization

A sound source with non-zero azimuth leads to interaural time level differences (ITD and ILD). Studies on hearing system imply that these cues are encoded in different parts of the brain, but combined to produce a single lateralization percept as evidenced by experiments indicating trading between them. According to the duplex theory of sound lateralization, ITD and ILD play a more significant role in low-frequency and high-frequency stimulations, respectively. In this study, ITD and ILD, which were extracted from a generic head-related transfer functions, were imposed on a complex sound consisting of two low- and seven high-frequency tones. Two-alternative forced-choice behavioral tests were employed to assess the accuracy in identifying a change in lateralization. Based on a diversity combination model and using the error rate data obtained from the tests, the weights of the ITD and ILD cues in their integration were determined by incorporating a bias observed for inward shifts. The weights of the two cues were found to change with the azimuth of the sound source. While the ILD appears to be the optimal cue for the azimuths near the midline, the ITD and ILD weights turn to be balanced for the azimuths far from the midline.

The Fast-Mapping Abilities of Adults With Developmental Language Disorder.

Purpose The aim of the study was to determine the integrity of fast mapping among adults with developmental language disorder (DLD). Method Forty-eight adults with DLD or typical language development (TD) were presented with 24 novel words and photos of their unfamiliar referents from the semantic categories of mammal, bird, fruit, or insect in two conditions. In the fast-mapping condition, 12 of the 24 unfamiliar referents were presented, one at a time alongside a familiar referent (e.g., a dog) and a question (e.g., Is the tail of the torato up?). In the explicit-encoding condition, the other 12 unfamiliar referents were presented alone, one at a time, with a label (e.g., This is a spimer). Immediately after exposure (T1) and again after a 1-day interval (T2), memory for the word-to-exemplar link was measured with a three-alternative forced-choice test, requiring the participant to match a spoken word to one of three pictured referents from the training set. At T2, memory for semantic category information was measured with a four-alternative forced-choice test, requiring the participant to match a spoken word to one of four prototypical silhouettes representing each of the semantic categories. Results Performance on word-to-exemplar link recognition was stronger for words learned in the explicit-encoding than the fast-mapping condition and stronger for the TD group than the DLD group. Time was not a significant factor as both groups maintained posttraining levels of performance after a 1-day retention interval. Performance on semantic category recognition was stronger for words learned in the explicit-encoding than the fast-mapping condition and stronger for the TD group than the DLD group. The lower category recognition performance of the DLD group was related to their lower nonverbal IQ scores. Conclusion Contexts that allow for explicit encoding yield better learning of word-to-referent links than contexts that allow for fast mapping in both stronger and weaker learners. Adults with DLD have difficulty learning the link between words and referents, whether trained via fast mapping or explicit encoding and whether tested with exemplar or category referents. Retention is a relative strength for adults with DLD. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12765551.

Effects of Task on Reading Performance Estimates.

Reading is a primary problem for low vision patients and a common functional endpoint for eye disease. However, there is limited agreement on reading assessment methods for clinical outcomes. Many clinical reading tests lack standardized materials for repeated testing and cannot be self-administered, which limit their use for vision rehabilitation monitoring and remote assessment. We compared three different reading assessment methods to address these limitations. Normally sighted participants (N = 12) completed MNREAD, and two forced-choice reading tests at multiple font sizes in counterbalanced order. In a word identification task, participants indicated whether 5-letter pentagrams, syntactically matched to English, were words or non-words. In a true/false reading task, participants indicated whether four-word sentences presented in RSVP were logically true or false. The reading speed vs. print size data from each experiment were fit by an exponential function with parameters for reading acuity, critical print size and maximum reading speed. In all cases, reading speed increased quickly as an exponential function of text size. Reading speed and critical print size significantly differed across tasks, but not reading acuity. Reading speeds were faster for word/non-word and true/false reading tasks, consistent with the elimination of eye movement load in RSVP but required larger text sizes to achieve those faster reading speeds. These different reading tasks quantify distinct aspects of reading behavior and the preferred assessment method may depend on the goal of intervention. Reading performance is an important clinical endpoint and a key quality of life indicator, however, differences across methods complicate direct comparisons across studies.

