Observable Response Research Articles

Headlines win elections: Mere exposure to fictitious news media alters voting behavior.

Repeatedly encountering a stimulus biases the observer's affective response and evaluation of the stimuli. Here we provide evidence for a causal link between mere exposure to fictitious news reports and subsequent voting behavior. In four pre-registered online experiments, participants browsed through newspaper webpages and were tacitly exposed to names of fictitious politicians. Exposure predicted voting behavior in a subsequent mock election, with a consistent preference for frequent over infrequent names, except when news items were decidedly negative. Follow-up analyses indicated that mere media presence fuels implicit personality theories regarding a candidate's vigor in political contexts. News outlets should therefore be mindful to cover political candidates as evenly as possible.

PMSM non-singular fast terminal sliding mode control with disturbance compensation

A non-singular fast terminal sliding mode control (NFTSMC) strategy is proposed for a permanent magnet synchronous motor control system susceptible to load disturbance. First, an NFTSM surface with fast convergence during the finite time is designed to circumvent the singular point in the TSM surface. Then, a novel reaching law (NRL) is presented to resolve the inconsistency between the system chattering and convergence rate in the traditional reaching law (TRL). Meanwhile, a non-singular fast terminal sliding mode disturbance observer (NFTSMDO) is developed to estimate the disturbance value and compensate the speed controller, further enhancing the system's anti-disturbance performance. Finally, the experiments are conducted jointly with MATLAB/Simulink and the dSPACE platform; accordingly, the experimental results indicate that when the system adds load disturbances, the PI overshoot is 38.7 rpm and the adjustment time is the longest. In addition, when the NFTSMC-TRL and NFTSMC-NRL-NFTSMDO overshoots are 37.4 and 22.1 rpm, respectively, the adjustment time is the shortest and the overall anti-disturbance is the best. Compared to SMDO, NFTSMDO improves the observer's response speed and estimation accuracy while suppressing sliding-mode chattering. It can be inferred that the control strategy proposed in this study can effectively suppress the chattering of the sliding mode control system and improve the anti-disturbance ability of the control system.

Observing a trained demonstrator influences associative appetitive learning in rats.

The ability to acquire information about the environment through social observation or instruction is an essential form of learning in humans and other animals. Here, we assessed the ability of rats to acquire an association between a light stimulus and the presentation of a reward that is either hidden (sucrose solution) or visible (food pellet) via observation of a trained demonstrator. Subsequent training of observers on the light-reward association indicated that while observation alone was not sufficient for observers to acquire the association, contact with the reward location was higher in observers that were paired with a demonstrator. However, this was only true when the light cue predicted a sucrose reward. Additionally, we found that in the visible reward condition, levels of demonstrator orienting and food cup contact during the observation period tended to be positively correlated with the corresponding behaviour of their observer. This relationship was only seen during later sessions of observer training. Together, these results suggest that while our models were not sufficient to induce associative learning through observation alone, demonstrator behaviour during observation did influence how their paired observer's behavioural response to the cue evolved over the course of direct individual training.

Orcas remember whatto copy: a deferred and interference-resistant imitation study.

Response facilitation has often been portrayed as a "low level" category of social learning, because the demonstrator's action, which is already in the observer's repertoire, automatically triggers that same action, rather than induces the learning of a new action. One way to rule out response facilitation consists of introducing a delay between the demonstrator's behavior and the observer's response to let their possible effects wear off. However, this may not rule out "delayed response facilitation" in which the subject could be continuously "mentally rehearsing" the demonstrated actions during the waiting period. We used a do-as-the-other-did paradigm in two orcas to study whether they displayed cognitive control regarding their production of familiar actions by (1) introducing a delay ranging from 60 to 150s between observing and producing the actions and (2) interspersing distractor (non-target) actions performed by the demonstrator and by the subjects during the delay period. These two manipulations were aimed at preventing the mental rehearsal of the observed actions during the delay period. Both orcas copied the model's target actions on command after various delay periods, and crucially, despite the presence of distractor actions. These findings suggest that orcas are capable of selectively retrieving a representation of an observed action to generate a delayed matching response. Moreover, these results lend further support to the proposal that the subjects' performance relied not only on a mental representation of the specific actions that were requested to copy, but also flexibly on the abstract and domain general rule requested by the specific "copy command". Our findings strengthen the view that orcas and other cetaceans are capable of flexible and controlled social learning.

