Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1975, 41, 165-166. @ Perceptual and Motor Skills 1975
ORAL AND VISUAL PRESENTATION AND PRODUCTION OF ORIGINAL RESPONSES1 ROGER A. JOHNSON
JOE KHATENA
Old Dominion University
Marshall University
Summary.-Verbal originality scores were obtained from Onomatopoeia and Images, Form lB, given to 106 Ss aged 10 to 12 yr. and 94 Ss aged 1 6 to 19 yr. The older Ss scored significantly higher than the younger Ss with significant main effects for age, but not for method of word presentation. A significant interaction was found between word presentation method and age. Older Ss were more original with the oral presentation while the younger Ss performed approximately the same with both methods. Onomatopoeia and lmages differs from traditional measures of creative thinking i n that the onomatopoeic words appear to generate original responses by both their meaning and sound. Johnson and Khatena ( 2 ) found that hearing Ss scored significantly higher than deaf Ss o n Onomatopoeia and Images giving support to this proposition. This study was performed to examine further the proposition of Torrance, Khatena, and Cunnington ( 4 ) that both the sound and meaning of the onomatopoeic words are critical in enabling Ss to reduce idiosyncratic behaviors and to produce original responses. Thus, the primary purpose of this smdy was to assess whether the performance of hearing Ss o n Onomatopoeia and lmages is affected adversely when the onomatopoeic words are presented visually without sound. An ancillary purpose was to examine if the hearing of onomatopoeic words was equally important at different age levels. A posttest only design was employed ( I ) , with Ss assigned randomly to either the visual or oral group. The data were analyzed using a weighted means analysis with a 2 x 2 factorial analysis of variance ( 5 ) and two word administration levels and two age levels as the independent variables. Ss (83 males and 117 females) were drawn from one Virginia elementary school and one high school and ranged in age from 10 to 12 yr. and 1 6 to 19 yr. respectively. Ss were available in intact classes, assigned to groups at random. Instructions on Form 1B of Onomatopoeia and Images ( 4 ) were administered simultaneously to both groups of Ss by playing a recorded text in which a narrator related the necessary instructions and urged Ss to be imaginative, to enjoy themselves and to be original in their responses to the onomatopoeia words: ouch, groan, jingle, zoom, and fizzy. Next a screen was placed between the rwo groups; the visual presentation group responded to the words printed o n a card without the benefit of sound while the oral presentation group waited to hear the words. After the visual presentation group completed their tasks, they waited quietly while the oral presentation group responded to the words in the standard manner, i.e., they listened to the words from a recorded text and the words were printed on the response sheets. Scoring of responses was based on the principle of statistical infrequency and relevance with four points being awarded to responses occurring 1% or less of the time and one, 'This paper was supported by the Old Dominion University Research Foundation. Congruent with grant requirements, Ss were debriefed after the experimental session. Requests for reprints should be sent to Roger A. Johnson, School of Education, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23508.
166
R. A. JOHNSON
&
J. KHATENA
two, o r three points awarded to more frequently occurring responses. All response sheets were scored by E and a student assistant; an interscorer reliability coefficient of .95 was obtained. Additional data on the rationale, reliability, and validity of the instrument is available in the Norms Technical Manual (3). Means and standard deviations of Onomatopoeia and Images are shown in Table 1. The data indicate that older Ss scored higher than the younger Ss and word presentation method may have had an effect on performance. Analysis of variance gave a main effect for age, with older Ss scoring significantly higher on verbal originality than younger Ss ( P = 26.21, d f = 1/99, p ,001). A significant interaction between method of presentation and age ( F = 6.17, d f = 1/99, p .05) suggested the role of the sound may have been overemphasized. N o main effect for word presentation method was found ( F = .69, d f = 1/99, n.s.).
ORAL AND VISUAL PRESENTATION AND PRODUCTION OF ORIGINAL RESPONSES1 ROGER A. JOHNSON
JOE KHATENA
Old Dominion University
Marshall University
Summary.-Verbal originality scores were obtained from Onomatopoeia and Images, Form lB, given to 106 Ss aged 10 to 12 yr. and 94 Ss aged 1 6 to 19 yr. The older Ss scored significantly higher than the younger Ss with significant main effects for age, but not for method of word presentation. A significant interaction was found between word presentation method and age. Older Ss were more original with the oral presentation while the younger Ss performed approximately the same with both methods. Onomatopoeia and lmages differs from traditional measures of creative thinking i n that the onomatopoeic words appear to generate original responses by both their meaning and sound. Johnson and Khatena ( 2 ) found that hearing Ss scored significantly higher than deaf Ss o n Onomatopoeia and Images giving support to this proposition. This study was performed to examine further the proposition of Torrance, Khatena, and Cunnington ( 4 ) that both the sound and meaning of the onomatopoeic words are critical in enabling Ss to reduce idiosyncratic behaviors and to produce original responses. Thus, the primary purpose of this smdy was to assess whether the performance of hearing Ss o n Onomatopoeia and lmages is affected adversely when the onomatopoeic words are presented visually without sound. An ancillary purpose was to examine if the hearing of onomatopoeic words was equally important at different age levels. A posttest only design was employed ( I ) , with Ss assigned randomly to either the visual or oral group. The data were analyzed using a weighted means analysis with a 2 x 2 factorial analysis of variance ( 5 ) and two word administration levels and two age levels as the independent variables. Ss (83 males and 117 females) were drawn from one Virginia elementary school and one high school and ranged in age from 10 to 12 yr. and 1 6 to 19 yr. respectively. Ss were available in intact classes, assigned to groups at random. Instructions on Form 1B of Onomatopoeia and Images ( 4 ) were administered simultaneously to both groups of Ss by playing a recorded text in which a narrator related the necessary instructions and urged Ss to be imaginative, to enjoy themselves and to be original in their responses to the onomatopoeia words: ouch, groan, jingle, zoom, and fizzy. Next a screen was placed between the rwo groups; the visual presentation group responded to the words printed o n a card without the benefit of sound while the oral presentation group waited to hear the words. After the visual presentation group completed their tasks, they waited quietly while the oral presentation group responded to the words in the standard manner, i.e., they listened to the words from a recorded text and the words were printed on the response sheets. Scoring of responses was based on the principle of statistical infrequency and relevance with four points being awarded to responses occurring 1% or less of the time and one, 'This paper was supported by the Old Dominion University Research Foundation. Congruent with grant requirements, Ss were debriefed after the experimental session. Requests for reprints should be sent to Roger A. Johnson, School of Education, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23508.
166
R. A. JOHNSON
&
J. KHATENA
two, o r three points awarded to more frequently occurring responses. All response sheets were scored by E and a student assistant; an interscorer reliability coefficient of .95 was obtained. Additional data on the rationale, reliability, and validity of the instrument is available in the Norms Technical Manual (3). Means and standard deviations of Onomatopoeia and Images are shown in Table 1. The data indicate that older Ss scored higher than the younger Ss and word presentation method may have had an effect on performance. Analysis of variance gave a main effect for age, with older Ss scoring significantly higher on verbal originality than younger Ss ( P = 26.21, d f = 1/99, p ,001). A significant interaction between method of presentation and age ( F = 6.17, d f = 1/99, p .05) suggested the role of the sound may have been overemphasized. N o main effect for word presentation method was found ( F = .69, d f = 1/99, n.s.).