Patterns of Misidentified Vowels in Individuals With Dysarthria Secondary to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Purpose The current study examines the pattern of misidentified vowels produced by individuals with dysarthria secondary to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Method Twenty-three individuals with ALS and 22 typical individuals produced 10 monophthongs in an /h/-vowel-/d/ context. One hundred thirty-five listeners completed a forced-choice vowel identification test. Misidentified vowels were examined in terms of the target vowel categories (front-back; low-mid-high) and the direction of misidentification (the directional pattern when the target vowel was misidentified, e.g., misidentification "to a lower vowel"). In addition, acoustic predictors of vowel misidentifications were tested based on log first formant (F1), log second formant, log F1 vowel inherent spectral change, log second formant vowel inherent spectral change, and vowel duration. Results First, high and mid vowels were more frequently misidentified than low vowels for all speaker groups. Second, front and back vowels were misidentified at a similar rate for both the Mild and Severe groups, whereas back vowels were more frequently misidentified than front vowels in typical individuals. Regarding the direction of vowel misidentification, vowel errors were mostly made within the same backness (front-back) category for all groups. In addition, more errors were found toward a lower vowel category than toward a higher vowel category in the Severe group, but not in the Mild group. Overall, log F1 difference was identified as a consistent acoustic predictor of the main vowel misidentification pattern. Conclusion Frequent misidentifications in the vowel height dimension and the acoustic predictor, F1, suggest that limited tongue height control is the major articulatory dysfunction in individuals with ALS. Clinical implications regarding this finding are discussed.

CD36 and GPR120 Methylation Associates with Orosensory Detection Thresholds for Fat and Bitter in Algerian Young Obese Children.

Background: The spontaneous preference for dietary fat is regulated by two lingual lipid sensors (CD36 and GPR120) in humans and rodents. Our objective was to investigate whether obesity in children is associated with methylation of lipid sensor genes, and whether this alteration was implicated in altered gustatory perception of fat and bitter and increased preference of palatable foods. Methods: School children were recruited and classified according to their body mass index (BMI) z-score into two groups: obese and lean children. The detection of orosensory perception for oleic acid and 6-n-propylthiouracil was assessed by using a 3-alternative forced-choice test. After blood DNA extraction, methylation patterns were investigated by methylation-specific PCR. The children were also subjected to a food habit questionnaire. Results: Obese children showed higher lipid and bitter detection thresholds than lean children. Besides, more obese children presented higher methylation level of the CpG sites than lean participants. Interestingly, CD36 and GPR120 gene methylation was associated with high lipid detection thresholds in obese participants. The obese participants preferred highly palatable fat-rich food items, associated with CD36 and GPR120 gene methylation. Conclusion: Epigenetic changes in CD36 and GPR120 genes might contribute to low orosensory perception of fat and bitter taste, and might be, consequently, critically involved in obesity in children

The detail is in the difficulty: Challenging search facilitates rich incidental object encoding.

When searching for objects in the environment, observers necessarily encounter other, nontarget, objects. Despite their irrelevance for search, observers often incidentally encode the details of these objects, an effect that is exaggerated as the search task becomes more challenging. Although it is well established that searchers create incidental memories for targets, less is known about the fidelity with which nontargets are remembered. Do observers store richly detailed representations of nontargets, or are these memories characterized by gist-level detail, containing only the information necessary to reject the item as a nontarget? We addressed this question across two experiments in which observers completed multiple-target (one to four potentialtargets) searches, followed by surprise alternative forced-choice (AFC) recognition tests for all encountered objects. To assess the detail of incidentally stored memories, we used similarity rankings derived from multidimensional scaling to manipulate the perceptual similarity across objects in 4-AFC (Experiment 1a) and 16-AFC (Experiments 1b and 2) tests. Replicating prior work, observers recognized more nontarget objects encountered during challenging, relative to easier, searches. More importantly, AFC results revealed that observers stored more than gist-level detail: When search objects were not recognized, observers systematically chose lures with higher perceptual similarity, reflecting partial encoding of the search object's perceptual features. Further, similarity effects increased with search difficulty, revealing that incidental memories for visual search objects are sharpened when the search task requires greater attentional processing.

