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A Psychophysical Approach To Standardizing Texture Compression For Virtual Environments, Jeremy Flynn Jan 2018

A Psychophysical Approach To Standardizing Texture Compression For Virtual Environments, Jeremy Flynn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Image compression is a technique to reduce overall data size, but its effects on human perception have not been clearly established. The purpose of this effort was to determine the most effective psychophysical method for subjective image quality assessment, and to apply those findings to an objective algorithm. This algorithm was used to identify the minimum level of texture compression noticeable to the human, in order to determine whether compression-induced texture distortion impacted game-play outcomes. Four experiments tested several hypotheses. The first hypothesis evaluated which of three magnitude estimation (ME) methods (absolute ME, absolute ME plus, or ME with a …


Childhood Experiences And Domestic Violence: The Role That Interpartner Violence Plays In Relationship Functioning And Parenting Behaviors In Adulthood., J'Nelle Stephenson Jan 2018

Childhood Experiences And Domestic Violence: The Role That Interpartner Violence Plays In Relationship Functioning And Parenting Behaviors In Adulthood., J'Nelle Stephenson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is estimated that approximately 25% of women and 7.6% of men report experiencing violence from their romantic partner during their lifetime. Additionally, in households where interpartner violence occurs, there are between 3.3 and 10 million children in the United States alone. It is important to understand the cycle of domestic violence that can occur, as it can inform us about expected outcomes across time. This study examined mothers' childhood exposure to their own parents' domestic violence. It was hypothesized that childhood exposure to domestic violence would be related to unhealthy intimate relationships and to the development of maladaptive parenting …


Sleep Disturbances Among Firefighters: The Impact Of Shift Work On Sleep And Cognition, Jeremy Stout Jan 2018

Sleep Disturbances Among Firefighters: The Impact Of Shift Work On Sleep And Cognition, Jeremy Stout

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A comprehensive sleep assessment of 45 firefighters was conducted over 9- days in an effort to determine the impact of their 24 hour work and 48 hour off work schedule on their sleep duration, sleep quality, processing speed, sustained attention, vigilance, and mental health. Chronic patterns of poor sleep are associated with an increased likelihood of performing poorly on tasks that require processing speed and sustained attention/vigilance which could lead to firefighters' suboptimal work performance or an increased risk of injury. Firefighters completed sleep actigraphy, self- report measures, as well as neuropsychological sub-tests at their beginning of their shift and …


Examining Followership Role Orientation, Douglas Monsky Jan 2018

Examining Followership Role Orientation, Douglas Monsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to make steps toward filling significant gaps in the followership literature. The study of followership has often been seen through the lens of leaders' ability to impart change in follower behavior. In doing so, the literature has primarily focused on leader behavior as the agent of change rather than acknowledging followers as active agents in their own behaviors. However, some recent research has shown the emergence of followers as the primary focus, even looking at how their actions can change the way leaders act. This research focuses primarily on followership role orientations as mental models which specify …


Is Proactive Behavior Always Positive? An Examination Of Leader Reactions Based On Employee Gender And Organizational Crisis, Nicole Carusone Jan 2018

Is Proactive Behavior Always Positive? An Examination Of Leader Reactions Based On Employee Gender And Organizational Crisis, Nicole Carusone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Organizations are increasingly looking to hire employees who are willing to take initiative and go above and beyond expectations (Campbell, 2000). To that aim, proactive behaviors have been increasingly considered as a potentially important characteristic of today's workers (Campbell, 2000). With workplaces becoming more decentralized and work becoming increasingly innovative and self-directed, organizations require employees who are able and willing to be proactive (Campbell, 2000; Frese & Fay, 2001). Researchers have found many benefits to proactive behavior, including increases in individual performance and innovation (Seibert, Kraimer, & Crant, 2001; Tornau & Frese, 2013). While proactive behavior may have many benefits, …


Adaptation And Resilience Of Extreme Teams: A Qualitative Study Using Historiometric Analysis, Lauren Campbell Jan 2018

Adaptation And Resilience Of Extreme Teams: A Qualitative Study Using Historiometric Analysis, Lauren Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The business and academic worlds agree that team resilience and team adaptation are in increasing need of study. This study explores the behavioral processes of team adaptation—specifically, those action phase and interpersonal processes mapped by Marks, Mathieu, and Zaccaro (2001) and overlapping with the team adaptation model by Burke, Stagl, Salas, Pierce, and Kendall (2006) and expanded by Rosen et al. (2011). Additionally, the impact of trigger type on adaptive behaviors is explored as suggested by Maynard and Kennedy (2016). These explorations are conducted within the context of extreme teams, and the primary method used is Crayne and Hunter's (2018) …


