Verbal Transformations of “Stabilized” Taboo and Neutral Words

Piper

et al. 1979

Self Cite

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...

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 60%

“…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).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Piper

et al. 1979

Self Cite

show abstract

“…Theoretically, VTs may occur because of a decrease in psychological and/or physiological "arousal" during word repetition. For example, Calef, Calef, Kesecker, and Burwell (1974), Evans and Kitson (1967), and Warren (1968) obtained results confirming the "arousal" notion by observing that phonetically complex words, less familiar words, and taboo words produced fewer VTs than did phonetically simple words, familiar words, and neutral words, respectively . In addition, Warren (1961Warren ( , 1962 found that young adults (ages 18-25) reported more VTs than did elderly adults (ages 62-86) and nursery school children (age 5).…”

mentioning

confidence: 85%

Imagined verbal transformations as a function of age and verbal intelligence

Piper

et al. 1977

Self Cite

“…Also, more " arousing" stimuli produced fewer verbal transformations than did "nonarousing" stimuli. For example, neutral words resulted in more VTs than did taboo words (Calef et al, 1974), familiar words resulted in more VTs than did less familiar words (Evans & Kitson, 1967), and increasing word complexity resulted in fewer VTs (Warren, 1968) .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The 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).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Snyder

Choban

et al. 1992

Self Cite