Effect of Short-Term Normal-Dose and High-Dose Aspartame Consumption on Sweet-Taste Preference Among College-Aged Students

Abstract Objectives The consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) through foods and beverages have increased worldwide. The effects of NNS consumption on body weight, glycemic control, or type 2 diabetes incidence are not well understood. While studies in animal models suggest potentially harmful effects of NNS on metabolic health, randomized controlled trials in humans suggest moderate benefits of NNS use on body weight. The relationship between artificial sweeteners and metabolic disease may be linked to their purported effects on sweet taste preference. The Evidence Analysis Library of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has given a grade of V, concluding that adequately powered studies have not been conducted to evaluate effect of aspartame on preference for sweet taste. Thus, the goal of this study was to test the effect of aspartame, an artificial non-saccharide sweetener, on sweet taste preference in college-aged students. We hypothesized that a short-term increased intake of aspartame will increase sweet-taste preference. Methods Sixteen college-aged students, between the ages of 18 and 24 were recruited from Samford University, and randomized into 2 experimental groups and a control group. The experimental groups received either a nomal-dose of 543 mg aspartame (EQUAL) or a high-dose of 2172 mg aspartame, which was the equivalent to drinking 3 or 12, 12-oz cans of aspartame-containing beverage, respectively. The control group received 200 mg blue food-coloring, which was also added to experimental groups. The intervention period was for 7 days. Body weight, height, 24-hour food recall (ASA-24), and the Monell two-series forced-choice test for sweet preference testing were completed, both before and after the intervention period. Results Our studies showed a significant increase in sweet taste preference for the higher dose aspartame group. This was not associated with an increase in total or added sugars, total fat intake, or change in body weight. Conclusions These findings raise the possibility that a short-term increased intake of aspartame may influence sweet taste preference in college-aged students. Funding Sources None.

An Incidental Learning Method to Improve Face-Name Memory in Older Adults With Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Forgetting names is a common memory concern for people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and is related to explicit memory deficits and pathological changes in the medial temporal lobes at the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the current experiment, we tested a unique method to improve memory for face-name associations in people with aMCI involving incidental rehearsal of face-name pairs. Older adults with aMCI and age- and education-matched controls learned 24 face-name pairs and were tested via immediate cued recall with faces as cues for associated names. During a 25- to 30-min retention interval, 10 of the face-name pairs reappeared as a quarter of the items on a seemingly unrelated 1-back task on faces, with the superimposed names irrelevant to the task. After the delay, surprise delayed cued recall and forced-choice associative recognition tests were administered for the face-name pairs. Both groups showed reduced forgetting of the names that repeated as distraction and enhanced recollection of these pairs. The results demonstrate that passive methods to prompt automatic retrieval of associations may hold promise as interventions for people with early signs of AD.