Oculomotor Mechanisms Underlying Attentional Costs In Distracted Visual Search, Joanna Lewis Jan 2018

Oculomotor Mechanisms Underlying Attentional Costs In Distracted Visual Search, Joanna Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Performance consequences have been long established when humans multitask. This research concerns the impact of distraction on the attentional shifts during a task that underlies many cognitive processes and everyday tasks, searching for a target item among non-target items (e.g., scanning the road for potential collisions). There is evidence that increasing the mental workload by introducing additional tasks influences our ability to search our environment or interferes with processing fixated information. In the current studies, I aimed to evaluate the changes in gaze behaviors during visual search to evaluate how multitasking impairs our attentional processes. Participants completed a visual search …


Rumination And Executive Dysfunction: Risk Factors For Vascular Depression, David Brush Jan 2018

Rumination And Executive Dysfunction: Risk Factors For Vascular Depression, David Brush

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The widely-supported vascular depression hypothesis is underspecified with respect to cognitive mechanisms by which high cerebrovascular burden (CVB) and neuropathology relate to depressive symptoms. Integration of the vascular depression hypothesis with the CaR-FA-X model, a framework of affect regulation mechanisms, suggest that Rumination (R) and executive dysfunction (X) may increase due to altered recruitment of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex resulting from high CVB and underlying neuropathology. This process would contribute to depressive symptomatology among older adults with high CVB. The progression of examined hypotheses included mediation models examining mechanistic relationships between predictors (CVB, DLPFC activation), cognitive correlates (rumination, executive …


Working Memory Capacity And Executive Attention As Predictors Of Distracted Driving, Jennifer Louie Jan 2018

Working Memory Capacity And Executive Attention As Predictors Of Distracted Driving, Jennifer Louie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study empirically examined the effects of working memory capacity (WMC) and executive attention on distracted driving. Study 1 examined whether a Grocery List Task (GLT) distractor would load onto WMC. Forty-three participants completed a series of WMC tasks followed by the GLT. They then completed two driving trials: driving without the GLT and driving while completing the GLT. It was hypothesized that WMC would positively correlate with GLT performance. A bivariate correlation indicated that WMC was positively associated with performance on the GLT. Study 2 tested a series of distractor tasks (GLT, Tone Monitoring, and Stop Signal) to …


Olfaction, Memory, And Presence In Warfighters: Do The Scents Of War Matter?, Benson Munyan Jan 2018

Olfaction, Memory, And Presence In Warfighters: Do The Scents Of War Matter?, Benson Munyan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Exposure therapy (EXP) is a first-line intervention for combat-related PTSD. EXP works by repeatedly exposing the patient to the feared stimuli, situation, or physical sensations in the absence of actual danger until the stimuli no longer evoke maladaptive responses. Over the past decade, multiple technologies have been introduced to augment the EXP process by presenting multi-sensory cues (e.g., sights, smells, sounds) to increase patients' sense of presence. Exploratory research has only broadly examined the effect of odorants on the patient's sense of presence during simulated exposure tasks. This study hypothesized that those with autobiographical memories similar to the virtual …


Does Constructive Criticism Boost Creativity? Examining The Moderating Role Of Leader-Member Exchange, Learning Goal Orientation, And Feedback Seeking Behavior, Devin Burnell Jan 2018

Does Constructive Criticism Boost Creativity? Examining The Moderating Role Of Leader-Member Exchange, Learning Goal Orientation, And Feedback Seeking Behavior, Devin Burnell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates whether constructive criticism enhances creative performance within the relationship context of leaders and followers. Previous research on leadership and creativity defines creative products as novel and useful, but overlooks antecedents to creative action—the immediate precondition of creative products. Creative action, or creative performance, includes (1) identifying a problem, (2) searching for information, (3) generating solutions, and (4) evaluating the best solution. Previous research informs that three psychological mechanisms are responsible for creative actions: (1) sense-making, (2) motivation, and (3) knowledge processes. Constructive criticism is posited to act simultaneously on each of these processes to encourage creative performance …


Investigating The Role Of Cognitive Load In Synthetic Learning Environments For Training, Joelene Goh Jan 2018

