In the study of perceptual abilities of infants, a number of techniques are used to determine infants' responses to various stimuli. Because they cannot verbalize or fill out questionnaires, indirect techniques of naturalistic observation are used as the primary means of determining what infants can see, hear, feel, and so forth. Each of these methods compares an infant's state prior to the introduction of a stimulus with its state during or immediately following the stimulus. The difference between the two measures provides the researcher with an indication of the level and duration of the response to the stimulus. For example, if a uniformly moving pattern of some sort is passed across the visual field of a neonate (newborn), repetitive following movements of the eye occur. The occurrence of these eye movements provides evidence that the moving pattern is perceived at some level by the newborn. Similarly, changes in the infant's general level of motor activity —turning the head, blinking the eyes, crying, and so forth — have been used by researchers as visual indicators of the infant's perceptual abilities.
Such techniques, however, have limitations. First, the observation may be unreliable in that two or more observers may not agree that the particular response occurred, or to what degree it occurred. Second, responses are difficult to quantify. Often the rapid and diffuse movements of the infant make it difficult to get an accurate record of the number of responses. The third, and most potent, limitation is that it is not possible to be certain that the infant's response was due to the stimulus presented or to a change from no stimulus to a stimulus. The infant may be responding to aspects of the stimulus different than those identified by the investigator. Therefore, when observational assessment is used as a technique for studying infant perceptual abilities, care must be taken not to overgeneralize from the data or to rely on one or two studies as conclusive evidence of a particular perceptual ability of the infant.
Observational assessment techniques have become much more sophisticated, reducing the limitations just presented. Film analysis of the infant's responses, heart and respiration rate monitors, and are used as effective tools in understanding infant perception. Film analysis permits researchers to carefully study the infant's responses over and over and in slow motion. Precise measurements can be made of the length and frequency of the infant's attention between two stimuli. Heart and respiration monitors provide the investigator with the number of heartbeats or breaths taken when a new stimulus is presented. Numerical increases are used as quantifiable indicators of heightened interest in the new stimulus. Increases in nonnutritive sucking were first used as an assessment measure by researchers in 1969. They devised an apparatus that connected a baby's pacifier to a counting device. As stimuli were presented, changes in the infant's sucking behavior were recorded. Increases in the number of sucks were used as an indicator of the infant's attention to or preference for a given visual display.
Two additional techniques of studying infant perception have come into vogue. The first is the habituation-dishabituation technique, in which a single stimulus is presented repeatedly to the infant until there is a measurable decline (habituation) in whatever attending behavior is being observed. At that point a new stimulus is presented, and any recovery (dishabituation) in responsiveness is recorded. If the infant fails to dishabituate and continues to show habituation with the new stimulus, it is assumed that the baby is unable to perceive the new stimulus as different. The habituation-dishabituation paradigm has been used most extensively with studies of auditory and olfactory perception in infants. The second technique relies on evoked potentials, which are electrical brain responses that may be related to a particular stimulus because of where they originate. Changes in the electrical pattern of the brain indicate that the stimulus is getting through to the infant's central nervous system and eliciting some form of response.
Each of the preceding techniques provides the researcher with evidence that the infant can detect or discriminate between stimuli. With these sophisticated observational assessment and electro-physiological measures, we know that the neonate of only a few days is far more perceptive than previously suspected. However, these measures are only "indirect" indicators of the infant's perceptual abilities.
Paragraph 1: In the study of perceptual abilities of infants, a number of techniques are used to determine infants' responses to various stimuli. Because they cannot verbalize or fill out questionnaires, indirect techniques of naturalistic observation are used as the primary means of determining what infants can see, hear, feel, and so forth. Each of these methods compares an infant's state prior to the introduction of a stimulus with its state during or immediately following the stimulus. The difference between the two measures provides the researcher with an indication of the level and duration of the response to the stimulus. For example, if a uniformly moving pattern of some sort is passed across the visual field of a neonate (newborn), repetitive following movements of the eye occur. The occurrence of these eye movements provides evidence that the moving pattern is perceived at some level by the newborn. Similarly, changes in the infant's general level of motor activity —turning the head, blinking the eyes, crying, and so forth — have been used by researchers as visual indicators of the infant's perceptual abilities.
