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Neural Replay : A Possible Mechanism For Differing Rehersal Strategies Across Parity, Cassie Brooke Jones Dec 2009

Neural Replay : A Possible Mechanism For Differing Rehersal Strategies Across Parity, Cassie Brooke Jones

Master's Theses

All mammalian females undergo behavioral and neurological changes during pregnancy and motherhood. Many of these changes lead to an enhanced ability to be an effective mother including: increased memory, foraging behaviors, and boldness. Here, we examined the differences in rehearsal strategies between mother and virgin rats. Stops made by rats when exploring their environment have been found to result in reverse replay activity in the hippocampus (Foster & Wilson, 2006). Reverse replay is sequential replay that occurs in the hippocampus immediately after a spatial experience; this replay/activation is in reversed order of the initial spatial episode (Foster & Wilson, 2006). …


Looking Into The Mind Of The Mother : Pup Exposure And Reactivation Of Maternal Circuits, Tricia Lauren Norkunas Aug 2009

Looking Into The Mind Of The Mother : Pup Exposure And Reactivation Of Maternal Circuits, Tricia Lauren Norkunas

Master's Theses

The female rat, among other species, undergoes a fundamental brain re-modeling as a consequence of experiencing the normal and natural events of pregnancy and offspring stimulation. Compelling data show that maternal experiences produce neurobiological modifications in the female leading to specific maternal behaviors, affective states, and the basic underlying female neurobiology necessary to raise viable offspring. This study aims to evaluate the number, quality and selective activation of neurons that develop during the maternal experience. The study showed a trend toward supporting the hypothesis that a “maternal-circuit” is formed through the proliferation of neurons during late-motherhood and lactation, and is …


Ethnic Identity And Sense Of School Belongingness: Behaviors And Beliefs Of Immigrant Hispanic Students And Parents, Francisco B. Ortiz Mar 2009

Ethnic Identity And Sense Of School Belongingness: Behaviors And Beliefs Of Immigrant Hispanic Students And Parents, Francisco B. Ortiz

Master's Theses

For many decades, the number of minority students, particularly Hispanics, dropping out from school has been noticeable to say the least (Rumberger, 1995). These students have in the past and continue in the present to struggle with the educational system, and it is certain, but not clear, that various factors contribute to Hispanics’ poor academic performance and not being able to graduate from High School (Rumbaut & Cornelius, 1995). Some of these factors are organized in three groups: School-Related; Parental-Related; and Student-Related. Thus, this study is an attempt to understand how immigrant students and parents are currently responding to the …


Children's Use Of The Shape Bias In The Presence Of Different Instructions, Object Types, And Emotion Cues, Vanessa Raschke Jan 2009

Children's Use Of The Shape Bias In The Presence Of Different Instructions, Object Types, And Emotion Cues, Vanessa Raschke

Master's Theses

This study explored the prevalence of the shape bias in children when faced with multiple perceptual cues. Three-to six-year-olds were shown three-dimensional objects and two-dimensional representations of these objects, half of which had emotional faces depicted on them. Of interest was whether attention to emotion would alter children's bias towards the shape of the object and how dimensionality and instruction type would affect the children's choices. The older children were equally likely to use emotion matches as shape matches, but this was not the case for the younger children, who were almost exclusively focused on shape. The non-lexical instructions induced …


A Multi-Model Assessment Of Stereotype Content Of Three Latino Groups, Sandra Villalpando Jan 2009

A Multi-Model Assessment Of Stereotype Content Of Three Latino Groups, Sandra Villalpando

Master's Theses

The proposed research study deals with Latino groups' stereotypes, the content that makes up those stereotypes, and the effects the stereotypes have on Latinos' general well-being. This project investigates the origins of stereotype content using a general theory of stereotype content that is composed of two theories: social role theory (Eagly et al., 2000) and the stereotype content model (Fiske et al., 2003; Fiske et al., 1999). Short questionnaires on three different Latino groups in American society were completed by non-Latino respondents in the Chicago area, and an extended questionnaire on Latino groups was completed by Latino respondents in the …


Learning Our Lessons: A Proactive Approach To Bibliotherapy And Its Application To Children, Marleah Augustine Jan 2009

Learning Our Lessons: A Proactive Approach To Bibliotherapy And Its Application To Children, Marleah Augustine

Master's Theses

The current study examined whether children can learn behaviors from fictional characters in books. Additionally, the researcher explored whether discussion of the topic at hand would improve the learning of those behaviors or if it would have no effect and reading alone can elicit change. Children in kindergarten and first-grade (n = 85) took both a pre-test and post-test about two separate topics, bullying and trying new things. They were assigned to four different groups: book only, discussion only, both book and discussion, and unrelated book. No significant differences were found between groups regarding the "trying new things" topic, whereas …


Comparing Generation X To Generation Y On Work-Related Beliefs., Susana Fernandez Jan 2009

Comparing Generation X To Generation Y On Work-Related Beliefs., Susana Fernandez

Master's Theses

A new generation of employees with new expectations is entering the workplace. They are known by many names, but most will recognize them as the Millennials or Generation Y (Gen Y). With many Gen Y members already in the workforce, managers are likely to be required to deal with the generational differences that appear to exist among employees. Given that Gen Y members are likely to work closely with Gen X members, the present study explored possible differences between Gen X and Gen Y on their work-related beliefs.