Thesis (B.Sc)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / "A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Science (Speech and Hearing Sciences), The University of Hong Kong, June 30, 2005." Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005.

Thesis (B.Sc)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / "A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Science (Speech and Hearing Sciences), The University of Hong Kong, May 10, 2002." Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2005. / Supervisor: Theresa A. Jones. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2001. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 87, 13 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-87).

The two point threshold was studied extensively by the psychophysical experimenters of the last century. More recent formulations in signal detection theory have suggested that the statements of these workers about absolute thresholds should be viewed with caution. This study investigates the two point threshold in the light of these formulations, and has two main aims :- (1) To state and deal with the problem of relating a limitation in perceptual ability, such as that which is represented by the two point threshold, to the receptor organisation of the body. (2) To demonstrate a practice effect on the two point threshold, and to consider this in the light of (1) above. To fulfil these two aims, a model of the neural mechanisms underlying the discrimination of two points applied to the skin is proposed, and this is able to accommodate what is known of the two point threshold. Although the model is simple it explicitly accounts for size transfer and the practice effect, and provides some clues as to the type of neural mechanism capable of producing them. The practice effect is demonstrated experimentally, and the results are then referred to the model proposed. The physiology of an organism sets the limits for its behaviour. 'The first aim is thus an important one, in that it considers a specific case of this general problem. And secondly, the practice effect on the two point threshold is typical of a number of fairly simple "learning" phenomena, which are part of the psychologists' study of learning.

M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The purpose of the investigation was to study the joint effects of response probability and task complexity on response latency in simple and choice reaction time tasks. Sixteen, volunteer, University of British Columbia Physical Education students performed all four experimental conditions, one simple reaction time task and three choice reaction time tasks. Response latencies for 800 trials were obtained from each subject. Analysis of variance for a repeated measures design was used to analyse the data, with Harter and Newman-Keuls post-hoc multiple comparisons performed to test for significant differences between conditions. The empirical findings were generally not in agreement with the predicted hypotheses. It was found that very fast response latencies were made to complex tasks combined with low probability of occurrence. Subjects were also better prepared to initiate a response to an easy task with a low response probability than an easy task with a high response probability. It appears that subjects adopted a defensive type of strategy and that low response probability has more effect than high response probability on response latencies of choice reaction time tasks of unequal complexity. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

The main purpose of this study was to determine if subjects would employ a defensive type strategy in a two-choice reaction time task using tasks of unequal response complexity. The methodology used to investigate this problem involved examining the joint effects of two levels of task complexity and eight levels of response probability on response latency in one simple and seven choice experimental conditions. The hypothesized effects of response probability on response latency for tasks of unequal complexity are summarized as follows: (1) below a probability level of .50, response latency was expected to decrease as response probability decreased, and (2) above a .50 probability level no significant increase or decrease in response latency relative to the equal probability level was expected. The experimental task was a discrete, two-choice reaction time task, in which subjects were required to depress several response keys in a predetermined order following the onset of one of two possible stimulus lights. Two tasks of varying complexity were used: (1) a simple task involving two response keys only, and" (2) a complex task requiring the depression of five response keys in a specific order. Probability levels of 1.0, .90, .75, .60, .50, .40, .25, .10 provided eight experimental conditions under which the two tasks were performed. Sixteen male students from the University of British Columbia served as subjects. The empirical results did not provide support for the predicted hypotheses. It was found that for tasks of unequal complexity, subjects did not adopt a defensive strategy by preparing for the more difficult or less probable response. Results for both tasks illustrated a classical probability effect, i.e., an increase in probability results in a decrease in response latency, contrary to the predicted results for tasks of unequal complexity. Also, the extreme probability levels of .90 and .10 had a marked effect on the response latency for both tasks with the simple task showing greater variability than the complex task due to these probability levels. Data from this experiment tended to support the premise that response probability is a decreasing function of task complexity, i.e., the more complex the task the less effect response probability has on the resulting response latency. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate