O uso de ferramentas para a quebra de frutos encapsulados requer a associação de três elementos: o fruto encapsulado; o martelo, uma pedra ou tronco de árvore resistente solto, o qual o animal consegue carregar e levantar; e a bigorna, uma superfície rígida e fixa. Este estudo dá continuidade às pesquisas que vêm sendo desenvolvidas com um grupo de macacos-prego (Sapajus sp.) em semi-liberdade do Parque Ecológico do Tietê. Dividimos este estudo em duas etapas principais (#1 e #2), e uma paralela (#1B). Na Etapa 1, buscamos analisar se os macacos-prego exibem um padrão na organização das sequências de comportamentos para a realização da quebra de cocos. Disponibilizamos os três elementos para a quebra de coco (coco, martelo e bigorna) em um triângulo, separados, equidistantes e visíveis, cada um pareado com uma placa com padrões gráficos distintos. Assim, para realizar a quebra, os indivíduos precisavam visitar os vértices do triângulo e reunir os elementos móveis (cocos e martelos) na bigorna. Nossos resultados mostram que eles apresentam um padrão bem definido para realizar a sequência de quebra de cocos, sendo o coco o primeiro elemento da quebra a ser coletado, seguido pelo martelo e, depois, pelo transporte de ambos para a bigorna. Observamos que este é um dos trajetos mais curtos e aquele com o menor custo de transporte de martelo. Na Etapa 2, buscamos analisar se a coleta do martelo em segundo lugar é um mecanismo de otimização do transporte de ferramentas ou um subproduto da priorização da obtenção do coco. Disponibilizamos dois martelos, de mesmo peso, a distâncias distintas da bigorna e dos cocos, desta maneira o custo do transporte de martelos (energético e risco de lesões) seria maior ou menor dependendo da escolha, pelo indivíduo, de um ou outro martelo. Nossos resultados mostram que, de fato, a escolha do martelo mais próximo à bigorna e a sequência em que os elementos são coletados diminuem os custos do transporte de martelos. Na Etapa 1B analisamos, através da organização sequencial para a realização da quebra de cocos, se os macacos-prego aprenderam a associação entre padrões gráficos distintos e elementos da quebra de cocos. Para isso utilizamos a mesma configuração do sítio experimental e metodologia da Etapa 1, mas ocultamos os elementos com bacias opacas, de modo que as únicas informações a respeito da posição dos elementos nos vértices seriam as placas com padrões gráficos. Os resultados desta etapa mostraram que os indivíduos não associaram os padrões gráficos com os elementos de quebra durante as Etapas 1 e 1B deste estudo. Acreditamos que os macacos podem não ter realizado a associação na Etapa 1, porque os elementos estavam visíveis, ou seja, não havia a necessidade da associação; a qual seria vantajosa, apenas, na Etapa 1B, mas ela também não ocorreu ao longo desta etapa, talvez pelo tempo reduzido de exposição dos macacos ao problema, somado ao desinteresse dos indivíduos - possivelmente, devido à falta do estímulo visual dos elementos / The use of tools to crack nuts requires the gathering of three elements: the nut; the hammer, a loose rock or tree trunk, that the animal can lift and carry; and the anvil, a rigid and immovable surface. This study gives continuity to research with a group of semi-wild tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus sp.) from the Tietê Ecological Park. We divided this study in two main phases (#1 and #2), and a parallel phase (1B). In Phase 1, we examined if the monkeys exhibit a pattern in the sequential organization of the nut-cracking behavior. We provided and placed the three nut-cracking elements (nut, hammer and anvil) in a triangle: separated, equidistant and visible; each one paired with a plaque with different graphic sings. Thus, to crack the nut the individuals had to visit the triangle vertices and gather the movable elements (nut and hammer) at the anvil. Our results show that the monkeys have a well-defined pattern to perform the nut-cracking sequence: the nut is the first element to be collected, followed by the hammer, and then by the transport of both to the anvil. This is one of the shortest paths and the one with the lowest cost of hammer transportation. In Phase 2, we examined if the hammer being collected in second place is a mechanism to optimize the tool transportation or if it is just a byproduct of the priorization of the nut collection. We provided two hammers, of same weight, and placed them at different distances of the nut anvil, this way the cost of the hammer transportation (energy and risk of injury) would be higher or lower depending on the choice of hammer. The results show that, in fact, choosing the hammer that was closer to the anvil and the sequence that the elements were collected reduces the costs of hammer transportation. In Phase 1B, we examined, through the sequential organization of the nut-cracking behavior, if the monkeys were able to associate different graphic patterns with the nut-cracking elements. We used the same experimental configuration and methodology of Phase 1, but we hid the elements in the vertices underneath opaque bowls, so the only information about the location of the elements were the plaques with graphic signs. Our results show that the individuals did not associate the graphic patterns with the respective nut-cracking elements neither in Phase 1 nor in Phase 1B. We believe that the monkeys did not learn the association in Phase 1 because the elements were visible, so there was no need for the association - which would be advantageous only on Phase 1B - but it didnt occur during this phase either, perhaps because of the reduced time the monkeys were exposed to the problem, added to the disinterest of the individuals possibly due to the lack of the elements visual stimuli

