Browsing by keyword "Work Group on Substance Abuse Disorders"

Now showing items 1-3 of 3

    • From zero to a hundred in a split second: understanding aggression in an eight-year-old child
      Rappaport, Nancy; Frazier, Jean A.; Connor, Daniel F.; Mattison, Richard (2006-06-22)

    • Preliminary Exploration of the Effect of Background Color on the Speed and Accuracy of Search for an Aided Symbol Target by Typically Developing Preschoolers
      Wilkinson, Krista M.; Coombs, Bridgett (2010-01-01)
      Aided augmentative and alternative communication can be used successfully with individuals with communication disabilities. Recent studies suggest that, where possible, arranging symbols based on internal color (placing red fruits together) facilitates search for a target symbol by children with and without Down syndrome (Wilkinson, Carlin, & Thistle, 2008). We explored whether color cuing of symbol background might offer similar benefits for symbols that cannot readily be arranged by internal color. Ten nondisabled preschoolers engaged in computer search tasks for line drawings representing common animals when the line drawings appeared on white backgrounds compared to color-saturated backgrounds that cued the subcategory to which the target belonged (land mammal, sea creature, bird, insect). Older children showed no consistent enhancement across conditions. Younger children responded significantly more slowly when the color cue was present. Background color cuing may function differently than symbol-internal color cues, impeding responses in younger children rather than facilitating them.

    • Preliminary investigation of visual attention to human figures in photographs: potential considerations for the design of aided AAC visual scene displays
      Wilkinson, Krista M.; Light, Janice (2011-12-01)
      PURPOSE: Many individuals with complex communication needs may benefit from visual aided augmentative and alternative communication systems. In visual scene displays (VSDs), language concepts are embedded into a photograph of a naturalistic event. Humans play a central role in communication development and might be important elements in VSDs. However, many VSDs omit human figures. In this study, the authors sought to describe the distribution of visual attention to humans in naturalistic scenes as compared with other elements. METHOD: Nineteen college students observed 8 photographs in which a human figure appeared near 1 or more items that might be expected to compete for visual attention (such as a Christmas tree or a table loaded with food). Eye-tracking technology allowed precise recording of participants' gaze. The fixation duration over a 7-s viewing period and latency to view elements in the photograph were measured. RESULTS: Participants fixated on the human figures more rapidly and for longer than expected based on the size of these figures, regardless of the other elements in the scene. CONCLUSIONS: Human figures attract attention in a photograph even when presented alongside other attractive distracters. Results suggest that humans may be a powerful means to attract visual attention to key elements in VSDs.