Spatial attention in perceptual decision making as revealed by response-locked classification image analysis

In many situations, humans serially sample information from many locations in an image to make an appropriate decision about a visual target. Spatial attention and eye movements play a crucial role in this serial vision process. To investigate the effect of spatial attention in such dynamic decision making, we applied a classification image (CI) analysis locked to the observer’s reaction time (RT). We asked human observers to detect as rapidly as possible a target whose contrast gradually increased on the left or right side of dynamic noise, with the presentation of a spatial cue. The analysis revealed a spatiotemporally biphasic profile of the CI which peaked at ~ 350 ms before the observer’s response. We found that a valid cue presented at the target location shortened the RT and increased the overall amplitude of the CI, especially when the cue appeared 500–1250 ms before the observer's response. The results were quantitatively accounted for by a simple perceptual decision mechanism that accumulates the outputs of the spatiotemporal contrast detector, whose gain is increased by sustained attention to the cued location.

Training reduces error in rating the intensity of emotions.

The ability to recognize how another is feeling is a critical skill, with profound implications for social adaptation. Training programs designed to improve social functioning typically attempt to direct attention toward or away from certain facial configurations, or to improve discrimination between emotions by categorizing faces. However, emotion recognition involves processes in addition to attentional orienting or categorical labeling. The intensity with which someone is experiencing an emotion is also influential; knowing whether someone is annoyed or enraged will guide an observer's response. Here, we systematically examined a novel paradigm designed to improve ratings of facial information communicating emotion intensity in a sample of 492 participants across a series of 8 studies. In Study 1, participants improved precision in recognizing the intensity of facial cues through personalized corrective feedback. These initial findings were replicated in a randomized-control trial comparing training with feedback to viewing and rating faces without feedback. Studies 2 and 3 revealed that these effects generalize to identities and facial configurations not included in the training. Study 4 indicated that the effects were sustained beyond the training session. These findings suggest that individualized, corrective feedback is effective for reducing error in rating the intensity of facial cues. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

A study on colour harmony and consumer perception of shampoo packages displayed on screen

This study aims to establish a relationship of package colour with colour harmony and consumers' perception of product quality. Specifically, it focuses on the package design of hair shampoo bottle generating observer's positive emotions and expectations. Forty shampoo bottle package stimuli with 10 different colours and 4 different images of packages were presented to 70 participants and their psychological responses for colour harmony, quality, liking and effectiveness were recorded using semantic differential method. Two major findings were identified, the first one being, colour harmony of shampoo bottle packages and liking are highly correlated with each other (R = 0.94 and p = 0.05) and with quality (R = 0.86 and p = 0.05 and R = 0.89 and p = 0.05) respectively. In the second finding, the differences in colour attributes like Chroma, Lightness, and Hue of package colours also affected the observer's responses towards the four semantic scales.

PENGEMBANGAN MODEL PEMBELAJARAN NOBANGAN BERBASIS PERMAINAN TRADISIONAL SUKU KAILI TERHADAP NILAI KEAKTIFAN SISWA KELAS IV SEKOLAH DASAR

The purpose of this study was to develop the Nobangan learning model on students' activeness values and to find out the validity and practicality of the Nobangan learning model. This type of research is research and development. The research consisted of 3 phases, namely: 1) Initial research phase, 2) Development phase, 3) Validity phase. In this study, there are two types of data, namely quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative data are in the form of validation and practicality questionnaires, while qualitative data are in the form of observations and interviews. The results of the validation of this study were that the validation of the syllabus obtained a value of 3,6 with very valid criteria, the validation of the RPP obtained a value of 3,6 with very valid criteria and the validation of the Nobangan learning model guide book obtained a value of 3,7 with very valid criteria. While the practicality level of the Nobangan learning model is the student's response to get a score of 3,44 with very practical criteria, the teacher's response gets a score of 3,67 with the criteria "very practical" and the observer's response to the value of Activeness gets a value of 3,17 with practical criteria. Based on these results it can be concluded that the development of the Nobangan learning model on the activeness value of grade IV elementary school students has met the valid and practical criteria.

Confidence boosts serial dependence in orientation estimation.

In the absence of external feedback, a decision maker must rely on a subjective estimate of their decision accuracy in order to appropriately guide behavior. Normative models of perceptual decision-making relate subjective estimates of internal signal quality (e.g., confidence) directly to the internal signal quality itself, thereby making it unknowable whether the subjective estimate or the underlying signal is what drives behavior. We constructed stimuli that dissociated the human observer's performance on a visual estimation task from their subjective estimates of confidence in their performance, thus violating normative principles. To understand whether confidence influences future decision-making, we examined serial dependence in observer's responses, a phenomenon whereby the estimate of a stimulus on the current trial can be biased toward the stimulus from the previous trial. We found that when decisions were made with high confidence, they conferred stronger biases upon the following trial, suggesting that confidence may enhance serial dependence. Critically, this finding was true also when confidence was experimentally dissociated from task performance, indicating that subjective confidence, independent of signal quality, can amplify serial dependence. These findings demonstrate an effect of confidence on future behavior, independent of task performance, and suggest that perceptual decisions incorporate recent history in an uncertainty-weighted manner, but where the uncertainty carried forward is a subjectively estimated and possibly suboptimal readout of objective sensory uncertainty.