Role of sweeteners on temporality and bar hardening of protein bars

Protein bars are one product that meet consumer demands for a low-carbohydrate, high-protein food. With such a large market for protein bars, producers need to find the correct texture and sweetness levels to satisfy consumers while still delivering a high-protein, low-carbohydrate bar. In the bar industry, bar hardening is a major concern, and currently the effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on bar hardening is unknown. Due to the negative implications of bar hardening, it is important to investigate the sweetener-protein relationship with bar hardening. The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of sweetener and protein source on flavor, texture, and shelf life of high-protein, low-carbohydrate bars. The iso-sweet concentration of sweeteners (sucralose, sucrose, monk fruit, stevia, and fructose) in pea protein (PP), milk protein (MP) and whey protein isolate (WPI) bars were established using magnitude estimation scaling and 2-alternative forced-choice testing. Descriptive analysis and temporal check-all-that-apply methods were then applied to determine flavor and temporal differences between the protein bars. Finally, an accelerated shelf life study was completed to understand how sweetener and protein types affect the shelf life of protein bars. The 15 protein bars formulated at iso-sweet concentration were all stored at 35°C and 55% humidity for 35 d, and measurements were taken every 7 d, beginning at d 1 (d 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35). Bars made with MP required significantly less sweetener, compared with PP and WPI, to reach equal sweetness. Bars sweetened with stevia or monk fruit had distinct bitter and metallic tastes, and sucralose had a low metallic taste. Bars made with WPI were the most cohesive, and PP and WPI bars were more bitter and metallic compared with MP bars. Bars made with WPI and fructose were initially the hardest, but after d 14 they scored at parity with PP sucrose. There were no significant differences among bars in terms of hardness by d 21. Bars made with WPI were consistently denser at all time points than bars made with PP or MP. Bars made with PP were the driest and least cohesive and had the fastest rate of breakdown in the study. Non-nutritive sweeteners did not have a negative effect on bar hardness in low-carbohydrate, high-protein bars. Findings from this study can be applied to commercially produced protein bars for naturally sweetened bars with different protein types without negative effects on protein bar texture.

Image quality evaluation of dual-layer spectral CT in comparison to single-layer CT in a reduced-dose setting

ObjectivesTo quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate image quality in dual-layer CT (DLCT) compared to single-layer CT (SLCT) in the thorax, abdomen, and pelvis in a reduced-dose setting.MethodsIntraindividual, retrospective comparisons were performed in 25 patients who received at least one acquisition of all three acquisition protocols SLCTlow (100 kVp), DLCThigh (120 kVp), and DLCTlow (120 kVp), all covering the venous-phase thorax, abdomen, and pelvis with matched CTDIvol between SLCTlow and DLCTlow. Reconstruction parameters were identical between all scans. Image quality was assessed quantitatively at 10 measurement locations in the thorax, abdomen, and pelvis by two independent observers, and subjectively with an intraindividual forced choice test between the three acquisitions. Dose-length product (DLP) and CTDIvol were extracted for dose comparison.ResultsDespite matched CTDIvol in acquisition protocols, CTDIvol and DLP were lower for SLCTlow compared to DLCTlow and DLCThigh (DLP 408.58, 444.68, 647.08 mGy·cm, respectively; p < 0.0004), as automated tube current modulation for DLCTlow reached the lower limit in the thorax (mean 66.1 mAs vs limit 65 mAs). Noise and CNR were comparable between SLCTlow and DLCTlow (p values, 0.29–0.51 and 0.05–0.20), but CT numbers were significantly higher for organs and vessels in the upper abdomen for SLCTlow compared to DLCTlow. DLCThigh had significantly better image quality (Noise and CNR). Subjective image quality was superior for DLCThigh, but no difference was found between SLCTlow and DLCTlow.ConclusionsDLCTlow showed comparable image quality to SLCTlow, with the additional possibility of spectral post-processing. Further dose reduction seems possible by decreasing the lower limit of the tube current for the thorax.Key Points• Clinical use of reduced-dose DLCT is feasible despite the required higher tube potential.• DLCT with reduced dose shows comparable objective and subjective image quality to reduced-dose SLCT.• Further dose reduction in the thorax might be possible by adjusting mAs thresholds.

