An absolute production technique is described which may be used for investigating the operating characteristics of the response production system in any free category-rating production task, Ss being asked to generate categorical motor responses as well as perceptual signals of appropriate magnitudes. Instead of S assigning a numerical response to a given perceptual stimulus according to a prespecified arrangement, he must use his own system of responses by generating a motor response to a numerical stimulus varying from 1 to N. A description of what is expected from S is given using the concrete example of vocal pitch production.
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