Facial signals and social actions in multimodal face-to-face interaction

In a conversation, recognising the speaker’s social action (e.g., a request) early may help the potential following speakers understand the intended message quickly, and plan a timely response. Human language is multimodal, and several studies have demonstrated the contribution of the body to communication. However, comparatively few studies have investigated (non-emotional) conversational facial signals and very little is known about how they contribute to the communication of social actions. Therefore, we investigated how facial signals map onto the expressions of two fundamental social actions in conversations: asking questions and providing responses. We studied the distribution and timing of 12 facial signals across 6778 questions and 4553 responses, annotated holistically in a corpus of 34 dyadic face-to-face Dutch conversations. Moreover, we analysed facial signal clustering to find out whether there are specific combinations of facial signals within questions or responses. Results showed a high proportion of facial signals, with a qualitatively different distribution in questions versus responses. Additionally, clusters of facial signals were identified. Most facial signals occurred early in the utterance, and had earlier onsets in questions. Thus, facial signals may critically contribute to the communication of social actions in conversation by providing social action-specific visual information

Conversational eyebrow frowns facilitate question identification:An online study using virtual avatars

Conversation is a time-pressured environment. Recognizing a social action (the ‘‘speech act,’’ such as a question requesting information) early is crucial in conversation to quickly understand the intended message and plan a timely response. Fast turns between interlocutors are especially relevant for responses to questions since a long gap may be meaningful by itself. Human language is multimodal, involving speech as well as visual signals from the body, including the face. But little is known about how conversational facial signals contribute to the communication of social actions. Some of the most prominent facial signals in conversation are eyebrow movements. Previous studies found links between eyebrow movements and questions, suggesting that these facial signals could contribute to the rapid recognition of questions. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether early eyebrow movements (eyebrow frown or raise vs. no eyebrow movement) facilitate question identification. Participants were instructed to view videos of avatars where the presence of eyebrow movements accompanying questions was manipulated. Their task was to indicate whether the utterance was a question or a statement as accurately and quickly as possible. Data were collected using the online testing platform Gorilla. Results showed higher accuracies and faster response times for questions with eyebrow frowns, suggesting a facilitative role of eyebrow frowns for question identification. This means that facial signals can critically contribute to the communication of social actions in conversation by signaling social action-specific visual information and providing visual cues to speakers’ intentions

Influencia de la red internacional en la competencia lingüística y cultural de los estudiantes

This study explores the impact of a class project based on online interaction with a native pen friend. The purpose of the study was to analyze the relationship between the Colombian and the foreigner participants, and to investigate how students were able to establish a relationship with a native speaker and improve their linguistic and cultural knowledge through this interaction. In addition, the impact of the class project was evaluated taking into account the partnership interaction, cultural aspects, and the use of ICT´s. The project aimed at answering the question: how does the relationship with a pen-friend influence the creation of knowledge of an individual? The research design adopted is a case study defined by Yin (1984:23) as “an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon (the ‘case’) in depth and within its real-world context”. The sample was selected by using the random sampling technique and fifteen participants took part in the study on a voluntary basis. A questionnaire with open-ended and closed questions and a focus group were proposed as part of the data collection instruments in order to get participants’ perceptions about the topic under study. The findings reveal that developing an international network fosters the acquisition of knowledge related to culture and the language both vital for language students.Este estudio explora el impacto de un proyecto de clase basado en la interacción en línea con un amigo nativo. El propósito del estudio fue analizar la relación entre los participantes colombianos y extranjeros, e investigar cómo los estudiantes pudieron establecer una relación con un hablante nativo y mejorar su conocimiento lingüístico y cultural a través de esta interacción. Además, el impacto del proyecto de clase se evaluó teniendo en cuenta la interacción con el nativo(s), los aspectos culturales y el uso de las Nuevas Tecnologías de la Información o TIC por sus siglas en inglés. El proyecto tenía como objetivo responder a la pregunta: ¿cómo influye la relación con un amigo por correspondencia en la creación de conocimiento de un individuo? El diseño de investigación adoptado es un estudio de caso definido por Yin (1984: 23) como "una investigación empírica que investiga un fenómeno contemporáneo (el" caso") en profundidad y dentro de su contexto del mundo real". La muestra se seleccionó mediante la técnica de muestreo aleatorio y quince participantes tomaron parte en el estudio de forma voluntaria. Se propuso un cuestionario con preguntas abiertas y cerradas y un grupo focal como parte de los instrumentos de recopilación de datos para obtener las percepciones de los participantes sobre el tema en estudio. Los resultados revelan que el desarrollo de una red internacional fomenta la adquisición de conocimientos relacionados con la cultura y el idioma, que son vitales para los estudiantes de idiomas