Investigating The Role Of Cognitive Load In Synthetic Learning Environments For Training, Joelene Goh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ensuring effectiveness of training programs has been a dominant theme in the training industry, and is constantly evolving with the steady incorporation of emerging technology. This field study offers an investigation into the intersection between the applied and research world, and examines the practicality of recommended best practices for implementing synthetic learning environments (SLEs) in the military. Specifically, cognitive load has been identified as a significant factor in influencing the effectiveness of training programs. Research on this topic has focused on utilizing the affordances of SLEs to decrease cognitive load imposed by the material and system in order to allow …


Dissecting The Components Of Neuropathic Pain, Dale George Jan 2018

Dissecting The Components Of Neuropathic Pain, Dale George

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pain is a public health issue affecting the lives of nearly 116 million adults in the US, annually. Understanding the physiological and phenotypic changes that occur in response to painful stimuli is of tremendous clinical interest, but, the complexity of pain and the lack of a representative in vitro model hinders the development of new therapeutics. Pain stimuli are first perceived and transmitted by the neurons within the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) which become hyperexcitable under these conditions. It has now been established that satellite glial cells (SGCs) that ensheathe the DRG cell body actively contribute to this neuronal dysregulation. …


Psychophysiology Meets Computer Science: Predicting The Magnitude Of Participant Physiological Response With Machine Learning, Avonie Parchment Jan 2018

Psychophysiology Meets Computer Science: Predicting The Magnitude Of Participant Physiological Response With Machine Learning, Avonie Parchment

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present inquiry uses methods from psychophysiology and machine learning to reduce overall error in classification models. The field of psychophysiology, though rooted in decades of experimentation, has never reached the same level of precision as some aspects of medical inquiry. In fact, while some medical regression models, when determining some way to classify a patient's illness based on certain symptoms, can result in highly significant results with large effect sizes, equal levels are virtually unheard of in psychophysiology. The present investigation attempts to unravel some part of this mystery and determines some possible reasons for the difficulty in finding …


The State Of Trauma-Informed Care In The Preschool, Ellen Kolomeyer Jan 2018

The State Of Trauma-Informed Care In The Preschool, Ellen Kolomeyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to provide a foundational knowledge base from which to begin bridging the gap between research on trauma-informed, relationship-based therapeutic interventions in early childhood preschool classrooms and the practice of such classroom-based interventions. Specifically, this study identified several specific predictors (e.g., funding) and barriers (e.g., lack of knowledge and training in assessment instruments and referral options) to gaining trauma-informed knowledge and engaging in trauma-informed practices in preschool classrooms. Individuals in leadership roles at preschools were sampled anonymously with regard to their current trauma-informed knowledge and program practices. Participants included 98 preschool leaders from Florida, 36 preschool leaders from …


Influence Of Selected Factors On A Counselor's Attention Level To And Counseling Performance With A Virtual Human In A Virtual Counseling Session, John Hart Jan 2018

Influence Of Selected Factors On A Counselor's Attention Level To And Counseling Performance With A Virtual Human In A Virtual Counseling Session, John Hart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Virtual humans serve as role-players in social skills training environments simulating situational face-to-face conversations. Previous research indicates that virtual humans in instructional roles can increase a learner's engagement and motivation towards the training. Left unaddressed is if the learner is looking at the virtual human as one would in a human-to-human, face-to-face interaction. Using a modified version of the Emergent Leader Immersive Training Environment (ELITE-Lite), this study tracks visual attention and other behavior of 120 counselor trainees counseling a virtual human role-playing counselee. Specific study elements include: (1) the counselor's level of visual attention toward the virtual counselee; (2) how …


Subjective-Objective Discrepancies Among Patients With Sleep Complaints In The Patient-Centered Medical Home, Keri Bayley Jan 2018

Subjective-Objective Discrepancies Among Patients With Sleep Complaints In The Patient-Centered Medical Home, Keri Bayley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sleep misperception – the discrepancy between objective and subjective measures of sleep – has been shown to be prevalent among patients with insomnia and may be a promising target for sleep intervention. This study examined sleep misperception in a diverse outpatient medical sample using consumer-grade wearable actigraphs (i.e., Fitbit Charge HR™). Forty-four self-identified problem sleepers aged 20 to 79 participated in the study. Participants completed sleep diaries for one week while also tracking their sleep using the Fitbit Charge HR™. After receiving a personalized sleep report based on these data, participants repeated another week of sleep assessment. Sleep misperception was …


Human Factor Effects Of Simulating Battlefield Malodors In Field Training, William Pike Jan 2018

Human Factor Effects Of Simulating Battlefield Malodors In Field Training, William Pike