O uso de ferramentas para a quebra de frutos encapsulados requer a associação de três elementos: o fruto encapsulado; o martelo, uma pedra ou tronco de árvore resistente solto, o qual o animal consegue carregar e levantar; e a bigorna, uma superfície rígida e fixa. Este estudo dá continuidade às pesquisas que vêm sendo desenvolvidas com um grupo de macacos-prego (Sapajus sp.) em semi-liberdade do Parque Ecológico do Tietê. Dividimos este estudo em duas etapas principais (#1 e #2), e uma paralela (#1B). Na Etapa 1, buscamos analisar se os macacos-prego exibem um padrão na organização das sequências de comportamentos para a realização da quebra de cocos. Disponibilizamos os três elementos para a quebra de coco (coco, martelo e bigorna) em um triângulo, separados, equidistantes e visíveis, cada um pareado com uma placa com padrões gráficos distintos. Assim, para realizar a quebra, os indivíduos precisavam visitar os vértices do triângulo e reunir os elementos móveis (cocos e martelos) na bigorna. Nossos resultados mostram que eles apresentam um padrão bem definido para realizar a sequência de quebra de cocos, sendo o coco o primeiro elemento da quebra a ser coletado, seguido pelo martelo e, depois, pelo transporte de ambos para a bigorna. Observamos que este é um dos trajetos mais curtos e aquele com o menor custo de transporte de martelo. Na Etapa 2, buscamos analisar se a coleta do martelo em segundo lugar é um mecanismo de otimização do transporte de ferramentas ou um subproduto da priorização da obtenção do coco. Disponibilizamos dois martelos, de mesmo peso, a distâncias distintas da bigorna e dos cocos, desta maneira o custo do transporte de martelos (energético e risco de lesões) seria maior ou menor dependendo da escolha, pelo indivíduo, de um ou outro martelo. Nossos resultados mostram que, de fato, a escolha do martelo mais próximo à bigorna e a sequência em que os elementos são coletados diminuem os custos do transporte de martelos. Na Etapa 1B analisamos, através da organização sequencial para a realização da quebra de cocos, se os macacos-prego aprenderam a associação entre padrões gráficos distintos e elementos da quebra de cocos. Para isso utilizamos a mesma configuração do sítio experimental e metodologia da Etapa 1, mas ocultamos os elementos com bacias opacas, de modo que as únicas informações a respeito da posição dos elementos nos vértices seriam as placas com padrões gráficos. Os resultados desta etapa mostraram que os indivíduos não associaram os padrões gráficos com os elementos de quebra durante as Etapas 1 e 1B deste estudo. Acreditamos que os macacos podem não ter realizado a associação na Etapa 1, porque os elementos estavam visíveis, ou seja, não havia a necessidade da associação; a qual seria vantajosa, apenas, na Etapa 1B, mas ela também não ocorreu ao longo desta etapa, talvez pelo tempo reduzido de exposição dos macacos ao problema, somado ao desinteresse dos indivíduos - possivelmente, devido à falta do estímulo visual dos elementos / The use of tools to crack nuts requires the gathering of three elements: the nut; the hammer, a loose rock or tree trunk, that the animal can lift and carry; and the anvil, a rigid and immovable surface. This study gives continuity to research with a group of semi-wild tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus sp.) from the Tietê Ecological Park. We divided this study in two main phases (#1 and #2), and a parallel phase (1B). In Phase 1, we examined if the monkeys exhibit a pattern in the sequential organization of the nut-cracking behavior. We provided and placed the three nut-cracking elements (nut, hammer and anvil) in a triangle: separated, equidistant and visible; each one paired with a plaque with different graphic sings. Thus, to crack the nut the individuals had to visit the triangle vertices and gather the movable elements (nut and hammer) at the anvil. Our results show that the monkeys have a well-defined pattern to perform the nut-cracking sequence: the nut is the first element to be collected, followed by the hammer, and then by the transport of both to the anvil. This is one of the shortest paths and the one with the lowest cost of hammer transportation. In Phase 2, we examined if the hammer being collected in second place is a mechanism to optimize the tool transportation or if it is just a byproduct of the priorization of the nut collection. We provided two hammers, of same weight, and placed them at different distances of the nut anvil, this way the cost of the hammer transportation (energy and risk of injury) would be higher or lower depending on the choice of hammer. The results show that, in fact, choosing the hammer that was closer to the anvil and the sequence that the elements were collected reduces the costs of hammer transportation. In Phase 1B, we examined, through the sequential organization of the nut-cracking behavior, if the monkeys were able to associate different graphic patterns with the nut-cracking elements. We used the same experimental configuration and methodology of Phase 1, but we hid the elements in the vertices underneath opaque bowls, so the only information about the location of the elements were the plaques with graphic signs. Our results show that the individuals did not associate the graphic patterns with the respective nut-cracking elements neither in Phase 1 nor in Phase 1B. We believe that the monkeys did not learn the association in Phase 1 because the elements were visible, so there was no need for the association - which would be advantageous only on Phase 1B - but it didnt occur during this phase either, perhaps because of the reduced time the monkeys were exposed to the problem, added to the disinterest of the individuals possibly due to the lack of the elements visual stimuli

