Jaime Sanmartín

The university of Valencia's computerized word pool

This paper presents the University of Valencia’s computerized word pool. This is a database that includes 16,109 Spanish words, together with 11 psychological variables for limited groups of items. The purpose behind the creation of this database was to have available a large quantity of verbal stimuli in a well-controlled system, ready for automatic selection. The description includes a summary of statistics on each of the 11 psychological variables, together with a correlational and factor analysis of them. This statistical analysis produces results close to those obtained for equivalent English material.

Modeling offenses among motorcyclists involved in crashes in Spain

In relative terms, Spanish motorcyclists are more likely to be involved in crashes than other drivers and this tendency is constantly increasing. The objective of this study is to identify the factors that are related to being an offender in motorcycle accidents. A binary logit model is used to differentiate between offender and non-offender motorcyclists. A motorcyclist was considered to be offender when s/he had committed at least one traffic offense at the moment previous to the crash. The analysis is based on the official accident database of the Spanish general directorate of traffic (DGT) for the 2003-2008 time period. A number of explanatory variables including motorcyclist characteristics and environmental factors have been evaluated. The results suggest that inexperienced, older females, not using helmets, absent-minded and non-fatigued riders are more likely to be offenders. Moreover, riding during the night, on weekends, for leisure purposes and along roads in perfect condition, mainly on curves, predict offenses among motorcyclists. The findings of this study are expected to be useful in developing traffic policy decisions in order to improve motorcyclist safety.

A voice-activated key for the Apple Macintosh computer

An interface circuit to connect a microphone to an Apple Macintosh computer is described. The Apple Macintosh mouse port is used as the input port, and the microphone activation simulates a mouse press.

Serum nitrotyrosine and psychometric tests as indicators of impaired fitness to drive in cirrhotic patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Cirrhotic patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) show impaired driving ability and increased vehicle accidents. The neurological deficits contributing to impair driving and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Early detection of driving impairment would help to reduce traffic accidents in MHE patients. It would be therefore useful to have psychometric or biochemical parameters reflecting driving impairment. The aims of this work were as follows: (i) to shed light on the neurological deficits contributing to impair driving; (ii) to assess whether some psychometric test or biochemical parameter is a good indicator of driving impairment.

Reported prevalence of health conditions that affect drivers

Abstract Drivers’ health and fitness are essential factors in order to predict performance outcomes and to promote road safety. It is a demonstrated fact that drivers with (physical and mental) health impairments or illnesses have more probabilities of being involved in traffic crashes and suffering (or causing) several injuries. The general objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of adverse health conditions that may affect Spanish drivers and its perceived impact on driving fitness. It was used a sample of 1,200 Spanish drivers (666 men and 534 women). The only selection criteria were to be in possession of any type of driving license for vehicles other than motorcycles and to drive frequently. As a first result, 42% of the participants considered that sometimes they were not in good health conditions to drive and 1.8% considered it frequently. Furthermore, fatigue, alcohol, negative emotions, drowsiness, headaches, respiratory disease, and fever the most prevalent health conditions impairing driver’s fitness. Statistical analysis revealed gender differences in reported health and fitness between male and female drivers. The main cause reported to avoid driving task was to suffer illnesses related to physical health (77.6% of drivers). Based on this study, it can be stated that the Administration should work together with the primary health care system in order to improve drivers’ awareness on the risk of driving while suffering symptoms of any common physical or mental illness.

Methods for defining user groups and user-adjusted information structures

A common problem in the design of information systems is how to structure the information in a way that is most useful to different groups of users. This paper describes some statistical methods for revealing the structure inherent in empirical data elicited from users. It is illustrated by the application of these methods to the design of some web pages giving information about the Universitat de Valencia. Three potential user groups were identified, administrative staff, teaching staff and students. The first analysis demonstrated that users within these three groups assign relatively homogeneous structures, but that the structures assigned by the three groups are not the same, and also, teaching and administrative staff were shown to be relatively similar and different from students. Second, the ideal information structures for each group were identified and validated against the original data. The methods described can be applied to any design situation where there is an existing user population that can be called on to provide data.

A Basic Program for Calculating Scale Values Using Four Unidimensional Scaling Methods in Random Subsamples

This MS BASIC program calculates and stores for further analysis scale values obtained from random subsamples using four unidimensional scaling methods: Dunn-Rankins variance stable rank sums, Thurstones case V (paired comparisons), Thurstone-Chaves IAI, and Greens successive categories.