1. Paragraph 1 indicates that researchers use indirect methods primarily to observe the
○range of motor activity in neonates
○frequency and duration of various stimuli
○change in an infant's state following the introduction of a stimulus
○range of an infant's visual field
2. The word uniformly in the passage is closest in meaning to
○clearly
○quickly
○consistently
○occasionally
3. Why does the author mention repetitive following movements of the eye?
○To identify a response that indicates a neonate's perception of a stimulus
○To explain why a neonate is capable of responding to stimuli only through repetitive movements
○To argue that motor activity in a neonate may be random and unrelated to stimuli
○To emphasize that responses to stimuli vary in infants according to age
Paragraph 2: Such techniques, however, have limitations. First, the observation may be unreliable in that two or more observers may not agree that the particular response occurred, or to what degree it occurred. Second, responses are difficult to quantify. Often the rapid and diffuse movements of the infant make it difficult to get an accurate record of the number of responses. The third, and most potent, limitation is that it is not possible to be certain that the infant's response was due to the stimulus presented or to a change from no stimulus to a stimulus. The infant may be responding to aspects of the stimulus different than those identified by the investigator. Therefore, when observational assessment is used as a technique for studying infant perceptual abilities, care must be taken not to overgeneralize from the data or to rely on one or two studies as conclusive evidence of a particular perceptual ability of the infant.
4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2 as a problem in using the technique of direct observation?
○It is impossible to be certain of the actual cause of an infant's response.
○Infants' responses, which occur quickly and diffusely, are often difficult to measure.
○Infants do not respond well to stimuli presented in an unnatural laboratory setting.
○It may be difficult for observers to agree on the presence or the degree of a response.
5. The wordpotent in the passage is closest in meaning to
○artificial
○powerful
○common
○similar
6. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentencein the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
○Researchers using observational assessment techniques on infants must not overgeneralize and must base their conclusions on data from many studies.
○On the basis of the data from one or two studies, it seems that some infants develop a particular perceptual ability not observed in others.
○To use data from one or two studies on infant's perceptual abilities, it is necessary to use techniques that will provide conclusive evidence.
○When researchers fail to make generalizations from their studies, their observed data is often inconclusive.
Paragraph 3: Observational assessment techniques have become much more sophisticated, reducing the limitations just presented. Film analysis of the infant's responses, heart and respiration rate monitors, and nonnutritive sucking devices are used as effective tools in understanding infant perception. Film analysis permits researchers to carefully study the infant's responses over and over and in slow motion. Precise measurements can be made of the length and frequency of the infant's attention between two stimuli. Heart and respiration monitors provide the investigator with the number of heartbeats or breaths taken when a new stimulus is presented. Numerical increases are used as quantifiable indicators of heightened interest in the new stimulus. Increases in nonnutritive sucking were first used as an assessment measure by researchers in 1969. They devised an apparatus that connected a baby's pacifier to a counting device. As stimuli were presented, changes in the infant's sucking behavior were recorded. Increases in the number of sucks were used as an indicator of the infant's attention to or preference for a given visual display.
7. What is the author's primary purpose in paragraph 3?
○To explain why researchers must conduct more than one type of study when they are attempting to understand infant perception
○To describe new techniques for observing infant perception that overcome problems identified in the previous paragraph
○To present and evaluate the conclusions of various studies on infant perception
○To point out the strengths and weaknesses of three new methods for quantifying an infant's reaction to stimuli
8. The word quantifiable in the passage is closest in meaning to
○visual
○permanent
○meaningful
○measurable
9. Paragraph 3 mentions all of the following as indications of an infant's heightened interest in a new stimulus EXCEPT an increase in
○ sucking behavior
○ heart rate
○ the number of breaths taken
○ eye movements
Paragraph 4: Two additional techniques of studying infant perception have come into vogue. The first is the habituation-dishabituation technique, in which a single stimulus is presented repeatedly to the infant until there is a measurable decline (habituation) in whatever attending behavior is being observed. At that point a new stimulus is presented, and any recovery (dishabituation) in responsiveness is recorded. If the infant fails to dishabituate and continues to show habituation with the new stimulus, it is assumed that the baby is unable to perceive the new stimulus as different. The habituation-dishabituation paradigm has been used most extensively with studies of auditory and olfactory perception in infants. The second technique relies on evoked potentials, which are electrical brain responses that may be related to a particular stimulus because of where they originate. Changes in the electrical pattern of the brain indicate that the stimulus is getting through to the infant's central nervous system and eliciting some form of response.
10. According to paragraph 4, which of the following leads to the conclusion that infants are able to differentiate between stimuli in a habituation-dishabituation study?
○Dishabituation occurs with the introduction of a new stimulus.
○Electrical responses in the infant's brain decline with each new stimulus.
○Habituation is continued with the introduction of a new stimulus.
○The infant displays little change in electrical brain responses.