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In order to explore how to better utilize simulated odors for live training, a study of 180 United States Military Academy at West Point cadets was undertaken to determine whether pre-exposure to a simulated malodor may result in an amelioration of performance issues, as well as improving performance of a complex task. Exposure to malodors has long been shown to increase stress and escape behavior, and reduce performance of complex tasks, in addition to degrading other human factor areas. However, desensitization to a particular odor through a process known as olfactory adaptation, could ameliorate these performance issues. In this study, …


Eye Movements And Spatial Ability: Influences On Thinking During Analogical Problem Solving, Bradford Schroeder Jan 2018

Eye Movements And Spatial Ability: Influences On Thinking During Analogical Problem Solving, Bradford Schroeder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Classic studies have examined the factors that influence the way in which people can solve difficult "insight" problems, which require creative solutions. Recent research has shown that guiding one's eye movements in a pattern spatially congruent with the solution improves the likelihood of formulating a spatial solution. The authors in this line of research argued that guiding eye movements in a pattern spatially equivalent to the solution of the problem yields an embodied cognitive benefit that aids problem solving. Specifically, guiding eye movements leads to the generation of a mental representation containing perceptual information that helps a problem solver mentally …


Online Product Reviews: Effects Of Star Ratings And Valence On Review Perception Among Those High And Low In Need For Cognition, Jacquelyn L. Schreck Jan 2018

Online Product Reviews: Effects Of Star Ratings And Valence On Review Perception Among Those High And Low In Need For Cognition, Jacquelyn L. Schreck

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The Internet is becoming the main source for various tasks, from learning, to working, and shopping. There are many websites one can use to shop. Almost all stores have a website from which you can order anything you might want. As online shopping becomes more prominent, it is important to understand the effects of the Internet and its product reviewers and, specific to this study, consumer decision making. This study seeks to understand the effect of star ratings and valence on review perception between the different cognitive levels of individuals. Recognition review perception, and intent to purchase were being measured. …


Social Anxiety And Subtypes Of Empathy: The Moderating Influence Of Biological Sex, Samantha K. Berg Jan 2018

Social Anxiety And Subtypes Of Empathy: The Moderating Influence Of Biological Sex, Samantha K. Berg

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Only a few studies have examined relationships between social anxiety and subtypes of empathy. Findings are mixed. The present study examined social anxiety severity on a continuum and how it related to affective and cognitive empathy in 684 nonpsychiatric adults (77% female). Participants completed an online battery of measures that included: a self-report measure of social anxiety severity (Fear of Negative Evaluation), a self-report measure with subscales for affective and cognitive empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index), and a behavioral measure of cognitive empathy (Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task; MIE). After statistically covarying for general anxiety severity, biological sex moderated …


Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) And Equine Assisted Therapy: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Brittany R. Selzer Jan 2018

Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) And Equine Assisted Therapy: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Brittany R. Selzer

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this integrative review of the literature is to examine the effectiveness of equine assisted therapy with individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). An extensive review of the literature was conducted regarding children diagnosed with ASD who received equine therapy, equine psychotherapy, therapeutic horseback riding, or horse therapy. Inclusion criteria include articles written in the English language, articles that were peer-reviewed, and had a publication date from 2006 to present. Fourteen articles were analyzed regarding children with ASD who participated in different types of equine therapy. The majority of the studies found individuals with ASD who participated …


Sexualized Music's Effect On Adolescent And Emerging Adult Behavior: A Meta-Analysis, Brittany M. Scholl Jan 2018

Sexualized Music's Effect On Adolescent And Emerging Adult Behavior: A Meta-Analysis, Brittany M. Scholl

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Reports on sexual activity among U.S. adolescents have shown a rise in their seriousness (Martino, Collins, Elliott, Strachman, Kanouse, & Berry, 2006). Such young sexual initiation is seen as a predictor of overall riskier sexual behavior such as having a multitude of sexual partners, not using any protective birth control and taking part in unwanted sex (Brown, L'Engle, Pardun, Guo, Kenneavy, & Jackson, 2006; Martino et at., 2006; Parkes, Wight, Hunt, Henderson, & Sargent, 2013; Price & Hyde, 2009; Primack, Douglas, Fine, & Dalton, 2009; Steinberg & Monahan, 2010). It is apparent that such riskier sexual behaviors result in higher …


