Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026
07:37
Assessment and Communication for People with Disorders of Consciousness
Published on: August 1, 2017
Communicating headings and preview sentences in text and speech
Robert F Lorch1, Hung-Tao Chen, Julie Lemarié
1Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA. rlorch@email.uky.edu
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Applied
|August 8, 2012
Summary
Preview sentences significantly improve college students' text outlining, especially with text-to-speech (TTS) audio. Headings are less effective in audio unless adapted using the SARA framework for better comprehension.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Educational Technology
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Effective text comprehension relies on structural cues like headings and preview sentences.
- Text-to-speech (TTS) technology presents challenges in conveying non-verbal information present in visual text formats.
- Understanding how auditory presentation affects learning is crucial for accessible educational materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of preview sentences and headings on college students' ability to outline informational texts.
- To compare the effectiveness of visual versus auditory presentation of these text features.
- To investigate methods for improving auditory text comprehension using theoretical frameworks.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted with college students outlining informational texts.
- Experiment 1 compared outlining performance with preview sentences and headings in both printed and TTS audio formats.
- Experiment 2 focused on optimizing headings for TTS presentation using the Signaling Available, Relevant, Accessible (SARA) framework.
Main Results:
- Preview sentences significantly enhanced outlining performance in both printed and TTS conditions.
- Visual headings improved performance for printed text but were ineffective in TTS due to lost non-verbal cues.
- Adapting headings using the SARA framework in Experiment 2 significantly improved outlining performance in TTS to levels comparable to visual presentation.
Conclusions:
- Preview sentences are a robust tool for improving text outlining across different modalities.
- TTS software needs enhancement to convey non-verbal information from visual text features like headings.
- The SARA framework offers a promising approach for developing more effective auditory text signaling devices.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Therapeutic Communication
Communication is a lifelong learning process. Through therapeutic communication, nurses can collect relevant assessment data, provide education and counseling, and interact during nursing interventions. Sending and receiving messages occur through verbal and nonverbal communication techniques and can happen separately or simultaneously.
Verbal communication depends on language or a prescribed way of using words so that people can share information effectively. The critical aspects of verbal...
Verbal communication depends on language or a prescribed way of using words so that people can share information effectively. The critical aspects of verbal...
01:29Non-Verbal Cues
Non-verbal communication extends beyond gestures and facial expressions to include vocal elements known as paralanguage. Paralanguage consists of non-verbal vocal cues such as pitch, loudness, speech rate, pauses, and non-verbal vocalizations like laughter, sighs, and moans. These elements not only accompany speech but also provide critical emotional and contextual information.The Role of Paralanguage in CommunicationParalanguage adds depth to spoken language by conveying emotions and...
01:10Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
01:31Hearing
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
01:03Communication
Communication between two animals occurs when one animal transmits an information signal that causes a change in the animal that receives the information. Organisms communicate with one another in a host of different ways. Signals can be auditory, chemical, visual, tactile, or a combination of these. Communication is a critical behavioral adaptation that promotes survival, growth, and reproduction.
01:28Communication
Sharing information, concepts, and emotions to foster mutual understanding is communication. The sender, recipient, and transaction must be considered in this manner. The sender is the person who shares the message, the recipient is the person who receives and understands the message, and the transaction is the method used to deliver the message and the variables that affect the communication's context and surroundings. The nurse-client connection is built on therapeutic communication.
Within...
Within...