The speechreading performance of 50 adults (ages 20-69) with normal hearing and vision was evaluated. Findings indicated that females showed significantly higher speechreading scores than males, that females improved their performance significantly over the 2 trials (unlike males), and that females in their 30s had the best performance and males…

Review of studies on age effects on cognitive functioning concluded that much research does not explore functional significance of negative effects of aging. Some skills improve, remain stable, or decline, at different points for different people. Older people tend to perform better with practical tasks and/or realistic contexts. (SK)

Materials from the Northwestern University Auditory Test Number 6, spoken by a female speaker, were passed through a low-frequency notch filter, reducing the amplitude range within the spectrum. Data obtained from 12 normal-hearing listeners in filtered and unfiltered conditions demonstrated that alterations to words spoken by the same speaker…

Twenty-five normal young adult speakers tracked sinusoidal and unpredictable target signals using lower lip and jaw movement and fundamental frequency modulation. Tracking accuracy varied as a function of target frequency and articulator used to track. Results show the potential of visuomotor tracking tasks in the assessment of speech articulatory…

This study investigated the effect on repetition performance of one previously uncontrolled characteristic of multisyllabic nonsense words: the lexical status (word or nonword) of their stressed syllables. Eleven normally achieving boys (ages 9-12) repeated nonsense words with lexical stressed syllables more accurately than nonsense words with…

Discusses rewards and performance incentives for employees, including types of rewards; how rewards help in managing; dysfunctional awards; selecting the right reward; how to find rewards that fit; and delivering rewards effectively. Examples are included. (three references) (LRW)

Explains how to create an organizational system that will result in good performance. Topics discussed include process versus system; two views of a system, i.e., mechanistic and organic; and components of a system, including performance guides, measurement of results, feedback, and training. (LRW)

Discusses the role of feedback in performance technology and suggests ways to improve both the accuracy and the effectiveness of the feedback. Desirable characteristics of feedback are described, including promptness, directness, reliability, and usability; and the need for assessment and assimilation following feedback is explained. (LRW)

In a study of four-, six-, and eight-year olds, communication about the left-right dimension proved to be particularly difficult for four-year olds. Frames of reference that children incorporated into their directions changed with age and differed for directions about front-back and left-right dimensions. (RH)

This study evaluated performance of blind (n=17) and sighted adults on a haptic numerosity task of braille symbols in which symbol size was varied. Although blind subjects performed better than seeing subjects, the rate of learning and patterns of errors were similar, except that blind subjects did better with standard than with enlarged symbols.…

Fifty-two subjects competed on a task against themselves, a difficult competitor, and an easy competitor. Certainty, ability attribution, and task satisfaction for those with low self-esteem were affected by perceived goal difficulty but not for those with high self-esteem. Low self-esteem groups had lower goals, certainty, and task performance.…

Two experiments investigating interval-by-interval interjudge and intrajudge agreement for stuttered and nonstuttered speech intervals found that training of judges could improve reliability levels; judges with relatively high intrajudge agreement also showed relatively higher interjudge agreement; and interval-by-interval interjudge agreement was…

Discussion of training effectiveness focuses on needs assessment and its link to accurate performance evaluation. The components of needs assessment are described; front end analysis as an outgrowth of needs assessment is discussed; and the relationship between training and performance improvement is examined. (four references) (LRW)

This seventh in a series on performance technology discusses the means an organization uses to support human performance. Five basic elements are described: (1) the opportunity an individual has to perform as the organization desires; (2) technology, including human-machine roles; (3) materials and supplies; (4) the flow of useful information; and…

Discusses the need to reengineer performance development in light of new technologies, concepts, and tools. Topics addressed include current performance development strategies; new models; learning strategies versus training strategies; electronic performance support and software; and the role of the instructional developer. (LRW)