The relation between action, predictability and temporal contiguity in temporal binding

Previous studies have documented a subjective temporal attraction between actions and their effects. This finding, named intentional binding, is thought to be the result of a cognitive function that links actions to their consequences. Although several studies have tried to outline the necessary and sufficient conditions for intentional binding, a quantitative comparison between the roles of temporal contiguity, predictability and voluntary action and the evaluation of their interactions is difficult due to the high variability of the temporal binding measurements. In the present study, we used a novel methodology to investigate the properties of intentional binding. Subjects judged whether an auditory stimulus, which could either be triggered by a voluntary finger lift or be presented after a visual temporal marker unrelated to any action, was presented synchronously with a reference stimulus. In three experiments, the predictability, the interval between action and consequence and the presence of action itself were manipulated. The results indicate that (1) action is a necessary condition for temporal binding; (2) a fixed interval between the two events is not sufficient to cause the effect and (3) only in the presence of voluntary action do temporal predictability and contiguity play a significant role in modulating the effect.These findings are discussed in the context of the relationship between intentional binding and temporal expectation. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do look now : re-imagining and re-purposing audiovisual creative practice

The appropriation and elaborate re-working of mediated images and sound stand in a fluid relationship with established notions such as creativity, originality and artistic freedom. The evocative, recontextualised montage works of the eminent video artists Christian Marclay (The Clock) and Tracey Moffatt (Other; Love) may be viewed critically in the light of several theorists’ work, such as Walter Benjamin’s ideas on the crisis of reproduction and reactivation. The ironic pastiche, Do Look Now, a recent video installation work, is presented here as a similar dialogical intervention, representing a subversive deconstruction and critique of filmic codes and conventions, as well as being a new work crafted out of old film clips. (The films quoted in the work are listed here in an Appendix). These practical provocations are framed within a renewed, ‘queering’ investigation of creative works. Such an exploration is, arguably, both illuminating and liberating for particular practitioners and researchers engaged with the unpredictable intersections of creative meaning-making in a heavily legalised, mediated and digitised world.

The role of the posterior superior temporal sulcus in audiovisual processing

In this study we investigate previous claims that a region in the left posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) is more activated by audiovisual than unimodal processing. First, we compare audiovisual to visual-visual and auditory-auditory conceptual matching using auditory or visual object names that are paired with pictures of objects or their environmental sounds. Second, we compare congruent and incongruent audiovisual trials when presentation is simultaneous or sequential. Third, we compare audiovisual stimuli that are either verbal (auditory and visual words) or nonverbal (pictures of objects and their associated sounds). The results demonstrate that, when task, attention, and stimuli are controlled, pSTS activation for audiovisual conceptual matching is 1) identical to that observed for intramodal conceptual matching, 2) greater for incongruent than congruent trials when auditory and visual stimuli are simultaneously presented, and 3) identical for verbal and nonverbal stimuli. These results are not consistent with previous claims that pSTS activation reflects the active formation of an integrated audiovisual representation. After a discussion of the stimulus and task factors that modulate activation, we conclude that, when stimulus input, task, and attention are controlled, pSTS is part of a distributed set of regions involved in conceptual matching, irrespective of whether the stimuli are audiovisual, auditory-auditory or visual-visual.

Dissociating verbal and nonverbal audiovisual object processing

This fMRI study investigates how audiovisual integration differs for verbal stimuli that can be matched at a phonological level and nonverbal stimuli that can be matched at a semantic level. Subjects were presented simultaneously with one visual and one auditory stimulus and were instructed to decide whether these stimuli referred to the same object or not. Verbal stimuli were simultaneously presented spoken and written object names, and nonverbal stimuli were photographs of objects simultaneously presented with naturally occurring object sounds. Stimulus differences were controlled by including two further conditions that paired photographs of objects with spoken words and object sounds with written words. Verbal matching, relative to all other conditions, increased activation in a region of the left superior temporal sulcus that has previously been associated with phonological processing. Nonverbal matching, relative to all other conditions, increased activation in a right fusiform region that has previously been associated with structural and conceptual object processing. Thus, we demonstrate how brain activation for audiovisual integration depends on the verbal content of the stimuli, even when stimulus and task processing differences are controlled.

Dynamic capabilities and performance : an empirical study of audiovisual producers in Europe

This study tests Teece’s conceptualization of dynamic capabilities in the context of small and medium sized firms competing in creative industries, i.e. the European audio-visual production industry. This industry is characterized by immature and evolving markets where firms’ dynamic capabilities are expected to lead to superior innovative performance. Using survey data from audio-visual producers in ten European countries we find that both sensing and seizing capabilities have a positive effect on firms' innovative performance. The effect however, is curvilinear and positive effects appear only when capabilities overcome a threshold level.