11. In paragraph 4, what does the author suggest about the way an infant's brain perceives stimuli?
○An infant's potential to respond to a stimulus may be related to the size of its brain.
○Changes in the electrical patterns of an infant's brain are difficult to detect.
○Different areas of an infant's brain respond to different types of stimuli.
○An infant is unable to perceive more than one stimulus at a time.
Paragraph 5: Each of the preceding techniques provides the researcher with evidence that the infant can detect or discriminate between stimuli. With these sophisticated observational assessment and electro-physiological measures, we know that the neonate of only a few days is far more perceptive than previously suspected. However, these measures are only "indirect" indicators of the infant's perceptual abilities.
12. Paragraph 5 indicates that researchers who used the techniques described in the passage discovered that
○infants find it difficult to perceive some types of stimuli
○neonates of only a few days cannot yet discriminate between stimuli
○observational assessment is less useful for studying infant perception than researchers previously believed
○a neonate is able to perceive stimuli better than researchers once thought
Paragraph 3: Observational assessment techniques have become much more sophisticated, reducing the limitations just presented. Film analysis of the infant's responses, heart and respiration rate monitors, and nonnutritive sucking devices are used as effective tools in understanding infant perception. ■Film analysis permits researchers to carefully study the infant's responses over and over and in slow motion. ■Precise measurements can be made of the length and frequency of the infant's attention between two stimuli. ■Heart and respiration monitors provide the investigator with the number of heartbeats or breaths taken when a new stimulus is presented. ■Numerical increases are used as quantifiable indicators of heightened interest in the new stimulus. Increases in nonnutritive sucking were first used as an assessment measure by researchers in 1969. They devised an apparatus that connected a baby's pacifier to a counting device. As stimuli were presented, changes in the infant's sucking behavior were recorded. Increases in the number of sucks were used as an indicator of the infant's attention to or preference for a given visual display.
13. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
The repetition allows researchers to observe the infant's behavior until they reach agreement about the presence and the degree of the infant's response.
14.Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
Researchers use a number of techniques to determine how infants respond to changes in their environment
●
●
●
Answer choices
○Data from observational methods must be confirmed through multiple studies.
○New techniques for studying infant perception have improved the accuracy with which researchers observe and quantify infant responses
○Indirect observation is most accurate when researchers use it to test auditory and olfactory perception in neonates.