There has been limited research done to determine the impact of the use of colour on communication displays in the facilitation of graphic symbol location within an overlay. As many Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems are pictorial in nature, it is of importance that interventionists are aware of the potential impact that colour can have on the accuracy and rate of symbol location. The present study is based on a study by Wilkinson, Carlin and Jagaroo (2006) and used the same testing material (colour conditions) whilst modifying the type of exposure to these colour conditions. This study investigated the effect of sequential exposure of colour conditions on the rate and accuracy of graphic symbol location. The study used a comparative, non-experimental group design using sixty participants who conformed to specific selection criteria. Each participant was exposed to three colour conditions that were placed in a specific sequential order. The participants were required to match a target, graphic symbol within an array of symbols in the differing colour conditions. Two different types of graphic symbols were used meaningful (Type A) and arbitrary (Type B). Two different colour sets were also used with the colour conditions varying in each set. Set 1 were the sequentially ordered colour conditions of same colour, mixed colour and unique colour symbols (difficult to easy) while Set 2 were the sequentially ordered colour conditions of unique colour, mixed colour and same colour symbols (easy to difficult). The major findings of the study were as follows. In terms of rate, there was a significant interaction noted between the two symbol types and their sequential ordering. The time taken (rate) for the location of the nonreferential forms was slower than that taken for the meaningful symbols. The reasoning behind this result could be that the non-referential forms were not as familiar to the participants as the meaningful symbols were. Thus, the rate recording of the meaningful symbols and the non-referential forms described in the three colour conditions was different and could be noted in the results. In terms of accuracy, a significant impact was noted between the two symbol types when the first manner of sequential ordering was used, however, there were no significant differences noted when the second manner of sequential ordering was used. This implies greater accuracy was recorded when the second manner of sequential ordering was used as this ordering appeared to be “visually easier” for the location of symbols. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication / unrestricted

The thesis investigates reference to non-present, singular persons in Swedish talk-ininteraction. The overall aim of the study is to analyse instances of person reference as parts of their linguistic, sequential and social contexts, and to describe these instances with regard to interactional, formal/structural, and functional aspects. An important point of departure for the study is that instances of person reference must be analysed as choices from different alternatives. This means that instances of person reference should neither be thought of as mere manifestations of the speaker’s own state of knowledge of the referent and her/his assessment of the addressee’s knowledge state, nor as reflections of structural aspects of the discourse. Theoretically and methodologically, the study belongs to the fields of interactional linguistics and conversation analysis (CA). The data for the study are drawn from naturally occurring everyday and institutional interaction and includes two-party and multi-party interaction, and telephone as well as face-to-face interaction. The analyses of introductory references to persons highlight issues such as the speaker’s claimed knowledge of/familiarity with the referent as well as the claims being made on behalf of the addressee, the role and importance of the referent in the activity of the talk, and the implications of person reference on the affiliation/disaffiliation of the participants with the referent, as well as with each other. The analyses of references to persons that have already been introduced in the interaction centres on partly different issues. The categorization of these references is based on two factors; the first being the sequential position of the reference and the second being whether the reference contributes to sequential continuity or discontinuity. The analyses emphasize that referential choice is an important resource for the construction of continuity and discontinuity, and that participants make use of these resources in unmarked as well as marked ways. This means that participants choose between different referential expressions, and these choices have different consequences depending on, inter alia, the sequential position of the reference. The study shows that reference to persons is doubly contextual: participants’ referential choices are made in consideration of the foregoing as well as the upcoming activity of the talk. Consequently, in order to adequately describe instances of person reference, the sequential context must be taken into account.

