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Vocal affect expression: A comparison of multidimensional scaling solutions for paired comparisons and computer sorting tasks using perceptual and acoustic measures
Abstract
The main purpose of this series of studies was to investigate whether multidimensional scaling (MDS) data for vocal affect stimuli could be obtained by using a sorting task. A comparison of a Paired Comparisons task with two sorting tasks (a partially computerized Card Sort and a fully computerized Icon Sort) was performed. The stimuli were produced by using a single sentence with non-emotional word content for portrayals by 3 male and 3 female actors of 5 emotional states (neutral, anger, fear, happiness, and sadness). Subjects listened to the sentences and performed one of the three tasks--for the Paired Comparisons, subjects rated pairs of sentences using a 1 to 7 similarity scale; for the Card Sort, subjects recorded cues on cards which they subsequently sorted into groups; and for the Icon Sort, subjects used icons on a computer screen for playback and sorting purposes. In addition, 7 acoustic measurements were made, and subjects rated the portrayals on 9 attributes and measured the emotionality of the sentences within each emotion using a Tape Measure task. Regression analyses to fit these 3 measures into the MDS solution spaces for the 3 data collection methods along with cluster analyses of the data were used for assistance in the interpretation of the solutions. Results from the MDS solutions indicate that a 3-dimensional space was necessary to adequately fit the data from all 3 studies. However, the Icon Sort revealed a solution space with activation, potency, and evaluation as relevant dimensional qualities and thus provided the best representation of the perceptual structure of the stimuli. This project provides evidence that sorting tasks may be a viable alternative for collecting data using auditory stimuli. The studies also provide replication and extension of research on vocal affect and emotion.
Subject Area
Psychology|Experiments|Psychological tests
Recommended Citation
Bonebright, Terri Lee, "Vocal affect expression: A comparison of multidimensional scaling solutions for paired comparisons and computer sorting tasks using perceptual and acoustic measures" (1996). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9715955.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9715955