Correction to: Using a Touchscreen Paradigm to Evaluate Food Preferences and Response to Novel Photographic Stimuli of Food in Three Primate Species (Gorilla gorilla gorilla, Pan troglodytes, and Macaca fuscata)

Understanding captive animals’ preferences is important for their care and management. However, pairwise testing for preference can be time consuming, open to bias, and typically restricted to stimuli that can be presented manually. We tested the efficacy of using touchscreens to test zoo-housed primates’ food preferences and evaluated the primates’ understanding and interpretation of photographic stimuli. We showed 18 subjects (six gorillas, five chimpanzees, and seven Japanese macaques) four food stimuli (digital photographs of familiar foods presented via touchscreens) to test their preferences in a forced-choice paradigm. We presented preliminary single-food training trials before paired forced-choice test trials, which revealed subjects’ relative preferences for the four foods. To distinguish whether the primates’ responses represented conditioned associations between the stimuli and rewards, or a true understanding of the food photographs, we ran a follow-up study with novel stimuli (novel photographs of familiar foods). We combined the two novel stimuli with the four stimuli presented in the first experiment in pairwise forced-choice trials (importantly, without training trials). Subjects did not preferentially select or avoid the novel stimuli, suggesting they spontaneously interpreted the stimuli without training. While there was interindividual variation in preferences, subject choices were consistent across studies, even with the addition of novel stimuli. These results suggest that preferences for a variety of stimuli could be tested quickly, efficiently, and accurately using touchscreens.

Determination of detection thresholds of sinigrin in water‐based matrix and allyl isothiocyanate in water‐ and oil‐based matrices

AbstractIn the present study, sensory detection thresholds for sinigrin in a water‐based matrix and allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) in water‐ and oil‐based matrices were determined using a three‐alternative forced choice test with ascending concentrations. The study consisted of a prestudy with 10 assessors (3 mustard “users”; 7 mustard “nonusers”) and a main study with 64 assessors (10 mustard “users”; 54 mustard “nonusers”). In addition, panelists were asked to locate (throat, tongue, throat, and tongue) the predominant sensation (sinigrin: bitterness; AITC: pungency). The group threshold for sinigrin in the water‐based matrix in the prestudy was 10.928 mg/100 ml. Moreover, the group thresholds for AITC in the water‐based matrix in the prestudy and main study were 0.135 and 0.121 mg/100 ml, respectively. The group thresholds for AITC in the oil‐based matrix in the prestudy and main studies were 0.497 and 0.582 mg/100 ml, respectively. However, mustard “users” and mustard “nonusers” showed no significant differences in thresholds. Sinigrin and AITC were both prevalently perceived on the tongue.Practical applicationsThreshold determination for the primary pungent substance allyl isothiocynanate (AITC) and the corresponding precursor sinigrin in cruciferous plants such as mustard, horseradish, and wasabi are important for product development and quality assurance, especially for new products. These parameters will help to estimate whether pungency is a relevant characteristic of the product. In particular, differentiation of the matrix (water‐ or oil‐based matrix) helps to evaluate whether the particular AITC concentration is noticeable in food products depending on the food composition. Further studies should be conducted to determine whether AITC is perceived at the same levels in different food systems. Sinigrin causes the unpleasant bitterness of brassica vegetables. Nevertheless, sinigrin is a desirable substance in food products owing to its potential health‐promoting effects. Therefore, knowledge about the detection threshold of sinigrin will facilitate the breeding of sinigrin‐containing products without unpleasant bitterness and may increase consumer acceptance.

Accuracy Analysis of Distinguishing the Cooperation Degree during Image Completion Test by Eye Movement Parameters.