Facilitating question identification through natural intensity eyebrow movements in virtual avatars

In conversation, recognizing social actions (similar to ‘speech acts’) early is important to quickly understand the speaker’s intended message and to provide a fast response. Fast turns are typical for fundamental social actions like questions, since a long gap can indicate a dispreferred response. In multimodal face-to-face interaction, visual signals may contribute to this fast dynamic. The face is an important source of visual signalling, and previous research found that prevalent facial signals such as eyebrow movements facilitate the rapid recognition of questions. We aimed to investigate whether early eyebrow movements with natural movement intensities facilitate question identification, and whether specific intensities are more helpful in detecting questions. Participants were instructed to view videos of avatars where the presence of eyebrow movements (eyebrow frown or raise vs. no eyebrow movement) was manipulated, and to indicate whether the utterance in the video was a question or statement. Results showed higher accuracies for questions with eyebrow frowns, and faster response times for questions with eyebrow frowns and eyebrow raises. No additional effect was observed for the specific movement intensity. This suggests that eyebrow movements that are representative of naturalistic multimodal behaviour facilitate question recognition

Presupuesto por resultados y su influencia en la ejecución de inversiones en la municipalidad distrital de El Porvenir, 2020-2021

Esta investigación tiene como objetivo demostrar la influencia del presupuesto por resultados en la ejecución de las inversiones en la Municipalidad Distrital de El Porvenir, 2020–2021. Se utilizó un estudio de enfoque cuantitativo, diseño no experimental, se emplearon técnicas como análisis documental y encuesta e instrumentos como la hoja de registro de datos y cuestionario que fue aplicado a 30 servidores públicos de la Municipalidad Distrital de El Porvenir. La población y muestra estuvo constituida por los reportes del presupuesto programado, modificado y ejecución de inversiones que se obtuvieron de la Gerencia de Planeamiento y Presupuesto. Como resultado de la investigación se confirmó nuestra hipótesis propuesta que el presupuesto por resultados influye positivamente en la ejecución de inversiones en la Municipalidad Distrital de El Porvenir, 2020–2021, al determinarse la influencia en número de 22 inversiones que asciende a un monto total de S/ 15,059,473 soles que representa el 83.35% del total del presupuesto por resultados, se confirma a través de la prueba no paramétrica de Pearson un coeficiente de 0,764 lo cual indica que existe relación positiva fuerte entre el presupuesto por resultados y la ejecución de inversiones y la significativa bilateral de 0.000 que es menor a la correlación de significativa bilateral de 0.01; lo que se establece que se rechaza la hipótesis nula y se acepta la hipótesis alterna.This research aims to demonstrate the influence of the budget for results in the execution of investments in the District Municipality of El Porvenir, 2020-2021. A study with a quantitative approach, non-experimental design, techniques such as documentary analysis and survey and instruments such as the data record sheet and questionnaire that was applied to 30 public servants of the District Municipality of El Porvenir were used. The population and sample consisted of the reports of the programmed, modified and investment execution budgets that were obtained from the Planning and Budget Management. As a result of the investigation, our proposed hypothesis was confirmed that the budget for results positively influences the execution of investments in the District Municipality of El Porvenir, 2020-2021, by determining the influence in number of 22 investments that amounts to a total amount of S/ 15,059,473 soles, which represents 83.35% of the total budget for results, a coefficient of 0.764 is confirmed through Pearson's non-parametric test, which indicates that there is a strong positive relationship between the budget for results and the execution of investments and the two-sided significant of 0.000 which is less than the two-sided significant correlation of 0.01; which establishes that the null hypothesis is rejected and the alternative hypothesis is accepted.Tesi