QPR: An adaptive partial-report procedure based on Bayesian inference.

Iconic memory is best assessed with the partial report procedure in which an array of letters appears briefly on the screen and a poststimulus cue directs the observer to report the identity of the cued letter(s). Typically, 6–8 cue delays or 600–800 trials are tested to measure the iconic memory decay function. Here we develop a quick partial report, or qPR, procedure based on a Bayesian adaptive framework to estimate the iconic memory decay function with much reduced testing time. The iconic memory decay function is characterized by an exponential function and a joint probability distribution of its three parameters. Starting with a prior of the parameters, the method selects the stimulus to maximize the expected information gain in the next test trial. It then updates the posterior probability distribution of the parameters based on the observer's response using Bayesian inference. The procedure is reiterated until either the total number of trials or the precision of the parameter estimates reaches a certain criterion. Simulation studies showed that only 100 trials were necessary to reach an average absolute bias of 0.026 and a precision of 0.070 (both in terms of probability correct). A psychophysical validation experiment showed that estimates of the iconic memory decay function obtained with 100 qPR trials exhibited good precision (the half width of the 68.2% credible interval = 0.055) and excellent agreement with those obtained with 1,600 trials of the conventional method of constant stimuli procedure (RMSE = 0.063). Quick partial-report relieves the data collection burden in characterizing iconic memory and makes it possible to assess iconic memory in clinical populations.

Distinct effects of contrast and color on subjective rating of fearfulness.

Natural scenes provide important affective cues for observers to avoid danger. From an adaptationist perspective, such cues affect the behavior of the observer and shape the evolution of the observer’s response. It is evolutionarily significant for individuals to extract affective information from the environment as quickly and as efficiently as possible. However, the nearly endless variations in physical appearance of natural scenes present a fundamental challenge for perceiving significant visual information. How image-level properties, such as contrast and color, influence the extraction of affective information leading to subjective emotional perception is unclear. On the one hand, studies have shown that visual perception and emotional perception seem to interact with each other at the earliest stages in cortical processing. On the other hand, it is important for high-level subjective ratings to be invariant to low-level visual properties. Using a psychophysical approach and signal detection theory (SDT), we tested how contrast and color influenced fearfulness ratings of a set of natural scene pictures that varied in contents and in levels of fearfulness. Image contrast influenced perceptual sensitivity but not the decision criterion of fearfulness rating, whereas color affected the decision criterion but not perceptual sensitivity. These results show that different low-level visual features contribute independently to sensitivity or decision criterion in affective perception, suggesting distinct interactions between visual cognition and affective processing. Specifically, our naturalistic approach using a novel stimulus set, combined with SDT, has demonstrated two dissociable types of cognitive mechanisms underlying how image-level properties leverage the extraction of affective information in natural vision.

Augmented Hebbian reweighting accounts for accuracy and induced bias in perceptual learning with reverse feedback.

Using an asymmetrical set of vernier stimuli (-15″, -10″, -5″, +10″, +15″) together with reverse feedback on the small subthreshold offset stimulus (-5″) induces response bias in performance (Aberg & Herzog, 2012; Herzog, Eward, Hermens, & Fahle, 2006; Herzog & Fahle, 1999). These conditions are of interest for testing models of perceptual learning because the world does not always present balanced stimulus frequencies or accurate feedback. Here we provide a comprehensive model for the complex set of asymmetric training results using the augmented Hebbian reweighting model (Liu, Dosher, & Lu, 2014; Petrov, Dosher, & Lu, 2005, 2006) and the multilocation integrated reweighting theory (Dosher, Jeter, Liu, & Lu, 2013). The augmented Hebbian learning algorithm incorporates trial-by-trial feedback, when present, as another input to the decision unit and uses the observer's internal response to update the weights otherwise; block feedback alters the weights on bias correction (Liu et al., 2014). Asymmetric training with reversed feedback incorporates biases into the weights between representation and decision. The model correctly predicts the basic induction effect, its dependence on trial-by-trial feedback, and the specificity of bias to stimulus orientation and spatial location, extending the range of augmented Hebbian reweighting accounts of perceptual learning.

