[From Rick Marken (930929.1300)]
Bruce Nevin (Wed 930929 14:09:42 EDT) gives a detailed
description of Harris' "pair test" as an example of
"the test". But the "pair test" looks like standard
IV-DV research to me; you vary the stimuli (pairs)
and note differences in responses (proportion of times
a pair is called "different", in this case). What I don't
see is any hypothetical controlled variable being disturbed.
Maybe you could help me out here, Bruce. What is Harris'
hypothesis about the variable being controlled? How does
the subject influence this variable? How does Harris
disturb the variable?
If they contrast phonemically, the hearer
will judge them different 100% of the time
or nearly 100% of the time;
So is the controlled variable "relationship between
degree of phonemic contrast and judgement of 'same'
or 'different'"? If so, why not have the subject make
a continuous instead of just the binary judgement so
that you get a better measure of the ability to control
this relationship? If subjects really are controlling
this relationship (at a reference level of "perfect")
then you should be able to predict their exact numerical
judgement to any pair of a certain degree of phomemic
contrast. Of course, if you can't predict the judgment
perfectly it's time to continue testing for the controlled
variable. That might involve selecting a new hypothesis about
the reference for the hypothesized variable, or a new
hypothesis about the components of the perception being
controlled (a different measure of "phonemic contrast",
perhaps).
Best
Rick