Applying modern psychometric techniques to melodic discrimination testing: Item response theory, computerised adaptive testing, and automatic item generation

Modern psychometric theory provides many useful tools for ability testing, such as item response theory, computerised adaptive testing, and automatic item generation. However, these techniques have yet to be integrated into mainstream psychological practice. This is unfortunate, because modern psychometric techniques can bring many benefits, including sophisticated reliability measures, improved construct validity, avoidance of exposure effects, and improved efficiency. In the present research we therefore use these techniques to develop a new test of a well-studied psychological capacity: melodic discrimination, the ability to detect differences between melodies. We calibrate and validate this test in a series of studies. Studies 1 and 2 respectively calibrate and validate an initial test version, while Studies 3 and 4 calibrate and validate an updated test version incorporating additional easy items. The results support the new test’s viability, with evidence for strong reliability and construct validity. We discuss how these modern psychometric techniques may also be profitably applied to other areas of music psychology and psychological science in general

The Musicality of Non-Musicians: An Index for Assessing Musical Sophistication in the General Population

Musical skills and expertise vary greatly in Western societies. Individuals can differ in their repertoire of musical behaviours as well as in the level of skill they display for any single musical behaviour. The types of musical behaviours we refer to here are broad, ranging from performance on an instrument and listening expertise, to the ability to employ music in functional settings or to communicate about music. In this paper, we first describe the concept of ‘musical sophistication’ which can be used to describe the multi-faceted nature of musical expertise. Next, we develop a novel measurement instrument, the Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index (Gold-MSI) to assess self-reported musical skills and behaviours on multiple dimensions in the general population using a large Internet sample (n = 147,636). Thirdly, we report results from several lab studies, demonstrating that the Gold-MSI possesses good psychometric properties, and that self-reported musical sophistication is associated with performance on two listening tasks. Finally, we identify occupation, occupational status, age, gender, and wealth as the main socio-demographic factors associated with musical sophistication. Results are discussed in terms of theoretical accounts of implicit and statistical music learning and with regard to social conditions of sophisticated musical engagement

Three-dimensional imaging of pore water diffusion and motion in porous media by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging

We report on the use of a pulsed gradient spin-echo imaging sequence for the three-dimensional (3D) imaging of water transport properties in two porous media: 2 mm glass-beads and 0.15 turn quartz-sand mixed with 2 turn glass-beads. In contrast to tracer methods, which monitor the tracer motion by its effect on the signal relaxation of H-1, this sequence measures the echo signal intensity I-0 without and I with applied diffusion gradient, respectively. For the wide-pore glass-bead system, the intensity loss is controlled by nearly free self-diffusion in the pores. A mean apparent diffusion coefficient is calculated from the ratio ln(I-0/I) as = 1.9 x 10(-9) m(2) s(-1), which is slightly lower than that of free water (D = 2.3 x 10(-9) m(2) s(-1)). Increasing the mean pore flow velocity from 0 to 0.14 mm s(-1) results in a linear increase of to 2.3 x 10(-9) m(2) s(-1), caused by mechanical dispersion. The spatial distribution is of the log-normal type, where the width increases with increasing pore velocity. Correlation lengths are also calculated.For the fine porous medium, frequent contacts of the water molecules with the pore boundaries lead to a significant decrease of I-0 by increased T-2 relaxation. The resulting ratio of the signal intensities ln(I-0/I) is then smaller than expected for pure diffusion, which is caused by the restricted diffusion in the fine pore system. The spatial distribution (normal) is broader than for the glass-bead system and the mean local apparent diffusion coefficient is calculated as 1 x 10(-9) m(2) s(-1), a dependence on the pore flow velocity could not be detected.For the glass-bead system, the 3D image clearly shows regions of increased dispersivity (50% greater than the D-loc), caused by packing errors, leading to preferential flow. This macroscopic effect on the column scale is quantified by a numerical simulation of tracer transport, based on the 3D diffusion coefficient field, assuming a linear relation to local velocities. From this simulation, the effective dispersion coefficient is obtained for the column scale (D-eff = 130 x 10(-9) m(2) s(-1)), which is comparable to that obtained from classical break-through curves with tracer substances. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V

Musikhoeren und Verkehrssicherheit 1: Einfluesse von Musik auf die Reaktionszeit und Unfallhaeufigkeit beim Autofahren

TIB: AC 8499 (1) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman