Week 4: Paradigms and tools

CHC9012 | National Taiwan Normal University

Overview

This week, we will talk about the different types of paradigms and tools that we can use when running online questionnaires or experiments. Last week, our discussion focused on the Independent Variable (IV) and how its manipulation creates different kinds of design. This week, we shift our focus to the Dependent Variable (DV).

Focusing on the Dependent Variable (DV)

We will explore the following key areas:

  • Operationalization: What makes a DV “good” (i.e., testable and measurable)?
  • Offline methods: Judgment experiments, ad-hoc reaction times, and various tasks for language experiments.
  • On-line methods: Exploring timing methods and tracking techniques.
  • Paradigms: We will examine common experimental setups used to elicit specific data.

Discussion material for this week

Our discussion of these concepts will be based on the following two readings:

  • Schütze & Sprouse (2014) (from the book “Research Methods in Linguistics”)
  • Kaiser (2014) (from the book “Research Methods in Linguistics”)


⚠️ Important clarification: “On-line”

Pay attention! In experimental linguistics and psychology, the word “on-line” does not mean “on the internet.” Instead, it means measuring a cognitive process “in real time” as it unfolds.


📖 Concept definitions & examples

Concept Definition / Focus Example application
Operationalization (Dependent Measures) The selection of a specific behavioral response to measure cognitive systems, such as time, error rate, or reported perceptions of acceptability. Measuring reaction times as an indication of processing complexity
Off-line methods Methods that provide crucial information about final interpretations, or the final outcome of language processing. Acceptability judgment tasks, where speakers are explicitly asked to report their spontaneous reaction concerning whether a string of words is a possible utterance
On-line methods Methods that tap into real-time aspects of language processing. These methods detect rapid, transient effects that are often not explicitly noticed by language users. Using an eye-tracker to record eye movements that are closely time-locked to the speech stream as a participant listens to instructions
Reaction-time paradigms Methods measuring how rapidly people perform different kinds of linguistic tasks. A self-paced reading task where participants press a button to reveal words one by one, allowing researchers to record how much time is spent on each part of the sentence
Visual-world paradigm An eye-tracking method where a participant is presented with auditory linguistic stimuli coupled with objects or a visual display. Measuring fixation probabilities to target objects (like a beaker) and competitor objects on a computer screen as the participant hears the spoken word unfold
📝 Assignment for next week

Please complete the following tasks before next week:

  1. Read: Review the assigned materials:
    • Gillioz & Zufferey (2021)
  2. Project Planning: Seriously start to think of your final project. Consider your specific topic and decide whether you will be working individually or in a group.