Objective To analyze the differences in accuracy of different eye movement parameters in distinguishing the cooperation and non-cooperation during image completion test of patients with mental disorders caused by craniocerebral trauma. Methods One hundred and forty cases of patients with mental disorders caused by craniocerebral trauma who took psychiatric impairment assessments were collected. The 21 pictures from "image completion" of Wechsler intelligence test were used as stimulating pictures, then divided into cooperation group and non-cooperation group according to binomial forced-choice digit memory test and expert opinions. The eye movement parameters of research subjects during completion of images were obtained by the SMI eye-tracker. The accuracy of eye movement parameters in distinguishing the cooperation or non-cooperation of patients with mental disorders caused by craniocerebral trauma in psychiatric impairment assessments were evaluated by the ROC curve. Results During the process of the image completion test, the area under curve （AUC） value of frequency of blink, frequency of fixation, pupil size, frequency of saccade, latency of saccade, average acceleration of saccade, the average and peak longitudinal velocity of saccade was above 0.5. When it comed to a specific stimulating picture, the AUC value of frequency of blink in looking at a specific stimulating picture could be above 0.8, and the AUC value of X axis diameter of pupil size could be above 0.7. Conclusion The accuracy of eye movement parameters in distinguishing the cooperation or disguise of patients with mental disorders caused by craniocerebral trauma is related with the stimulating picture. The accuracy of frequency of blink in distinguishing cooperation and non-cooperation is better than that of other eye movement parameters.

EFL Learners’ Acquisition of Academic Collocation and Synonymy: Does their Academic Experience Matter?

It is generally accepted that collocation is essential for establishing synonymy. They are related linguistic features which are important and useful for language learners. Given this importance, this present study considered the experience of 120 Thai English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. The study explored the students’ knowledge of academic collocation and synonymy in relation to their academic experience at university and examined their justifications for their collocation selections. The results of a forced-choice collocation test revealed that while the majority of the students demonstrated their knowledge of academic collocations and synonyms, the more experienced (ME) students significantly outperformed their less experienced (LE) counterparts in most collocation questions. In terms of explanations for their collocation choices, the ME group referred to their encounters as the most frequent reason while the LE group made the largest number of guesses. The findings suggest that despite not being taught explicitly about academic collocations, EFL learners can develop their collocation repertoire incidentally as they are exposed to academic discourse over their university years.

Production of picture names improves picture recognition.

Words read aloud are later recalled and recognized better than words read silently: the production effect. Previous research (Fawcett, Quinlan, & Taylor, 2012) has demonstrated a production effect in old/new recognition of line drawings. The current study examined whether production at encoding can improve memory for the visual details of a picture, or whether it is primarily memory for the picture's verbal label that benefits from production. Participants studied a list of photographs of nameable objects by naming half of the objects aloud and half silently. In Experiment 1, a control group completed a free recall test for the object names while the experimental group completed a 4-alternative forced-choice recognition test for the studied pictures and provided confidence judgments in their recognition decisions. Both groups showed a significant production effect. Experiment 2 obtained image typicality ratings and naming data for use in Experiment 3. In Experiment 3, studied items were tested after a 1-week delay in one of three different types of 2-alternative forced-choice recognition test: versus a different picture exemplar of the same item; versus a different picture; or as a verbal label versus a different verbal label. Results showed a significant production effect in all testing conditions, with the magnitude of the effect similar across conditions. Production improves memory for both the visual details and verbal label of pictures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Metacognitive processing in language learning tasks is affected by bilingualism.

We assessed the effect of bilingualism on metacognitive processing in the artificial language learning task, in 2 experiments varying in the difficulty to segment the language. Following a study phase in which participants were exposed to the artificial language, segmentation performance was assessed by means of a dual forced-choice recognition test followed by confidence judgments. We used a signal detection approach to estimate type 1 performance (i.e., the participants' ability to discriminate statistical words vs. foils constructed from the same syllables) and type 2 metacognitive performance (i.e., the ability to discriminate the correctness of the type 1 decisions by confidence ratings). The results showed that bilinguals and monolinguals do not differ in type 1 recognition performance, but across the 2 experiments, metacognitive performance was higher in bilinguals compared with monolinguals. The results show that bilingualism improves metacognitive evaluation of performance in linguistic domains. We suggest that the improvement in metacognitive performance stems from bilinguals' enhanced error-monitoring abilities in language domain, which is also modulated by individual experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).