Sex Variation of Motion Stereotypic Response among Adult Bengalee Population for the Operation of Some Simple Control-Display Units

Population stereotype point out to a long-term habit and well embedded knowledge of a particular population. This study was carried out to evaluate the variation in index of reversibility, response preference and response initiation time among male and female subjects for some simple analog control-display units. A total of 999 subjects were responded, among them 591 were male and 408 were female (having the age range of 15-60 years). To conduct the study five types of analog displays viz., rotary control knob with horizontal display, rotary control knob with vertical display, and rotary control knob with circular display, horizontally aligned rocker switches and vertically aligned rocker switches for electric lights were fabricated. The subjects were asked to move the control to get the desired display and the response preference and response initiation time were noted as the results. The results showed that the best control-display unit was the rotary control-vertical display combination on the basis of index of reversibility for both sexes. Statistical analysis of the data showed that preferred response percentage or were significantly (P less than 0.05 or less) different for both sexes in case of all the rotary control analog display operations but for rocker switch-electric light unit operation it was found that both group showed similar stereotypic strength and direction. Response initiation time also found to be significantly (P less than 0.001) different, it was also found that higher preferred response percentage showed shorter response initiation time. It may be concluded that gender has a profound impact on motion stereotypic responses.

Fuel Shutoff Controls on Diesel Tractors: An Investigation of a Population Stereotype

Diesel powered equipment is in widespread use throughout agriculture, construction, mining, forestry, and other outdoor industries. In the event of an accident involving a turnover or collision, there is a high probability that the engine will continue to run, possibly presenting a severe hazard to the operator as well as to other persons in the area. This paper presents the results of a pilot study designed to survey the ability of persons to locate and correctly operate the shutoff control on a diesel engine. This ability is studied as a function of the type of control and its marking and also as a function of individual experience with power equipment in general. Training did not have a significant effect in reducing the time required to shut off the diesel tractors tested. Since the user population in this case could represent anyone able to help in an emergency, a larger survey employing untrained subjects is recommended.

Hypnotic Control of a Compensatory Tracking Task

In the course of this experiment, a simple hypnotic manipulation of cognitive set was observed to vitiate the effect of a prevalent population stereotype. This, then, raises doubts as to the validity of the hypothesis of population stereotypes as sources of proactive inhibition. It seems unlikely that, after a generation of practice in the buildup of habit, performance should fall so readily under cognitive control, without shift in motivation.