scholarly journals A New Type of Pictorial Database: The Bicolor Affective Silhouettes and Shapes (BASS)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Kawai ◽  
Gáspár Lukács ◽  
Ulrich Ansorge

We introduce the Bicolor Affective Silhouettes and Shapes (BASS): a set of 583 normed black-and-white silhouette images that is freely available via osf.io/anej6. Valence and arousal ratings were obtained for each image from US residents as a Western population (n = 777) and Chinese residents as an Asian population (n = 869). Importantly, the ratings demonstrate that, notwithstanding their visual simplicity, the images represent a wide range of affective content (from very negative to very positive, and from very calm to very intense). In addition, speaking to their cultural neutrality, the valence ratings correlated very highly between US and Chinese ratings. Arousal ratings were less consistent between the two samples, with larger discrepancies in the older age groups inviting further investigation. Due to their simplistic and abstract nature, our silhouette images may be useful for intercultural studies, color and shape perception research, and online stimulus presentation in particular. We demonstrate the versatility of the BASS by an example online experiment. Available under https://gasparl.github.io/BASS/

Author(s):  
Claudia Kawai ◽  
Gáspár Lukács ◽  
Ulrich Ansorge

AbstractWe introduce the Bicolor Affective Silhouettes and Shapes (BASS): a set of 583 normed black-and-white silhouette images that is freely available via https://osf.io/anej6/. Valence and arousal ratings were obtained for each image from US residents as a Western population (n = 777) and Chinese residents as an Asian population (n = 869). Importantly, the ratings demonstrate that, notwithstanding their visual simplicity, the images represent a wide range of affective content (from very negative to very positive, and from very calm to very intense). In addition, speaking to their cultural neutrality, the valence ratings correlated very highly between US and Chinese ratings. Arousal ratings were less consistent between the two samples, with larger discrepancies in the older age groups inviting further investigation. Due to their simplistic and abstract nature, our silhouette images may be useful for intercultural studies, color and shape perception research, and online stimulus presentation in particular. We demonstrate the versatility of the BASS by an example online experiment.


1980 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 707-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Buchsbaum ◽  
A. J. Sostek

An adaptive-rate Continuous Performance Task for the assessment of human performance has been developed based on the original method of Rosvold, et al. (1956). The stimulus presentation speeds up after correct detections and slows down after errors of omission or commission, allowing applications in a wide range of clinical populations and normal age groups. Adequate error rates are obtained to characterize each individual's performance. Signal detection analysis yields d′ and β parameters with adequate test-retest reliability over 6 mo. A specific decline in a′ over time is consistent with other studies of human vigilance.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Carlos Estrela ◽  
Francisco Costa Pereira ◽  
Jorge Bruno Ventura

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to intend to understand how children organize their representational heritage of brands and what influences they may have had to build it. Design/methodology/approach – The authors carried out a research divided into two parts, one with a questionnaire in which the authors characterized children and identify their behaviours when they are watching TV and surfing the net with an open question which asked them to list which brands they knew. Another qualitative research in which two focus groups were followed with the parents on the consumption habits of their children. The sample includes 602 children between eight and 11 years old. Regarding the parents, 19 participated in the two focus groups, a first in a middle-class area and a second in a lower-class area. Findings – Children spend many hours during the week and the weekend watching TV and on the internet. As for the representation of consumption, the data were processed by gathering the brands per product categories with specific software that showed the authors, through a lexicographical analysis, a mental representation that anchors on two cores. One regards food and gathers in a star a wide range of product categories and other regarding clothing, more cognitively complex, forming stars and circles. Research limitations/implications – It was not possible to isolate two samples of children in middle class and lower class as was done with the parents, which did not allow checking this symbolic dimension of brands between these two groups. Parents’ occupations did not allow the authors to clearly identify social classes and in the attempts the authors made that were not reliable by combining the occupation of the father and of the mother. Practical implications – Children are an important group to be studied, since their attitudes towards products and brands are still in a formative stage and their current experiences will affect their preferences for brands and their behaviours on the market as suggest the authors. This study may contribute to the development of marketing strategies for children by identifying the meanings of food and clothing brands that they own. Social implications – This research offers the authors clues so that in the future it can be confirmed that lower-classes children are more attentive to the symbolic dimension of brands as a way of self-expression. Originality/value – A new research method using mental maps which allows for a sharper, more specific analysis, where the distinction between genders and age groups can be detected very clearly.


