Selection of Semantic Pairs of Descriptor Termsfor 1st Survey

January, 2007NCSU

Step 1. Identifying and sorting descriptor terms based on semantic analysis

• Overlap: Count of conceptual terms held in common with other descriptors - How many times a selected pair of descriptors loaded on a concept term also related

to another pair of descriptors.

• Conceptual Breadth: How many times a selected pair of descriptors loaded on any terms in the list of conceptual terminology.

Degree of Overlap

(Redundancy)

Conceptual Breadth

(Power)

Dynamic / Static 0 7Safe / Unsafe 0 6

Orthogonal / Redundant 0 5High / Low Workload 0 3High / Low Attention 1 6Salient / Not Salient 1 5Similar / Dissimilar 1 5

Attractive / Not Attractive 1 4Monotonous / Variable 1 4Grouped / Ungrouped 1 1

Bland / Colorful 2 8Relevant / Irrelevant 2 7

Dull / Sharp 3 9Dim / Bright 3 8

Visible / Invisible 4 8Clear / Unclear 4 8

High / Low density 4 8Complex / Simple 5 11

Step 2. Assessing list of descriptors selected by Aptima

• Descriptors are primarily sorted by measure of redundancy used in semantic analysis of pairs.

Degree of Overlap

(Redundancy)

Conceptual Breadth

(Power)

Orthogonal / Redundant

Grouped / Ungrouped

Similar / Dissimilar

Bland / Colorful

High/ Low Density

Complex / Simple

0

1

1

2

4

5

5

1

5

8

8

11

Step 3. Identifying orthogonal pairs of descriptors and related conceptual terminology

• List of pairs having no conceptual redundancy with other descriptors:

Low / High Workload

Orthogonal / Redundant

Safe / Unsafe

Dynamic / static

These pairs are recommended for use in the lab studies as they appear orthogonal in meaning.

• List of pairs with limited conceptual redundancy (Overlap = 1):

Semantic Pair Related Conceptual Terminology

Related Semantic Pair

Grouped / Ungrouped crowded High / Low density

Low/ High Attention concentrated High / Low density

Salient / Not Salient significant Relevant / Irrelevant

Similar / Dissimilar related Relevant / Irrelevant

Attractive / Unattractive Appreciable High/Low visibility, Complex / Simple

Monotonous/ Variable Tedious Dull / Sharp

These pairs are also recommended for use in the lab studies, as they have limited redundancy in meaning.

Aptima’sSelection

Aptima’sSelection

Aptima’sSelection

Step 4. Analyzing redundant pairs of descriptors with conceptual breadth

• List of pairs with some conceptual redundancy (Overlap = 2):

Semantic Pair Related Conceptual Terminology

Related Pair

Bland / Colorfulplain Clear / Unclear, Complex / Simple

weak Dim / Bright

Relevant / Irrelevantrelated Salient / Not salient

significant Similar / Dissimilar

Recommended

Not recommended because previously selected pairs (Salient / Not Salient, Similar / Dissimilar) have similar conceptual meaning (i.e., they load on similar conceptual terminology).

Aptima’sSelection

Step 4. Analyzing redundant pairs of descriptors (continued)

• List of pairs with conceptual redundancy (Overlap = 3):

Semantic Pair Related Conceptual Terminology

Related Pair

Dull / Sharp

dark Monotonous / Variable

intense Dim / Bright

Tedious High / Low density

Dim / Bright

dark High / Low density, Dull/Sharp

intense High / Low density, Dull/Sharp

weak Bland / Colorful

Not recommended because previously selected pair (Dull / Sharp) has similar conceptual meaning.

Aptima’sSelection

Recommended

Step 4. Analyzing redundant pairs of descriptors (continued)

• List of pairs with high conceptual redundancy (Overlap = 4):

Semantic Pair Related Conceptual Terminology

Related Pair

High / Low Visibility

apparent Clear / Unclear

appreciable Attractive / Unattractive, Complex / Simple

discernable Complex/ Simple

Obvious Clear / Unclear

Clear / Unclear

apparent High/Low visibility

clean Complex/ Simple

Obvious Complex/ Simple

plain Complex/ Simple, Bland / Colorful

High / Low Density

concentrated Low/ High Attention

crowded Complex/ Simple, Group / Ungrouped

dark Dim / Bright, Dull/Sharp

intense Dim / Bright, Dull/Sharp

None recommended because previously selected pairs have similar conceptual meaning.

Step 4. Analyzing redundant pairs of descriptors (continued)

• Descriptor pair with highest conceptal redundancy (Overlap = 5):

Semantic Pair Related terminology Related Pair

complex/simple

appreciable High / Low visibility, Attractive / Unattractive

clean Clear / Unclear

crowded High / Low density

discernable High / Low visibility

plain Clear / Unclear, Bland / Colorful

Not recommended because previously selected pairs have similar conceptual meaning.

Step 5. Identification of selected list of semantic pairs of descriptor terms for use in lab studies (any conceptual redundancy is highlighted):

Selected semantic pairs Related conceptual terminology

Low / High Workload burdened, full, laden

Orthogonal / Redundant disused, individual, outmoded, superfluous, surplus

Safe / Unsafe anodyne, careful, dependable, prudent, reliable, secure

Dynamic / Static active, energetic, fixed, forceful, stagnant, stationary, still

Grouped / Ungrouped crowded

Low / High Attention alert, assiduous, conscientious, focused, noticed, concentrated

Salient / Not Salient outstanding, prominent, leading, main, significant

Similar / Dissimilar alike, analogous, comparable, parallel, related

Attractive / Unattractive appealing, desirable, pleasant, appreciable

Monotonous/ Variable erratic, flexible, repeated, tedious

Bland / Colorful insipid, interesting, mild, ordinary, unusual, vibrant, plain, weak

Dull / Sharpabrupt, boring, dreary, harsh, monotonous, sudden, dark, intense, tedious

Modification some pairs by feedback from NASA & Aptima

• Feedback from NASA– Add “Discernible / Indiscernible”

– Add “Empty / Crowded”

• Feedback from Aptima– Substitute “Appealing / Unappealing” for “Attractive / Unattractive”

– Change “Bland / Colorful” to “Monotonous / Colorful”

• Based on the data collection as part of the 1st survey study• Consider "Similar/Dissimilar" and "Static/Dynamic" as potential

alternatives to "Monotonous/variable". (Select among these pairs of terms for use in the 2nd study)

• Consider eliminating "Low/High Workload".

• Consider eliminating "Low/High Attention".

• Consider eliminating "Safe/Unsafe".

Final Semantic Pairs to Clutter Descriptors

• Dissimilar | Similar• Dull | Sharp• Empty | Crowded• Indiscernible | Discernible• Low Attention | High Attention• Low Workload | High Workload• Monochromatic | Colorful• Monotonous | Variable• Not Salient | Salient• Redundant | Orthogonal• Sparse | Dense• Static | Dynamic• Ungrouped | Grouped• Unsafe | Safe

• Dissimilar | Similar• Dull | Sharp• Empty | Crowded• Indiscernible | Discernible• Low Attention | High Attention• Low Workload | High Workload• Monochromatic | Colorful• Monotonous | Variable• Not Salient | Salient• Redundant | Orthogonal• Sparse | Dense• Static | Dynamic• Ungrouped | Grouped• Unsafe | Safe