No description available.

La présente recherche explore les conséquences d’une perte auditive périphérique sur le traitement de l’information auditive. Des études ont montré que les enfants malentendants ont de la difficulté à effectuer des tâches d’écoute complexes. De plus, des études menées auprès d’adultes malentendants montrent que l’activité corticale associée à l’écoute de stimuli auditifs est différente de celle d’adultes entendants. Cependant, les résultats de ces études ne mettent pas en lumière la nature des difficultés de traitement de l’information auditive des enfants malentendants. Cette recherche examine donc cet aspect en ayant recours à des mesures comportementales et neurophysiologiques. Les données ont été recueillies auprès de 40 enfants âgés de 9 à 12 ans : 12 enfants ayant une surdité neurosensorielle, 12 enfants ayant trouble de traitement auditif et 16 enfants normo-entendants. Les enfants ont reproduit dans l’ordre des séquences de deux, trois et cinq stimuli verbaux ou non verbaux avec un intervalle interstimuli de 425 ms. Les enfants ont également reproduit des séquences de deux stimuli avec un intervalle interstimuli de 20 et 1000 ms. Enfin, les enfants ont été soumis à des mesures neurophysiologiques à partir de potentiels évoqués auditifs de latence longue et de négativité de discordance avec des paires de stimuli verbaux et non verbaux. Les résultats obtenus permettent d’avancer que les participants du groupe d’enfants malentendants ont un trouble spécifique de traitement auditif. En effet, les résultats de la tâche comportementale montrent que les enfants malentendants ont de la difficulté à traiter des séquences de stimuli lorsque ceux-ci sont verbaux et acoustiquement similaires. Quant aux données neurophysiologiques, les résultats ont démontré que l’amplitude de l’onde tardive N2 était réduite chez les enfants malentendants comparativement à celle de l’onde N2 des deux autres groupes d’enfants. Cette onde pourrait être considérée comme étant un marqueur neurophysiologique reflétant l’influence d’une perte auditive sur le traitement auditif central. De plus, l’amplitude de l’onde de négativité de discordance pourrait être aussi un marqueur pour distinguer les enfants malentendants de ceux ayant un trouble de traitement auditif.Mots-clés : organisation séquentielle auditive, potentiels évoqués auditifs de latence longue, négativité de discordance, enfants malentendants d’âge scolaire / The present research explores the effects of peripheral hearing loss on central auditory processing. Previous studies showed that children with hearing loss have significant difficulties in performing complex listening tasks. Moreover, studies of adults with hearing loss revealed that cortical activity related to listening to acoustic stimuli differed from that of adults without hearing loss. However, results of these studies do not clarify the nature of the difficulties in processing auditory information among children with hearing loss. The present research examines this issue using behavioural and neurophysiological measures. Behavioural and neurophysiological data were collected with forty 9- to 12-year-old children: 12 with hearing loss, 12 with central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) and 16 with normal hearing. Children repeated, in order, two, three, and five verbal and nonverbal stimuli with an interstimulus interval of 425 ms. They also repeated sequences of two stimuli with an interstimulus interval of 20 or 1000 ms. Finally, late-latency auditory evoked potentials and mismatch responses were recorded in the participants using pairs of verbal and nonverbal stimuli. Results suggest that children with hearing loss have a specific central auditory processing disorder. Results of the behavioural task showed that children with hearing loss had difficulty processing sequences of stimuli when the stimuli were verbal as well as similar and complex acoustically. As for the neurophysiological data, results indicated that the amplitude of late N2 waveform was smaller in children with hearing loss than in the other two groups of children. The N2 waveform has the potential to be a neurophysiological marker revealing the influence of hearing loss on central auditory processing. Moreover, the amplitude of the mismatch response could be another marker to distinguish the children with hearing loss from those with central auditory processing disorder. Keywords : Auditory sequential organization, late-latency auditory evoked potentials, mismatch responses, school-aged children with hearing loss