TREC: a tool kit for programming cognitive experiments in applesoft BASIC

The development of microcomputer programs for experimental applications presents two main problems. First, it is usually necessary to implement a timer for measurement of response latencies and stimulus exposure duration (Dlhopolsky, 1983b). Second, programming in BASIC is usually inadequate, because it is difficult to synchronize the program with the videoscan of the CRT and to measure the time (Dlhopolsky, 1983a). The package described in this paper has been developed with the purpose of facilitating the interface between the routines and the user-programmer. Quick and versatile programming in Applesoft BASIC of varied routines for cognitive psychology experimentation is possible by accessing binary routines to control stimulus exposure, generate time delays, and measure response latency. This package offers more possibilities than do others (e.g., Algarabel, 1983; Poffel & Gregory, 1984). Its main virtues are versatility and ease of use; it allows people with few programming skills to implement a wide range of experimental designs, such as free recall, recognition memory, and decision. It also is possible to program a tachistoscope, adapting ideas discussed by others (e.g., Diener & Smee, 1984; Dlhopolsky, 1983b; Femano & Pfaff, 1983). A subsidiary application would be to let students interact with basic experimental problems in laboratory settings by writing their own programs.

Are older pedestrians cautious? An observational study of street-crossing behaviour

Crossing the street in urban roads is especially problematic for older pedestrians and causes a high number of traffic accidents. An observational research has been developed in the city of Valencia (Spain) about pedestrian crossing behaviours in the crosswalk. 868 crossing events have been recorded, observing both older and adults, and comparatively analysing how age is related to the crossing behaviour. The results show that older pedestrians have, in general terms, a safer crossing behaviour than adults, especially in the attention before and during the crossing. On the other hand, they also show a greater time delay in starting the intersection once the traffic light changes, being also higher the average time required to reach the other side, as well as to the variability in time employed by these older pedestrians.ResumenCruzar la calle en vías urbanas es una situación especialmente problemática para los peatones mayores y provoca un elevado número de accidentes de tráfico. Se ha realizado una investigación observacional en la ciudad de Valencia (España) sobre el comportamiento de los mayores al cruzar por pasos de peatones. Para ello se han grabado 868 eventos de cruce, observando tanto mayores como adultos, y analizando comparativamente cómo se relaciona la edad con la conducta de cruce. Los resultados muestran que los mayores presentan, en términos generales, una conducta de cruce más prudente que los adultos, sobretodo en la atención antes y durante el cruce. Por otro lado, también muestran unos mayores tiempos de demora en el inicio del cruce una vez cambia el semáforo, siendo también mayor no solo el tiempo promedio necesario para alcanzar la otra acera, sino también la variabilidad de tiempos empleados.

¿Son prudentes los peatones mayores? Un estudio observacional de la conducta al cruzar la calle

Crossing the street in urban roads is especially problematic for older pedestrians and causes a high number of traffic accidents. An observational research has been developed in the city of Valencia (Spain) about pedestrian crossing behaviours in the crosswalk. 868 crossing events have been recorded, observing both older and adults, and comparatively analysing how age is related to the crossing behaviour. The results show that older pedestrians have, in general terms, a safer crossing behaviour than adults, especially in the attention before and during the crossing. On the other hand, they also show a greater time delay in starting the intersection once the traffic light changes, being also higher the average time required to reach the other side, as well as to the variability in time employed by these older pedestrians.ResumenCruzar la calle en vías urbanas es una situación especialmente problemática para los peatones mayores y provoca un elevado número de accidentes de tráfico. Se ha realizado una investigación observacional en la ciudad de Valencia (España) sobre el comportamiento de los mayores al cruzar por pasos de peatones. Para ello se han grabado 868 eventos de cruce, observando tanto mayores como adultos, y analizando comparativamente cómo se relaciona la edad con la conducta de cruce. Los resultados muestran que los mayores presentan, en términos generales, una conducta de cruce más prudente que los adultos, sobretodo en la atención antes y durante el cruce. Por otro lado, también muestran unos mayores tiempos de demora en el inicio del cruce una vez cambia el semáforo, siendo también mayor no solo el tiempo promedio necesario para alcanzar la otra acera, sino también la variabilidad de tiempos empleados.