2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 199-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Hartmann

Spearman's Law of Diminishing Returns (SLODR) with regard to age was tested in two different databases from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. The first database consisted of 6,980 boys and girls aged 12–16 from the 1997 cohort ( NLSY 1997 ). The subjects were tested with a computer-administered adaptive format (CAT) of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) consisting of 12 subtests. The second database consisted of 11,448 male and female subjects aged 15–24 from the 1979 cohort ( NLSY 1979 ). These subjects were tested with the older 10-subtest version of the ASVAB. The hypothesis was tested by dividing the sample into Young and Old age groups while keeping IQ fairly constant by a method similar to the one developed and employed by Deary et al. (1996) . The different age groups were subsequently factor-analyzed separately. The eigenvalue of the first principal component (PC1) and the first principal axis factor (PAF1), and the average intercorrelation of the subtests were used as estimates of the g saturation and compared across groups. There were no significant differences in the g saturation across age groups for any of the two samples, thereby pointing to no support for this aspect of Spearman's “Law of Diminishing Returns.”


2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-80
Author(s):  
Md Zulfekar Ali ◽  
Mohammad Moktader Moula ◽  
Zafar Ahmed Bhuiyan ◽  
Muhammad Tariq Javed

AbstractChicken astroviruses (CAstV) are enteric viruses of poultry causing gastroenteritis, malabsorption, gout and white chick disease commonly known as runting-stunting syndrome (RSS). It can affect the wide range of poultry birds, especially chicken, turkey and duck worldwide. To our best knowledge there is no published report on presence of antibodies against CAstV in Bangladesh. Therefore, the study aimed to detect the presence of CAstV antibodies in broilers and sonali chickens (a cross-bread) in Bangladesh through a cross-sectional survey. A total of 454 blood samples from 66 flocks of broiler (n=343) and sonali chickens (n=111) of different ages were obtained during 2017 from four districts. The birds were healthy but were not vaccinated against CAstV. The samples were tested for specific antibodies against CAstV Group B by using commercially available ELISA kit. Overall, 16.74% (76/454) samples and 34.84% (23/66) flocks were positive for CAstV antibodies. The seroprevalence of CAstV was significantly (p=0.001) higher in sonali chickens (36.96%) than broiler (10.20%), while it was significantly higher (p=0.001) in birds of Bogura district (36.94%) than the other three districts. Regarding the age groups, seroprevalence was insignificantly (p=0.192) higher in sonali chicken before laying age (45%) than during laying age (27.45%). Regarding the seasons, CAstV infection was prevalent significantly (p=0.001) higher in winter season. Thus, the present study indicated the presence of CAstV in poultry in Bangladesh, so further studies are required to find out the magnitude of the problem in the country.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-94
Author(s):  
Christina Landman

Dullstroom-Emnotweni is the highest town in South Africa. Cold and misty, it is situated in the eastern Highveld, halfway between the capital Pretoria/Tswane and the Mozambique border. Alongside the main road of the white town, 27 restaurants provide entertainment to tourists on their way to Mozambique or the Kruger National Park. The inhabitants of the black township, Sakhelwe, are remnants of the Southern Ndebele who have lost their land a century ago in wars against the whites. They are mainly dependent on employment as cleaners and waitresses in the still predominantly white town. Three white people from the white town and three black people from the township have been interviewed on their views whether democracy has brought changes to this society during the past 20 years. Answers cover a wide range of views. Gratitude is expressed that women are now safer and HIV treatment available. However, unemployment and poverty persist in a community that nevertheless shows resilience and feeds on hope. While the first part of this article relates the interviews, the final part identifies from them the discourses that keep the black and white communities from forming a group identity that is based on equality and human dignity as the values of democracy.


Author(s):  
М.В. ДОВЫДЕНКОВА

Проведена статистическая обработка сформированной базы данных показателей неспецифической резистентности MS «Excel» с целью изучения динамики иммунитета по параметрам бактерицидной, лизоцимной и фагоцитарной активности у крупного рогатого скота черно-пестрой породы разных возрастов. Было установлено, что средние значения показателей лизоцимной и бактерицидной активности у телят в 6 мес были ниже (47,89% и 49,09%, соответственно), чем у животных в 3—4 года (53,75% и 52,81%). Выведено уравнение регрессии, описывающее взаимосвязь между средними показателями фагоцитарной активности и возрастом при высокой степени достоверности (R2=0,90). Изменения лизоцимной и бактерицидной активности в зависимости от возраста были недостоверными (R2=0,58 и R2=0,49, соответственно). Установлена высокая корреляция между бактерицидной и лизоцимной активностью. Отмечена динамика изменения неспецифического иммунитета у коров различных возрастных групп. Создание баз данных и постоянный мониторинг основных показателей естественной резистентности в зависимости от различных факторов (породы, возраста, стадий лактации, кормления, способов содержания), которые влияют на данные показатели, необходимо для оценки физиологического состояния организма животных и их устойчивости к болезням. Statistical processing of the generated MS "Excel" on indicators of non-specific resistance database was carried out with the aim of studying the dynamics of the development of immunity in terms of bactericidal, lysozyme and phagocytic activity in black-and-white cattle of different ages. It was found that the average values of indicators of lysozyme and bactericidal activity in calves at 6 months were lower (47.89% and 49.09%, respectively) than in animals at the age of 3—4 years (53.75% and 52.81%). The equation of regression was derived, it describes the relationship between the average indicators of phagocytic activity and the age with a high degree of reliability (R2=0.90). The changes in lysozyme and bactericidal activity depending on age were dubious (R2=0.58 and R2=0.49, respectively). The high correlation between bactericidal and lysozyme activity was established. It was noticed that the cows of different age groups experienced the dynamics of changes in nonspecific immunity. The creation of databases and constant monitoring of the main indicators of natural resistance, depending on various factors (breed, age, stages of lactation, feeding, methods of keeping) that affect these indicators, is necessary for assessing the physiological state of the animals’ body of and their resistance to diseases.