La présente recherche explore les conséquences d’une perte auditive périphérique sur le traitement de l’information auditive. Des études ont montré que les enfants malentendants ont de la difficulté à effectuer des tâches d’écoute complexes. De plus, des études menées auprès d’adultes malentendants montrent que l’activité corticale associée à l’écoute de stimuli auditifs est différente de celle d’adultes entendants. Cependant, les résultats de ces études ne mettent pas en lumière la nature des difficultés de traitement de l’information auditive des enfants malentendants. Cette recherche examine donc cet aspect en ayant recours à des mesures comportementales et neurophysiologiques. Les données ont été recueillies auprès de 40 enfants âgés de 9 à 12 ans : 12 enfants ayant une surdité neurosensorielle, 12 enfants ayant trouble de traitement auditif et 16 enfants normo-entendants. Les enfants ont reproduit dans l’ordre des séquences de deux, trois et cinq stimuli verbaux ou non verbaux avec un intervalle interstimuli de 425 ms. Les enfants ont également reproduit des séquences de deux stimuli avec un intervalle interstimuli de 20 et 1000 ms. Enfin, les enfants ont été soumis à des mesures neurophysiologiques à partir de potentiels évoqués auditifs de latence longue et de négativité de discordance avec des paires de stimuli verbaux et non verbaux. Les résultats obtenus permettent d’avancer que les participants du groupe d’enfants malentendants ont un trouble spécifique de traitement auditif. En effet, les résultats de la tâche comportementale montrent que les enfants malentendants ont de la difficulté à traiter des séquences de stimuli lorsque ceux-ci sont verbaux et acoustiquement similaires. Quant aux données neurophysiologiques, les résultats ont démontré que l’amplitude de l’onde tardive N2 était réduite chez les enfants malentendants comparativement à celle de l’onde N2 des deux autres groupes d’enfants. Cette onde pourrait être considérée comme étant un marqueur neurophysiologique reflétant l’influence d’une perte auditive sur le traitement auditif central. De plus, l’amplitude de l’onde de négativité de discordance pourrait être aussi un marqueur pour distinguer les enfants malentendants de ceux ayant un trouble de traitement auditif.Mots-clés : organisation séquentielle auditive, potentiels évoqués auditifs de latence longue, négativité de discordance, enfants malentendants d’âge scolaire / The present research explores the effects of peripheral hearing loss on central auditory processing. Previous studies showed that children with hearing loss have significant difficulties in performing complex listening tasks. Moreover, studies of adults with hearing loss revealed that cortical activity related to listening to acoustic stimuli differed from that of adults without hearing loss. However, results of these studies do not clarify the nature of the difficulties in processing auditory information among children with hearing loss. The present research examines this issue using behavioural and neurophysiological measures. Behavioural and neurophysiological data were collected with forty 9- to 12-year-old children: 12 with hearing loss, 12 with central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) and 16 with normal hearing. Children repeated, in order, two, three, and five verbal and nonverbal stimuli with an interstimulus interval of 425 ms. They also repeated sequences of two stimuli with an interstimulus interval of 20 or 1000 ms. Finally, late-latency auditory evoked potentials and mismatch responses were recorded in the participants using pairs of verbal and nonverbal stimuli. Results suggest that children with hearing loss have a specific central auditory processing disorder. Results of the behavioural task showed that children with hearing loss had difficulty processing sequences of stimuli when the stimuli were verbal as well as similar and complex acoustically. As for the neurophysiological data, results indicated that the amplitude of late N2 waveform was smaller in children with hearing loss than in the other two groups of children. The N2 waveform has the potential to be a neurophysiological marker revealing the influence of hearing loss on central auditory processing. Moreover, the amplitude of the mismatch response could be another marker to distinguish the children with hearing loss from those with central auditory processing disorder. Keywords : Auditory sequential organization, late-latency auditory evoked potentials, mismatch responses, school-aged children with hearing loss