Variables Influencing Misogyny, Rachel E. Mcpherson Jan 2018

Variables Influencing Misogyny, Rachel E. Mcpherson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Misogyny, a hatred against women, is an attitude that causes emotional distress and can negatively affect women's psychological and physical health. It has shown itself in extreme ways and can be crippling to women. Studies have shown that psychological distress is heightened when women are subjected to sexist events. Misogyny exists in the classroom, workplace, and politics, and is virtually inescapable from women. It is not uncommon for women in positions of power are often unjustly branded with cruel epithets. Despite the modernity of today's culture, misogyny is still a prevalent issue. This study seeks to assess the underlying predictors …


Naughty Or Nice: An Exploration Of Human Sexuality And Its Associations To Online Dating Behavior And The "Hook-Up" Culture, Ciara Peebles Jan 2018

Naughty Or Nice: An Exploration Of Human Sexuality And Its Associations To Online Dating Behavior And The "Hook-Up" Culture, Ciara Peebles

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between human sexuality, online dating, and personality. The two sexual subcultures investigated were the hook-up culture (casual sexuality) and unconventional sexual subculture (such as fetishes). The first hypothesis was that one's casual sexuality would influence one’s online dating participation. The second hypothesis was that there would be gender differences between participation in casual sexuality and participation in unconventional sexuality. The third hypothesis was certain personality traits would influence whether they would participate both sexuality measures. The measures used for the survey were Online Dating Index, Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale, Big Five Inventory, …


Anything But Crazy: How American Musical Theatre Can Change Societal Stigmas Against Mental Illnesses, Benjamin Walton Jan 2018

Anything But Crazy: How American Musical Theatre Can Change Societal Stigmas Against Mental Illnesses, Benjamin Walton

Honors Undergraduate Theses

There is a societal stigma that villainizes or degrades anyone diagnosed or associated with any mental illness. While many different forms of media have attempted to destroy this stigma through psycho-centric narratives, I wanted to argue that musical theatre has the greatest potential as a live entertainment source to deconstruct and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. For my research, I theorized that musical theatre can most effectively change societal stigma about mental illness by communicating a clear understanding of the disease through music, and achieving popularity in the public eye longer than other live forms of theatre. I chose …


The Relationship Between Millennials' Attitudes Towards The United States And Their Goals And Personal Constructs, Angelica M. Hernandez Jan 2018

The Relationship Between Millennials' Attitudes Towards The United States And Their Goals And Personal Constructs, Angelica M. Hernandez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine various aspects of Millennials' attitudes related to their beliefs about the United States and in the context of their personal, career, and family goals and ethnic identity. Another purpose of this study was to determine if selected personality variables would predict attitudes toward the United States. It was found that Millennials who held positive attitudes toward the United States in terms of being a viable country for them also had relatively clear and developed personal, career, and family goals. Moreover, three personality variables—resiliency, optimism, and (inversely) cynicism significantly contributed to Millennials' views …


The Effect Of Controlling Messages On Doctor-Patient Communication, Kayla A. Ladez Jan 2018

The Effect Of Controlling Messages On Doctor-Patient Communication, Kayla A. Ladez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The doctor-patient relationship is a very important aspect of a patient's health and wellbeing. It is a complex relationship that requires trust and understanding by both parties. Doctor shopping and changes in technology that allow patients to independently learn about their health have further complicated this relationship. This study looks at how participants perceive controlling language depending on the gender of the doctor. Participants were 339 University of Central Florida undergraduate students (112 men and 227 women, age M= 19.29, SD = 3.60) recruited through SONA. Participants first listened to a recording of a male or female doctor speaking to …


Psychometric Properties Of A Working Memory Span Task, Juan M. Alzate Vanegas Jan 2018

Psychometric Properties Of A Working Memory Span Task, Juan M. Alzate Vanegas

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to examine the psychometric properties of a complex span task (CST) developed to measure working memory capacity (WMC) using measurements obtained from a sample of 68 undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida. The Grocery List Task (GLT) promises several design improvements over traditional CSTs in a prior study about individual differences in WMC and distraction effects on driving performance, and it offers potential benefits for studying WMC as well as the serial-position effect. Currently, the working memory system is composed of domain-general memorial storage processes and information-processing, which involves the use of …


Predictors Of Job Boredom, Mitchell Eid Jan 2018

Predictors Of Job Boredom, Mitchell Eid

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Although job boredom is increasingly common in the workplace, little research has examined its’ causes. Reducing job boredom has relevance to companies looking to increase the well-being of their employees in addition to their productivity. This study examined what variables are related to and predict job boredom. The Big Five personality traits and job characteristics as defined by Hackman and Oldham specifically, skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback from the job itself were included. A regression analysis revealed that emotional stability, openness and autonomy were significant predictors of boredom. While those were the only variables predictive of …