Posed and spontaneous nonverbal vocalizations of positive emotions: Acoustic analysis and perceptual judgments

When experiencing different positive emotional states, like amusement or relief, we may produce nonverbal vocalizations such as laughs and sighs. In the current study, we describe the acoustic structure of posed and spontaneous nonverbal vocalizations of 14 different positive emotions, and test whether listeners (N =201) map the vocalizations to emotions. The results show that vocalizations of 13 different positive emotions were recognized at better-than-chance levels, but not vocalizations of being moved. Emotions varied in whether vocalizations were better recognized from spontaneous or posed expressions

Posed and spontaneous nonverbal vocalizations of positive emotions: Acoustic analysis and perceptual judgments

When experiencing different positive emotional states, like amusement or relief, we may produce nonverbal vocalizations such as laughs and sighs. In the current study, we describe the acoustic structure of posed and spontaneous nonverbal vocalizations of 14 different positive emotions, and test whether listeners (N =201) map the vocalizations to emotions. The results show that vocalizations of 13 different positive emotions were recognized at better-than-chance levels, but not vocalizations of being moved. Emotions varied in whether vocalizations were better recognized from spontaneous or posed expressions

Human listeners' perception of behavioural context and core affect dimensions in chimpanzee vocalizations

Vocalizations linked to emotional states are partly conserved among phylogenetically related species. This continuity may allow humans to accurately infer affective information from vocalizations produced by chimpanzees. In two pre-registered experiments, we examine human listeners' ability to infer behavioural contexts (e.g. discovering food) and core affect dimensions (arousal and valence) from 155 vocalizations produced by 66 chimpanzees in 10 different positive and negative contexts at high, medium or low arousal levels. In experiment 1, listeners (n = 310), categorized the vocalizations in a forced-choice task with 10 response options, and rated arousal and valence. In experiment 2, participants (n = 3120) matched vocalizations to production contexts using yes/no response options. The results show that listeners were accurate at matching vocalizations of most contexts in addition to inferring arousal and valence. Judgments were more accurate for negative as compared to positive vocalizations. An acoustic analysis demonstrated that, listeners made use of brightness and duration cues, and relied on noisiness in making context judgements, and pitch to infer core affect dimensions. Overall, the results suggest that human listeners can infer affective information from chimpanzee vocalizations beyond core affect, indicating phylogenetic continuity in the mapping of vocalizations to behavioural contexts

Threat vocalisations are acoustically similar between humans (Homo sapiens) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

In behavioural contexts like fighting, eating, and playing, acoustically distinctive vocalisations are produced across many mammalian species. Such expressions may be conserved in evolution, pointing to the possibility of acoustic regularities in the vocalisations of phylogenetically related species. Here, we test this hypothesis by comparing the degree of acoustic similarity between human and chimpanzee vocalisations produced in 10 similar behavioural contexts. We use two complementary analysis methods: Pairwise acoustic distance measures and acoustic separability metrics based on unsupervised learning algorithms. Cross-context analysis revealed that acoustic features of vocalisations produced when threatening another individual were distinct from other types of vocalisations and highly similar across species. Using a multimethod approach, these findings demonstrate that human vocalisations produced when threatening another person are acoustically similar to chimpanzee vocalisations in the same situation as compared to other types of vocalisations, likely reflecting a phylogenetically ancient vocal signalling system

Many Labs 2: Investigating Variation in Replicability Across Samples and Settings

We conducted preregistered replications of 28 classic and contemporary published findings, with protocols that were peer reviewed in advance, to examine variation in effect magnitudes across samples and settings. Each protocol was administered to approximately half of 125 samples that comprised 15,305 participants from 36 countries and territories. Using the conventional criterion of statistical significance (p < .05), we found that 15 (54%) of the replications provided evidence of a statistically significant effect in the same direction as the original finding. With a strict significance criterion (p < .0001), 14 (50%) of the replications still provided such evidence, a reflection of the extremely highpowered design. Seven (25%) of the replications yielded effect sizes larger than the original ones, and 21 (75%) yielded effect sizes smaller than the original ones. The median comparable Cohen’s ds were 0.60 for the original findings and 0.15 for the replications. The effect sizes were small (< 0.20) in 16 of the replications (57%), and 9 effects (32%) were in the direction opposite the direction of the original effect. Across settings, the Q statistic indicated significant heterogeneity in 11 (39%) of the replication effects, and most of those were among the findings with the largest overall effect sizes; only 1 effect that was near zero in the aggregate showed significant heterogeneity according to this measure. Only 1 effect had a tau value greater than .20, an indication of moderate heterogeneity. Eight others had tau values near or slightly above .10, an indication of slight heterogeneity. Moderation tests indicated that very little heterogeneity was attributable to the order in which the tasks were performed or whether the tasks were administered in lab versus online. Exploratory comparisons revealed little heterogeneity between Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) cultures and less WEIRD cultures (i.e., cultures with relatively high and low WEIRDness scores, respectively). Cumulatively, variability in the observed effect sizes was attributable more to the effect being studied than to the sample or setting in which it was studied.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Sociales::Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas (IIP

Effects of autochthonous Lactobacillus plantarum strains on Listeria monocytogenes in sucuk during ripening