Developing Bayesian adaptive methods for estimating sensitivity thresholds (d') in Yes-No and forced-choice tasks.

Motivated by Signal Detection Theory (SDT), we developed a family of novel adaptive methods that estimate the sensitivity threshold—the signal intensity corresponding to a pre-defined sensitivity level (d′ = 1)—in Yes-No (YN) and Forced-Choice (FC) detection tasks. Rather than focus stimulus sampling to estimate a single level of %Yes or %Correct, the current methods sample psychometric functions more broadly, to concurrently estimate sensitivity and decision factors, and thereby estimate thresholds that are independent of decision confounds. Developed for four tasks—(1) simple YN detection, (2) cued YN detection, which cues the observer's response state before each trial, (3) rated YN detection, which incorporates a Not Sure response, and (4) FC detection—the qYN and qFC methods yield sensitivity thresholds that are independent of the task's decision structure (YN or FC) and/or the observer's subjective response state. Results from simulation and psychophysics suggest that 25 trials (and sometimes less) are sufficient to estimate YN thresholds with reasonable precision (s.d. = 0.10–0.15 decimal log units), but more trials are needed for FC thresholds. When the same subjects were tested across tasks of simple, cued, rated, and FC detection, adaptive threshold estimates exhibited excellent agreement with the method of constant stimuli (MCS), and with each other. These YN adaptive methods deliver criterion-free thresholds that have previously been exclusive to FC methods.

Classification images reveal decision variables and strategies in forced choice tasks

Despite decades of research, there is still uncertainty about how people make simple decisions about perceptual stimuli. Most theories assume that perceptual decisions are based on decision variables, which are internal variables that encode task-relevant information. However, decision variables are usually considered to be theoretical constructs that cannot be measured directly, and this often makes it difficult to test theories of perceptual decision making. Here we show how to measure decision variables on individual trials, and we use these measurements to test theories of perceptual decision making more directly than has previously been possible. We measure classification images, which are estimates of templates that observers use to extract information from stimuli. We then calculate the dot product of these classification images with the stimuli to estimate observers' decision variables. Finally, we reconstruct each observer's "decision space," a map that shows the probability of the observer's responses for all values of the decision variables. We use this method to examine decision strategies in two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) tasks, for which there are several competing models. In one experiment, the resulting decision spaces support the difference model, a classic theory of 2AFC decisions. In a second experiment, we find unexpected decision spaces that are not predicted by standard models of 2AFC decisions, and that suggest intrinsic uncertainty or soft thresholding. These experiments give new evidence regarding observers' strategies in 2AFC tasks, and they show how measuring decision variables can answer long-standing questions about perceptual decision making.

Memetakan Kualitas Visual Lansekap pada Objek Wisata Alam Candi Gunung Kawi di Tampaksiring – Gianyar

ABSTRACT Mapping Visual Quality Landscape of Gunung Kawi Temple Tourism Object in Tampaksiring - Gianyar. Visual quality landscape depends not only on the physical characteristics of the landscape, but also on the subjective judgment of the individual observers. Visual quality of the landscape can be assessed from the observer's response after seeing the appearance of an object that would lead to the perception of the observer. The research objective criteria for determining the visual quality of the tourist landscape of "good" in particular tourist landscape Gunung Kawi Temple in Tampaksiring, then the point location will be mapped to facilitate tourists taking photos of documentation to capture every moment of their attractions. Theoretically, this research can be used as well as baseline information in an effort to acquire knowledge related to the visual quality of the landscape, especially regarding the visual quality of tourist landscape. Visual quality of the landscape that " good " that can meet the three areas of professional experts or the general good of the people is “a visual quality that is easily understood when one sees , in a vantage point where the tape contained a story that can provide information in a straightforward , have the impression living / soul / spirit will be able to describe the depth dimension , both visible by eye / recorded by the camera media without departing from the existing context and still refers to the basic rules of photography”. Keywords: travel gunung kawi temple, visual quality landscape

EEVEE: the Empathy-Enhancing Virtual Evolving Environment.