European audiovisual production companies adapting to strategic challenges

These are turbulent times for audio- visual production companies. Radical changes, both inside and outside the organizations, reach across national markets and different genres. For instance, production methods are changing; the demand from audiences and advertisers is changing; power relations between the actors involved in the value chain are changing; and increasing concentration makes the market even more competitive for small independent players. From a perspective of the structure–conduct– performance paradigm (Ramstad, 1997) it is reasonable to expect that these changes on a structural level of the industry will cause the production companies to adapt their strategic behaviour. The current challenges for media companies are a combination of rising complexity and uncertainty in the market (Picard, 2004). The increasing complexity can for instance be observed in the growing number of market segments and in the continuing trend towards cross- media strategies where media companies operate in multiple markets and on multiple platforms...

Human brain mechanisms of auditory and audiovisual selective attention

Selective attention refers to the process in which certain information is actively selected for conscious processing, while other information is ignored. The aim of the present studies was to investigate the human brain mechanisms of auditory and audiovisual selective attention with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG). The main focus was on attention-related processing in the auditory cortex. It was found that selective attention to sounds strongly enhances auditory cortex activity associated with processing the sounds. In addition, the amplitude of this attention-related modulation was shown to increase with the presentation rate of attended sounds. Attention to the pitch of sounds and to their location appeared to enhance activity in overlapping auditory-cortex regions. However, attention to location produced stronger activity than attention to pitch in the temporo-parietal junction and frontal cortical regions. In addition, a study on bimodal attentional selection found stronger audiovisual than auditory or visual attention-related modulations in the auditory cortex. These results were discussed in light of Näätänen s attentional-trace theory and other research concerning the brain mechanisms of selective attention.

Edital nº 1, de 17 de março de 1992 : [concurso público para Contador, Assistente Administrativo, Agente de Segurança Legislativa, Operador de Máquinas e Operador de Audiovisual]

Torna pública a abertura de inscrição para o concurso público destinado ao preenchimento de cargos de Contador, Assistente Administrativo, Agente de Segurança Legislativo, Operador de Máquinas e Operador de Audiovisual da Câmara dos Deputados.

Edital nº 8, de 26 de agosto de 1992 : [concurso público para Operador de Audiovisual]

Comunica que no resultado da prova de Conhecimentos Específicos, Língua Portuguesa e Legislação do concurso público para Operador de Audiovisual, Edital nº 4/92, foi omitido um candidato.

Edital nº 14, de 23 de setembro de 1992 : concurso público para Operador de Audiovisual

Em conformidade com os Editais nº 1/1992 e nº 10/1992, comunica aos candidatos a data de realização da Prova Prática para a categoria funcional de Operador de Audiovisual.

Edital nº 02/86 : concurso público para Operador de Audiovisual

Torna pública a abertura de inscrição para concurso público destinado ao preenchimento de cargos de Operador de Audiovisual, do Grupo-Atividades de Apoio Legislativo da Câmara dos Deputados.

Edital nº 21, de 22 de outubro de 1992 : concurso público para Operador de Audiovisual

Em conformidade com o Edital nº1/1992, torna público o resultado da prova prática e o resultado final, com a classificação geral do concurso público para Operador de Audiovisual.

Regulação e a promoção de conteúdo audiovisual nacional na era da convergência digital: uma análise comparativa do Reino Unido, França e Brasil

Investiga como a produção e a distribuição de programas de televisão, filmes e outros conteúdos audiovisuais de produção nacional podem ser promovidas pela regulação. O estudo identifica as atuais ferramentas regulatórias e as diferentes políticas adotadas para a promoção do conteúdo nacional. Ele também aponta novas questões resultantes da transformação substancial que a mídia tem sofrido nos últimos anos. O setor audiovisual hoje é caracterizado pela abundância de canais de televisão e de serviços de telecomunicações e pela convergência digital em curso. Este novo cenário impacta a eficiência e a racionalidade da regulamentação dos conteúdos. Focada no Reino Unido, França e Brasil, esta pesquisa comparativa investiga as mudanças regulatórias, políticas, sócio-culturais, econômicas, tecnológicas e mercadológicas dos serviços de comunicação nas últimas décadas e como esse desdobramento tem influenciado a oferta de conteúdo audiovisual nacional. O ponto de partida da análise é a década de oitenta, quando a radiodifusão começou a ser gradualmente liberalizada em diversos países, e termina na primeira década do novo milênio, quando as tecnologias da informação, as telecomunicações e a radiodifusão convergem para a oferta de serviços interconectados, complementares e suplementares.

Una historia de España audiovisual y joseantoniana

[EN] The paper analyses a very interesting documentary film about the ancient history of Spain from a franquist, more specifically, falangist point of view (“Nueva Visión de la Historia). It was based on a book about the history of Spain written by a member of Falange, the fascist group in Spain, Antonio Almagro, and was intended as a formative instrument for the youth in the late forties or early fifties. We know only the episodes dealing with Ancient Spain (probably the only ones shot), 25 minutes in all, and it represents an outstanding example of an hyper-nationalistic and hyper-catholic perspective of Spanish history. It also shows a very sympathetic image of José Antonio, the leader of Falange, but, remarkably enough, not of Franco. The film also includes a “theoretical” Introduction about the notion of History.