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of autochthonous Lactobacillus plantarum strains (S50, S51, S72, S74, and S85) as starter cultures on growth of Listeria monocytogenes in sucuk (Turkish dry fermented sausage) production. The counts of L. monocytogenes, lactic acid bacteria, and Enterobacteriaceae as well as pH value and moisture content were determined in sucuk during ripening period. L. monocytogenes, lactic acid bacteria, and pH value were significantly affected (p < 0.01) by both starter culture and ripening period. A slight increase in L. monocytogenes count was observed in the control group whereas a reduction was observed in samples produced with L. plantarum strains at the first day of fermentation. Although L. monocytogenes reduction in control group with spontaneous microbiota was 0.54 log cfu/g after 11 days of ripening, reductions of as high as 2.74 log cfu/g was observed in the presence of L. plantarum S50. Practical applications: In the current study, five different autochthonous Lactobacillus plantarum isolates were identified, the effects of these strains on the behavior of Listeria monocytogenes in Turkish fermented sausage (sucuk) were determined. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report investigating the effects of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria strains on behavior of L. monocytogenes in sucuk fermentation. As starter culture autochthonous lactic acid bacteria can be more competitive than commercial types. Our findings reveal the importance of the use of these autochthonous L. plantarum strains causes rapid pH drop to inhibit L. monocytogenes growth during sucuk fermentation. And also L. plantarum S50 strain may be more suitable for use as bioprotective culture or starter culture compared to other strains. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Perception of group membership from spontaneous and volitional laughter

Laughter is a ubiquitous social signal. Recent work has highlighted distinctions between spontaneous and volitional laughter, which differ in terms of both production mechanisms and perceptual features. Here, we test listeners’ ability to infer group identity from volitional and spontaneous laughter, as well as the perceived positivity of these laughs across cultures. Dutch (n = 273) and Japanese (n = 131) participants listened to decontextualized laughter clips and judged 1) whether the laughing person was from their cultural in-group or an out-group; and 2) whether they thought the laughter was produced spontaneously or volitionally. They also rated the positivity of each laughter clip. Using frequentist and Bayesian analyses, we show that listeners were able to infer group membership from both spontaneous and volitional laughter, and that performance was equivalent for both types of laughter. Spontaneous laughter was rated as more positive than volitional laughter across the two cultures, and in-group laughs were perceived as more positive than out-group laughs by Dutch but not Japanese listeners. Our results demonstrate that both spontaneous and volitional laughter can be used by listeners to infer laughers’ cultural group identity

Sounds like a fight: listeners can infer behavioural contexts from spontaneous nonverbal vocalisations

When we hear another person laugh or scream, can we tell the kind of situation they are in – for example, whether they are playing or fighting? Nonverbal expressions are theorised to vary systematically across behavioural contexts. Perceivers might be sensitive to these putative systematic mappings and thereby correctly infer contexts from others’ vocalisations. Here, in two pre-registered experiments, we test the prediction that listeners can accurately deduce production contexts (e.g. being tickled, discovering threat) from spontaneous nonverbal vocalisations, like sighs and grunts. In Experiment 1, listeners (total n = 3120) matched 200 nonverbal vocalisations to one of 10 contexts using yes/no response options. Using signal detection analysis, we show that listeners were accurate at matching vocalisations to nine of the contexts. In Experiment 2, listeners (n = 337) categorised the production contexts by selecting from 10 response options in a forced-choice task. By analysing unbiased hit rates, we show that participants categorised all 10 contexts at better-than-chance levels. Together, these results demonstrate that perceivers can infer contexts from nonverbal vocalisations at rates that exceed that of random selection, suggesting that listeners are sensitive to systematic mappings between acoustic structures in vocalisations and behavioural contexts.</p

Synthesis and investigation of spectroelectrochemical properties of peripherally tetra-substituted phthalocyanine bearing 3-(4-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)propan-1-ol and its metallo compounds

In this study, the new compounds; 3-(4-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)propan-1-ol 3 was prepared by the reaction of 4-(3-hydroxypropyl)phenol 1 with 1-(bromomethyl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)benzene 2 and 4-[3-(4-{[3 (trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)propoxy] phthalonitrile 5 was synthesized by the reaction of 4-nitrophthalonitrile 4 with 3-(4-{[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)propan-1-ol 3. Novel peripherally tetra substituted H2Pc 6, Co(II) 7, Cu(II) 8, Ni(II) 9 and Fe(II) 10 phthalocyanines, which have peripheral positions with 4-[3-(4-{[3 (trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)propoxy] groups, were synthesized and all of the new compounds characterized by IR, H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR, UV-Vis, mass spectroscopies and elemental analysis. The electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical investigation of the phthalocyanines carrying 4-[3-(4-{[3 (trifluoromethyl)benzyl]oxy}phenyl)propoxy] groups were studied using various electrochemical techniques in DMF on a glassy carbon electrode. Cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry studies show that the complexes have either metal based or ligand-based diffusion controlled electron transfer properties. To shed more light on the electron-transfer steps of the complexes and assignments of the redox couples were carried out by spectroelectrochemical measurements. The color changes during spectral changes of redox species were recorded with in situ electrocolorimetric measurements. The electrochemical and in situ UV-Vis spectral change of complexes indicated their applicability in the fields of the electrochemical technologies