Developing a generative transformational theory of visual perception. This project will develop and test a generative, transformational computer model of visual perception, based on fractal encoding. This uses a powerful similarity metric to select transformations, that, when applied to image elements, generate a replica of the image. The model can detect and analyse structure in regular and semi-regular images, even when embedded in noise. This approach provides an explanation for several perce ....Developing a generative transformational theory of visual perception. This project will develop and test a generative, transformational computer model of visual perception, based on fractal encoding. This uses a powerful similarity metric to select transformations, that, when applied to image elements, generate a replica of the image. The model can detect and analyse structure in regular and semi-regular images, even when embedded in noise. This approach provides an explanation for several perceptual phenomena and illusions. It can reconcile opposed theories of perception and provide a unifying perspective on perception and cognition. Practical applications include the automatic recognition of objects in imagery and the detection of structure in complex data.Read moreRead less
Developing an integrative theoretical account of some basic mechanisms and limiting factors in human perception and cognition. The principal factors limiting cognitive performance are widely considered to be information processing speed, working memory capacity, and the effective control of cognitive processes. The proposed programme aims to develop and test a unifying theory relating these to two of the most basic achievements of the brain - discrimination and identification. This will help us ....Developing an integrative theoretical account of some basic mechanisms and limiting factors in human perception and cognition. The principal factors limiting cognitive performance are widely considered to be information processing speed, working memory capacity, and the effective control of cognitive processes. The proposed programme aims to develop and test a unifying theory relating these to two of the most basic achievements of the brain - discrimination and identification. This will help us to understand the underlying basis of differences and changes in cognitive performance. The outcomes have implications for the design, analysis and interpretation of studies of perception, judgement, memory and intelligence. The research also has applied relevance to neuropsychology, information handling and the design of system interfaces.Read moreRead less
The dynamics of witness confidence effects on juror judgments. While psychologists and criminal justice professionals concur that eyewitness confidence is one of the major influences on juror judgments, previous researchers' treatment of confidence as an invariant testimonial characteristic means that we actually know little about the impact of witness confidence. This research tests social persuasion theories and reveals the dynamic effects on juror judgments and verdicts of the sort of confide ....The dynamics of witness confidence effects on juror judgments. While psychologists and criminal justice professionals concur that eyewitness confidence is one of the major influences on juror judgments, previous researchers' treatment of confidence as an invariant testimonial characteristic means that we actually know little about the impact of witness confidence. This research tests social persuasion theories and reveals the dynamic effects on juror judgments and verdicts of the sort of confidence fluctuations that characterise real witnesses. Knowing how such fluctuations will shape jurors' judgments is vital for judges (when instructing jurors) and for police and lawyers when they assess the likely impact of the witnesses they intend to call.Read moreRead less
Investigation of the component distributions of pause duration in spontaneous speech: Constraints for models of language production. We have discovered that the distribution of pause durations in spontaneous speech of individual speakers can be decomposed into at least two log-normal distributions. Our project will investigate this finding and provide a foundation for new research relevant to language production models. This will be achieved by determining the semantic, lexical, psycholinguistic ....Investigation of the component distributions of pause duration in spontaneous speech: Constraints for models of language production. We have discovered that the distribution of pause durations in spontaneous speech of individual speakers can be decomposed into at least two log-normal distributions. Our project will investigate this finding and provide a foundation for new research relevant to language production models. This will be achieved by determining the semantic, lexical, psycholinguistic, physiological, and acoustic concomitants of each component distribution and by investigating the impact of selected variables on the shape and location of each. The project has important implications for models of language production and applied problems involving automatic speech recognition, forensic speaker identification, and human communication disorders.Read moreRead less
A unified theory of performance in absolute identification tasks. The ability to identify stimuli is fundamentally important in human cognition and is studied in absolute identification tasks, where people must identify one out of a number of stimuli, varying on a single dimension, with an appropriate label. A remarkable finding is that people cannot reliably identify more than about seven different stimuli. This limit imposes severe practical restrictions on our ability to categorise stimuli an ....A unified theory of performance in absolute identification tasks. The ability to identify stimuli is fundamentally important in human cognition and is studied in absolute identification tasks, where people must identify one out of a number of stimuli, varying on a single dimension, with an appropriate label. A remarkable finding is that people cannot reliably identify more than about seven different stimuli. This limit imposes severe practical restrictions on our ability to categorise stimuli and constitutes a perplexing problem for cognitive theory. This project involves an international collaborative effort by five leading researchers in mathematical psychology to develop a comprehensive, integrative model of human performance in absolute identification tasks.