2021 ◽  
pp. 014616722199763
Author(s):  
Ophir Katzenelenbogen ◽  
Nina Knoll ◽  
Gertraud Stadler ◽  
Eran Bar-Kalifa

Planning promotes progress toward goal achievement in a wide range of domains. To date, planning has mostly been studied as an individual process. In couples, however, the partner is likely to play an important role in planning. This study tested the effects of individual and dyadic planning on goal progress and goal-related actions. Two samples of couples ( N = 76 and N = 87) completed daily diaries over a period of 28 and 21 days. The results indicate that individual and dyadic planning fluctuate on a daily basis and support the idea that dyadic planning is predominantly used as a complementary strategy to individual planning. As expected, individual and dyadic planning were positively associated with higher levels of action control and goal progress. In Sample 2, dyadic planning was only associated with goal progress on days in which individuals felt that they were dependent upon their partners’ behaviors to achieve their goals.


2020 ◽  
Vol 176 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-203
Author(s):  
Santosh Chapaneri ◽  
Deepak Jayaswal

Modeling the music mood has wide applications in music categorization, retrieval, and recommendation systems; however, it is challenging to computationally model the affective content of music due to its subjective nature. In this work, a structured regression framework is proposed to model the valence and arousal mood dimensions of music using a single regression model at a linear computational cost. To tackle the subjectivity phenomena, a confidence-interval based estimated consensus is computed by modeling the behavior of various annotators (e.g. biased, adversarial) and is shown to perform better than using the average annotation values. For a compact feature representation of music clips, variational Bayesian inference is used to learn the Gaussian mixture model representation of acoustic features and chord-related features are used to improve the valence estimation by probing the chord progressions between chroma frames. The dimensionality of features is further reduced using an adaptive version of kernel PCA. Using an efficient implementation of twin Gaussian process for structured regression, the proposed work achieves a significant improvement in R2 for arousal and valence dimensions relative to state-of-the-art techniques on two benchmark datasets for music mood estimation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 118-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Trees

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present enterprise social networking and gamification as two potential tools to help organizations engage Millennial employees in collaboration and learning. Design/methodology/approach – The research provides general descriptions of enterprise social networking and gamification approaches, shares data on adoption of these approaches from APQC’s “2015 Knowledge Management Priorities Data Report” (based on a January 2015 survey of 524 knowledge management professionals) and includes four company examples adapted from APQC’s Connecting People to Content and Transferring and Applying Critical Knowledge best practices studies. The methodology for APQC’s best practices studies involves screening 50 or more organizations with potential best practices in a given research scope area and identifying five or six with proven best practices. APQC then conducts detailed site visits with the selected organizations and publishes case studies based on those site visits. Findings – Enterprise social networking platforms are in place at 50 per cent of organizations, with another 25 per cent planning to implement them by the end of 2015. By providing near-immediate access to information and answers, enterprise social networking helps Millennials learn the ropes at their new workplaces, gives them direct access to more knowledgeable colleagues who can assist and mentor them, and helps them improve their business outcomes by reusing knowledge and lessons learned across projects. Younger workers can also harness the power of social networking to create a sense of belonging and build their reputations in large, dispersed firms, where it is particularly difficult for them to gain visibility. A recent APQC survey indicates that 54 per cent of organizations either currently employ gamification to encourage collaboration or expect to implement it within the next three years. The rush to gamify the enterprise is, at least in part, a reflection of employers’ desire to satisfy Millennials and make them feel connected to a community of co-workers. Although games appeal to a wide range of age groups, Millennials grew up with digital interaction and tend to prefer environments that emphasize teamwork, social learning and frequent feedback – all of which can be delivered through gamification. Originality/value – The value of this paper is to introduce the value of and relationship between enterprise social networking and gamification platforms to human resource (HR) professionals looking to increase engagement and retention rates for Millennial employees.


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