Folks - This semester (Fall 2011) the data had too high an error rate
to be meaningful for anything but the distance effects, which did show 
up for both size and intelligence.  So, Let's use the results from last
year, which are presented below.  Ignore the due date at the end, as that
was for last year.  Mail your labs to me by dead day (and contact me if you
don't get an acknowledgement back, because that will mean I didn't receive
them.)

Results for Cech Mental Comparison Lab - Fall 2010


                      DISTANCE EFFECT

The distance effect looks at how far apart two things are.
Normally, the further apart, the faster the comparison.  Below are
the class results for comparisons of size, and for comparisons of
intelligence.  These results are based on 15 people, and exclude 4 
others for making too many errors:


                     SIZE DISTANCE EFFECT

Your 4 animals were arranged FISH(1)  CAT(2)  SHEEP(3)  APE(4) 

So, 1 in the table below is how long it took to compare the ADJACENT 
animals (12, 23, 34), as these are the animals CLOSEST TOGETHER in
size.

2 is how long it took to compare animals separated by 1 intervening 
animal (13, 24), so these are FURTHER APART in size.

3 is how long it took to compare the FURTHEST APART animals (14 or FISH APE).

(Times are in milliseconds, by the way.)

       1          2          3
    1311.63    1185.73    1118.69

error rate:  6.9%

                   
                INTELLIGENCE DISTANCE EFFECT

For Intelligence, your animals were arranged FISH(1)  SHEEP(2)  CAT(3)  APE(4)

Using the same measure of distance apart on intelligence, the results were

       1          2          3
    1222.01    1136.53    1029.29

error rate:  12.8% (actually, on the high side for this type of experiment!)



                   CONGRUITY EFFECT

There is actually a second finding in mental comparisons called the congruity
effect.  For pairs that are CLOSE TOGETHER on the dimension being judged, you
will be faster when the size or a pair MATCHES WITH (is congruent with) the question 
asked.  So, for example, if I ask you which is LARGER, you should be faster with LARGE
THINGS, but if I ask you which is SMALLER, you should be faster with SMALL THINGS.
And if the dimension is goodness/badness, for example, you're faster at judging 
the BETTER of two GOOD things, but the WORSE of two BAD things.

Below are your congruity effects for Size and Intelligence.  These are just for
the adjacent comparisons (the CLOSE ANIMALS).  Don't forget that 1 means the smallest or 
the dumbest animal, so that 12 means you compared either the two smallest or the two 
dumbest animals, and 34 means you compared either the two largest or the two smartest
animals.


                          SIZE CONGRUITY EFFECT

                                  Animal Pairs
                             12         23         34
Which is Larger?           1368.30    1264.67    1174.73
Which is Smaller?          1239.27    1381.26    1423.67


 
                      INTELLIGENCE CONGRUITY EFFECT

                                  Animal Pairs
                             12         23         34
Which is Smarter?          1401.19    1213.48    1012.92
Which is Dumber?           1204.79    1333.33    1174.08



So, what you should be doing for this lab:  First, think about how it seemed you were coming
up with your answers.  Do you think you were using imagery?

Second, look at the distance effects and see if they are consistent with imagery.

And third, think about whether the congruity effects fit with an imagery approach.

Then discuss this in terms of the issues Kevin and your text raised about images.

Due date:  You can email your labs to me by Monday, December 6, or you can hand them
in on the previous Thursday (the last day of class).