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Legitimacy, Deservingness, and Entitlement: Studies in Social Justice. This research program aims to clarify the variables that affect whether authorities are seen to be legitimate or otherwise, and the conditions under which people are perceived to be entitled to benefits or to deserve either positive or negative treatment. We will also examine how personal and social values affect these kinds of judgments, and how judgments of legitimacy, deservingness and entitlement are related. The resear ....Legitimacy, Deservingness, and Entitlement: Studies in Social Justice. This research program aims to clarify the variables that affect whether authorities are seen to be legitimate or otherwise, and the conditions under which people are perceived to be entitled to benefits or to deserve either positive or negative treatment. We will also examine how personal and social values affect these kinds of judgments, and how judgments of legitimacy, deservingness and entitlement are related. The research program will advance theoretical understanding about social justice in a variety of contexts (eg., organizations, law, government, family). It will also have practical outcomes by suggesting ways of exercising authority that are seen as both effective and fair.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0882563
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$120,000.00
Summary
A Multi-Function Eye-Tracker Facility. Eye-tracking data will provide crucial insights into fundamental issues in the areas of (a) decision processes in eyewitness identification, (b) attentional deficits in autism, and (c) the role of saccades in goal-oriented movements. In turn, these advances have important ramifications for (a) the administration of justice, (b) understanding autism and ameliorating its consequences, and (c) the control of movement in normal and disabled populations. The Fa ....A Multi-Function Eye-Tracker Facility. Eye-tracking data will provide crucial insights into fundamental issues in the areas of (a) decision processes in eyewitness identification, (b) attentional deficits in autism, and (c) the role of saccades in goal-oriented movements. In turn, these advances have important ramifications for (a) the administration of justice, (b) understanding autism and ameliorating its consequences, and (c) the control of movement in normal and disabled populations. The Facility brings together a diverse group of established and early career researchers, many of whom have already demonstrated a capacity to collaborate effectively, providing exciting new collaborative research directions that will enhance Australian science and PhD student training.Read moreRead less
Radicalisation, Counter-Radicalisation, and De-Radicalisation: Developing a New Understanding of Terrorism in the Australian Context. Concentrating on the unique drivers of extremism within Victoria (and Australia), the study will enhance counter terrorism stakeholders' understanding of domestic radicalization. This will assist in designing policies appropriate for Australian circumstances that can: 1. pre-empt, prevent and detect radicalisation without jeopardising social cohesion and 2. reduce ....Radicalisation, Counter-Radicalisation, and De-Radicalisation: Developing a New Understanding of Terrorism in the Australian Context. Concentrating on the unique drivers of extremism within Victoria (and Australia), the study will enhance counter terrorism stakeholders' understanding of domestic radicalization. This will assist in designing policies appropriate for Australian circumstances that can: 1. pre-empt, prevent and detect radicalisation without jeopardising social cohesion and 2. reduce Australia's reliance on overseas counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation models, where practitioners confront different community dynamics. Working towards understanding what causes radicalization in Australia, the project offers to enhance national security and by addressing local circumstances carries the prospect of creating more cost-efficient counter terrorism practices.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100211
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$650,000.00
Summary
The Big Australian Speech Corpus: An audio-visual speech corpus of Australian English. Contemporary speech science and technology are driven by the availability of large speech corpora. While audio databases exist for languages spoken in America, Europe and Japan, there is currently no large auditory-visual database of spoken language, and certainly not one for Australian English. Here we will establish the Big Australian Speech Corpus, which will support a speech science research and developmen ....The Big Australian Speech Corpus: An audio-visual speech corpus of Australian English. Contemporary speech science and technology are driven by the availability of large speech corpora. While audio databases exist for languages spoken in America, Europe and Japan, there is currently no large auditory-visual database of spoken language, and certainly not one for Australian English. Here we will establish the Big Australian Speech Corpus, which will support a speech science research and development using Australian English and facilitate the development of Australian speech technology applications from automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech synthesis used in taxi and other ordering services, to hearing prostheses and talking head aids for learning-impaired children, and a range of security and forensic applications.Read moreRead less
Sleeping for Gold: The Influence of Sleep on the Sports Performance of Elite Athletes. The aim of this project is to improve the performance of Australia's elite athletes by enhancing the amount and quality of sleep that they obtain. This project will have three major benefits. First, successful role models will encourage more Australian children and adults to participate in sport. This is critical given that the incidence of obesity (a major risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and ....Sleeping for Gold: The Influence of Sleep on the Sports Performance of Elite Athletes. The aim of this project is to improve the performance of Australia's elite athletes by enhancing the amount and quality of sleep that they obtain. This project will have three major benefits. First, successful role models will encourage more Australian children and adults to participate in sport. This is critical given that the incidence of obesity (a major risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers) has doubled in Australia in the last 15 years as participation in sport has dropped. Second, the success of our elite athletes will provide a source of pride in our achievements as a nation. Third, this research will enable the Australian Institute of Sport to remain as an international leader in sports science research.Read moreRead less