○Visual indicators such as turning the head, blinking the eyes, or crying remain the best evidence of an infant’s perceptual abilities.
○Pacifiers are commonly used in studies to calm an infant who has been presented with excessive stimuli.
○Sophisticated techniques that have aided new discoveries about perception in the neonate continue to be indirect measures.
查看正確答案和解析
版權(quán)聲明:本原創(chuàng)文章版權(quán)歸“新通外語網(wǎng)()”所有,未經(jīng)書面許可不得轉(zhuǎn)貼、轉(zhuǎn)載。否則,新通教育網(wǎng)將追究其相關(guān)法律責(zé)任。
參考答案:
1. ○3
2. ○3
3. ○1
4. ○3
5. ○2
6. ○1
7. ○2
8.○4
9. ○4
10. ○1
11. ○3
12. ○4
13. ○2
14. Data from observational…
New techniques for… Sophisticatedtechniquesthat…
在嬰兒感知能力的研究中,許多技術(shù)被應(yīng)用于確定嬰兒對(duì)不同刺激的反應(yīng)。由于他們(嬰兒)無法用言語表達(dá)或者填寫問卷,所以自然觀察的間接技術(shù)被應(yīng)用成主要的方式去確定嬰兒的視覺、聽覺和感覺,等等。每種方法都是將刺激引入前嬰兒的狀態(tài)和刺激中或刺激之后嬰兒產(chǎn)生的反應(yīng)作對(duì)比。兩種標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的不同性給研究人員提供了對(duì)刺激反應(yīng)程度和反應(yīng)持續(xù)時(shí)間。比如說,如果一個(gè)移動(dòng)物體經(jīng)過嬰兒(新生兒)的視野,他們就會(huì)反復(fù)轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)眼球。。這種眼球轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)的現(xiàn)象可以說明移動(dòng)物體在一定程度上引起了新生兒的注意。同樣,新生兒一般身體活動(dòng)的改變——比如搖頭、眨眼、哭鬧或者其他,都可以為研究人員提供嬰兒感知能力研究的直觀參考。
然而,這些技術(shù)是有局限性的。第一,兩個(gè)甚至更多的觀察者也許不會(huì)一致認(rèn)可特殊反應(yīng)的發(fā)生或者反應(yīng)的程度,因此這種觀察可能并不可靠。第二,反應(yīng)很難量化,嬰兒的很多反應(yīng)快速且零散,研究人員很難準(zhǔn)確記錄。第三點(diǎn)也是最重要的一點(diǎn),我們很難確定嬰兒的反應(yīng)是由現(xiàn)存的刺激或者是因?yàn)閺臒o刺激到有刺激的改變。可能引起嬰兒反應(yīng)的并非是研究者認(rèn)為的刺激方面。因此,當(dāng)觀測(cè)式評(píng)估被用作研究嬰兒感知能力的技術(shù)時(shí),必須注意不要從資料中過度歸納出結(jié)論,或(不要)將一個(gè)或兩個(gè)研究作為嬰兒一項(xiàng)特殊感知能力的決定性證據(jù)。
觀察評(píng)估技術(shù)變得更加復(fù)雜,上述局限性也在降低。嬰兒反應(yīng)的影片分析、心臟和呼吸速率監(jiān)視器以及無營(yíng)養(yǎng)允吸設(shè)備都是理解嬰兒感知能力的非常有效的工具。影片分析允許觀察者反復(fù)或者慢鏡頭播放來仔細(xì)研究嬰兒的反應(yīng)。通過觀察嬰兒在兩次刺激之間注意力的長(zhǎng)度和頻率可以完成精準(zhǔn)的測(cè)定。而心臟和呼吸頻率監(jiān)視器可以讓觀察者了解新刺激產(chǎn)生時(shí)嬰兒的心跳次數(shù)和呼吸頻率。數(shù)值增加被當(dāng)做是新刺激中提升興趣的可量化指標(biāo)。1969年,研究者們首次將無營(yíng)養(yǎng)吮吸設(shè)備動(dòng)作次數(shù)的增加作為評(píng)估標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。他們?cè)O(shè)計(jì)出了一種連接?jì)雰簾o營(yíng)養(yǎng)允吸設(shè)備和計(jì)數(shù)器的設(shè)備。只要出現(xiàn)刺激,這種設(shè)備就會(huì)記錄下嬰兒的吮吸習(xí)慣。吮吸次數(shù)增加就說明某種視覺展示引起了嬰兒的注意或者嬰兒偏好此種視覺展示。
另外兩種研究嬰兒感知的技術(shù)也逐漸開始流行。第一種是習(xí)慣與非習(xí)慣技術(shù):給嬰兒反復(fù)展示一種單一的刺激,直到觀察到嬰兒對(duì)這一刺激形成習(xí)慣并出現(xiàn)可測(cè)量的減弱(習(xí)慣性)。接著當(dāng)出現(xiàn)一種新的刺激時(shí),任何反應(yīng)的恢復(fù)也都會(huì)被記錄下來(非習(xí)慣性)。如果嬰兒對(duì)新刺激沒有不習(xí)慣而是繼續(xù)表現(xiàn)出習(xí)慣性,那么我們就可以推測(cè)嬰兒沒有辦法識(shí)別出新的刺激有什么不同。這種習(xí)慣與非習(xí)慣的技術(shù)在嬰兒的聽覺與嗅覺感知能力的研究上廣泛運(yùn)用。第二種技術(shù)基于誘發(fā)電位,大腦的弱電反應(yīng)可能因其起源而與特定刺激有關(guān)系。腦電圖發(fā)生變化意味著刺激通過嬰兒的中樞神經(jīng)系統(tǒng),引起某種形式的反應(yīng)。
上述每種技術(shù)都可以給研究者提供證據(jù),證明嬰兒能夠探知或辨別刺激。通過這些復(fù)雜的觀察評(píng)估和電生理學(xué)的測(cè)量,我們知道剛出生幾天的新生兒的感知能力超乎我們的想象。然而,這些測(cè)量也都僅僅是嬰兒感知能力的“間接”指標(biāo)。
誘發(fā)電位(Evoked Potentials,EPs),也稱誘發(fā)反應(yīng)(Evoked Response),是指給予神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)(從感受器到大腦皮層)特定的刺激,或使大腦對(duì)刺激(正性或負(fù)性)的信息進(jìn)行加工,在該系統(tǒng)和腦的相應(yīng)部位產(chǎn)生的可以檢出的、與刺激有相對(duì)固定時(shí)間間隔(鎖時(shí)關(guān)系)和特定位相的生物電反應(yīng)。
一門研究活體內(nèi)產(chǎn)生電流的基本機(jī)理的學(xué)科.