Empathy is a multifaceted emotional and mental faculty that is often found to be affected in a great number of psychopathologies, such as schizophrenia, yet it remains very difficult to measure in an ecological context. The challenge stems partly from the complexity and fluidity of this social process, but also from its covert nature. One powerful tool to enhance experimental control over such dynamic social interactions has been the use of avatars in virtual reality (VR); information about an individual in such an interaction can be collected through the analysis of his or her neurophysiological and behavioral responses. We have developed a unique platform, the Empathy-Enhancing Virtual Evolving Environment (EEVEE), which is built around three main components: (1) different avatars capable of expressing feelings and emotions at various levels based on the Facial Action Coding System (FACS); (2) systems for measuring the physiological responses of the observer (heart and respiration rate, skin conductance, gaze and eye movements, facial expression); and (3) a multimodal interface linking the avatar's behavior to the observer's neurophysiological response. In this article, we provide a detailed description of the components of this innovative platform and validation data from the first phases of development. Our data show that healthy adults can discriminate different negative emotions, including pain, expressed by avatars at varying intensities. We also provide evidence that masking part of an avatar's face (top or bottom half) does not prevent the detection of different levels of pain. This innovative and flexible platform provides a unique tool to study and even modulate empathy in a comprehensive and ecological manner in various populations, notably individuals suffering from neurological or psychiatric disorders.

Accelerated time course of saccadic inhibition of return in individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

The inhibition of return (IOR) refers the observer's slower response time when the target stimulus appears on the previously attended location. In the present study, we examined the time course of saccadic IOR by using five stimuli onset asynchronies (SOAs) in a group of adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and a comparison group. The results showed that the IOR effect occurred earlier (300 ms SOA) in participants with ASDs, relative to the comparison participants (500 and 700 ms SOAs). The ASD group also committed a greater number of anticipatory saccades, which positively correlated with scores on restricted and repetitive behaviors, as assessed by the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R; Lord et al. in J Autism Dev Disord 24:659-685, 1994). These findings reveal an accelerated time course for saccadic IOR along with diminished volitional oculomotor control in participants with ASDs. We discussed these results with reference to the atypical and the superior visual search abilities often reported in this population.

Crowding by a single bar: probing pattern recognition mechanisms in the visual periphery.

Whereas visual crowding does not greatly affect the detection of the presence of simple visual features, it heavily inhibits combining them into recognizable objects. Still, crowding effects have rarely been directly related to general pattern recognition mechanisms. In this study, pattern recognition mechanisms in visual periphery were probed using a single crowding feature. Observers had to identify the orientation of a rotated T presented briefly in a peripheral location. Adjacent to the target, a single bar was presented. The bar was either horizontal or vertical and located in a random direction from the target. It appears that such a crowding bar has very strong and regular effects on the identification of the target orientation. The observer's responses are determined by approximate relative positions of basic visual features; exact image-based similarity to the target is not important. A version of the "standard model" of object recognition with second-order features explains the main regularities of the data.

Motor contagion during human-human and human-robot interaction.

Motor resonance mechanisms are known to affect humans' ability to interact with others, yielding the kind of “mutual understanding” that is the basis of social interaction. However, it remains unclear how the partner's action features combine or compete to promote or prevent motor resonance during interaction. To clarify this point, the present study tested whether and how the nature of the visual stimulus and the properties of the observed actions influence observer's motor response, being motor contagion one of the behavioral manifestations of motor resonance. Participants observed a humanoid robot and a human agent move their hands into a pre-specified final position or put an object into a container at various velocities. Their movements, both in the object- and non-object- directed conditions, were characterized by either a smooth/curvilinear or a jerky/segmented trajectory. These trajectories were covered with biological or non-biological kinematics (the latter only by the humanoid robot). After action observation, participants were requested to either reach the indicated final position or to transport a similar object into another container. Results showed that motor contagion appeared for both the interactive partner except when the humanoid robot violated the biological laws of motion. These findings suggest that the observer may transiently match his/her own motor repertoire to that of the observed agent. This matching might mediate the activation of motor resonance, and modulate the spontaneity and the pleasantness of the interaction, whatever the nature of the communication partner.

Unique hues as revealed by unique-hue selecting versus partial hue-matching

Unique hues are usually defined as those that cannot be introspectively reduced to any other hue. According to a major dogma of color science, there are four unique hues: yellow, blue, red, and green. Yet only 55 of the 173 inexperienced observers who participated in our experiment selected exactly four Munsell papers that, according to their judgment, had a unique hue. The number of papers selected by the rest of the observers varied from zero to nine. We believe that such variability of unique hue selection is due to the ambiguity of the introspective criteria for hue uniqueness. Along with the traditional technique of unique hue selection, an alternative method based on partial hue-matching has also been used to establish the nomenclature of unique hues. The partial hue-matching method is based on observer judgments concerning the presence of a common hue in a pair of colors. Observers are not supposed to name (or make any other judgments of) this common hue. Without presupposing their number, the unique hues are derived from the observer's responses to a sample of color pairs. The results obtained by this new method generally support the classical notion of four unique hues.