Propiedades psicométricas de la escala de Alexitimia de Toronto (TAS-20) en jóvenes peruanos

El estudio tuvo como objetivo general determinar las evidencias psicométricas de la Escala de Alexitimia de Toronto (TAS-20) en jóvenes peruanos. Presentó un tipo de investigación instrumental de corte transversal. La muestra estuvo constituida por 300 jóvenes peruanos de 18 a 35 años. Con respecto a la validez de contenido de dicha escala se hallaron valores adecuados dado que fueron mayores a 0.70. Los resultados del análisis factorial confirmatorio indican que se obtuvo un segundo modelo conformado por 3 factores y 19 ítems corroborando que el instrumento presenta un adecuado índice de ajuste (X2/gl = 2.26, CFI=0.92, TLI= 0.91, SRMR= 0.04 RMSEA= 0.05). Por otra parte, se realizó la confiabilidad mediante el método de consistencia interna donde se obtuvieron coeficientes alfa y omega mayores a .70 en los 3 factores. Por lo que se concluye que la Escala de Alexitimia posee adecuadas propiedades psicométricas para un modelo de 19 ítems y 3 dimensiones, para una muestra de jóvenes peruano

Los recursos educativos digitales y la comprensión lectora en estudiantes de tercer grado de educación primaria de una Institución Educativa en Lurigancho-Chosica, 2021

El objetivo de este trabajo de investigación fue titulada Los recursos educativos digitales y la comprensión lectora en estudiantes de tercer grado de educación primaria de una Institución Educativa en Lurigancho-Chosica, 2021 menciona como su principal problema: ¿Cuál es la relación que existe entre los recursos educativos digitales y la comprensión lectora? Se planteó como objetivo la determinación de la relación que existe entre los recursos educativos digitales y la comprensión lectora. La metodología que se empleó se enmarca dentro del enfoque cuantitativo, a su vez se contó con el diseño no experimental y transeccional, el nivel puesto en práctica fue el descriptivo-correlacional. Se pudo contar con la colaboración de 39 estudiantes, considerando una muestra no probabilística intencional; se empleó como técnica de investigación la encuesta y como instrumento el cuestionario, validado por especialistas quienes dieron su visto bueno. En los estadísticos descriptivos se descubrió que el 43,6 % (17) de los estudiantes utilizan regularmente los recursos educativos digitales y un 15,4 % (6) utilizan con frecuencia dichos recursos. La conclusión principal indica que: Existe relación directa y significativa entre los recursos educativos digitales y la comprensión lectora en estudiantes de tercer grado de educación primaria de una Institución Educativa en Lurigancho-Chosica, 2021, siendo el valor significativo p < 0,05 y el Rho de Spearman = 0,427 correlación positiva media.The objective of this research work was entitled Digital educational resources and reading comprehension in students of third grade of primary education of an Educational Institution in Lurigancho-Chosica, 2021 mentions as his main problem: What is the relationship that Is there between digital educational resources and reading comprehension? was raised as The objective is to determine the relationship that exists between digital educational resources and reading comprehension. The methodology used is part of the approach quantitative, in turn, the non-experimental and transectional design was used, the level put into practice was the descriptive-correlational. It was possible to count on the collaboration of 39 students, considering an intentional non-probabilistic sample; was used as research technique the survey and as an instrument the questionnaire, validated by specialists who gave their approval. In the descriptive statistics it was discovered that 43.6% (17) of students regularly use educational resources digital and 15.4% (6) frequently use these resources. The main conclusion indicates that: There is a direct and significant relationship between digital educational resources and reading comprehension in students of third grade of primary education of a Educational Institution in Lurigancho-Chosica, 2021, the significant value being p < 0.05 and Spearman's Rho = 0.427 mean positive correlation.ChosicaTecnología y soportes educativosEscuela Profesional de Educación Primari