Verbal transformation as a function of boredom susceptibility, attention maintenance, and exposure time

Abstract

Sixteen high-boredom-susceptible (HBS) and 16 low-boredom-susceptible (LBS) college students recorded word distortions on a structured data sheet (i.e., numbered) or on a nonstructured data sheet, resulting in groups of 8 college students who were presented with six neutral words for 6 min each. In the structured situation, the LBS subjects produced significantly more verbal transformations (i.e., word distortions) than HBS subjects, but in the nonstructured situation, there was a trend for HBS subjects to produce a higher verbal transformation rate than that shown by LBS subjects. In addition, all subjects produced significantly more verbal transformations in the last 3 min as compared to the first 3 min of exposure time . Attention and arousal notions were considered to interpret these findings .Previous researchers (Evans & Kitson, 1967;Warren, 1968) have studied subjects' reports of word distortions following the continuous repetition of the same word , Results have shown that a word may undergo illusory changes (verbal transformations) as a function of being repeated aloud a number of times. These transformations have ranged from perceptions of words that rhyme with the actual stimulus to more extreme phonetic distortions such as synonyms or antonyms (Calef, Calef, Kesecker , & Burwell, 1974).Theoretically, these word distortions occur because of an absence of psychological and/or physiological "arousal" accompanying auditory repetition . Indeed , Calef et al. (1974), Evans and Kitson (1967), and Warren (1968) obtained results supportive of an "arousal" theory. More specifically, Warren (1968) found verbal transformation (VT) frequency to decrease with phonetic complexity; Evans and Kitson (1967) observed more familiar words to elicit more VTs than less familiar words; and Calef et al. (1974) found more VTs from neutral than taboo words. Thus, it seems that words that elicit more "arousal" maintain the subject's attention longer and yield relatively fewer transformations (e.g., words with less familiarity, more phonetic complexity, and less social acceptability) .Calef, Calef, Piper, Wilson , and Geller (1977a) found that more VTs occurred for young adults than for Reprint requests should be sent to E. Scott Geller, Department of Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061. children, and that for young adults, VT frequency was directly related to verbal intelligence. These data also seemed to support the "arousal" notion , since repetition should have produced more boredom for the younger and more intelligent adults , resulting in increased VT rate . On the other hand, Calef, Calef, Piper, Wilson, and Gelle'r (1977b) obtained evidence that did not support "arousal" interpretations. Contrary to the "arousal" hypothesis that a neutral stimulus should elicit less "arousal" and more VTs for highboredom-susceptible (HBS) subjects than for lowboredom-susceptible (LBS) subjects, LBS students actually produced significantly more VTs than did HBS students. Calef et aI...

Le phénomène de la transformation verbale: Étude du rythme de présentation du materiel sonore et du niveau d'attention des sujets.

“…Pourquoi le haut transformeur percoit-il plus de fausses cibles à la tâche d’attention auditive (peu importe les instructions) et pourquoi en percoit-il encore plus à cette même tâche lorsqu’elle arrive aprés qu’on lui ait demandé d’être attentif au PTV qui a précédé? La réponse semble possiblement résider dans un état élevé d’éveil, exactement à l’inverse de ce qu’avaient d’abord supposé Calef et son groupe (Calef et al, 1977a, b, 1979) et qui rend l’individu trés alerte et attentif à t témoigner du moindre indice subjectif de changement qu’il peut déceler. Celui qui se prête bien à la tâche demandée semble voir son attention et son intérêt augmentés par l’apparition de changements qu’il sait pourtant irréels.…”

Effects of word repetition and presentation rate on the frequency of verbal transformations: Support for habituation

“…The structured data sheet, similar to that used by Calef et al (1979) , began with the following instructions:…”

Frequency of verbal transformations as a function of word-presentation styles

“…A four-page structured data sheet similar to the one used by Calef et al (1979) was used . On Page 1 of the data sheet, the following instructions were printed: 3M SNYDER,CALEF,CHOBAN,ANDGELLER The total number of verbal transformations per subject was calculated for each condition.…”