Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Activation Of The Default Mode Network Is Related To High Reaction Time Variability In Adhd, Parsa Nilchian

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common mental condition in U.S. children and affects more than 6.1 million individuals between the ages of 2-17 years. Recent studies have identified elevated reaction time variability (RTV) as a reliable feature of ADHD, yet it is under debate whether increased RTV is related to lapses of attention, and the neural mechanisms behind high RTV are not well understood. The default mode network (DMN) is a functional brain system responsible for internally-directed mental processes, and it is most active when not engaged in cognitively demanding tasks. Activation of the DMN during active states could …

Confidence Mediates The Sex Differences Observed In Mental Rotation Tests, Carlos J. Desme

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Mental rotation is defined as the ability to rotate 2-D and 3-D objects in space using one's mind. Individual differences recorded in this ability are related with entry into STEM. Several research laboratories bespeak that factors explaining these sex differences include exposure to spatial activities/toys, spatial anxiety, and cognitive strategy used to resolve tasks. One discrete factor receiving less attention is confidence. The study attempted to replicate these differences, examine whether confidence interacts with mental rotation ability estimation, and determine whether confidence mediates these differences. 510 college students completed a 24-item Mental Rotation Test, in which they were shown one …

Do Relationships Matter?: Understanding The Impact Of Student-Teacher Relationships On Academic Performance For Children With Ebps, Sebastian Salinas

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Problem behavior in early childhood is associated with academic and social difficulties in the years following preschool (Pianta & Stuhlman, 2004). Previous studies have suggested that teacher-child relationships are predictive of higher academic success in elementary school-age children (Hamre & Pianta, 2001), but few studies have examined this association in preschoolers (Lee & Bierman, 2015). The purpose of the current study is to examine the association between teacher-child relationships and academic outcomes (i.e., reading and writing proficiency)in preschoolers with externalizing behavior problems (EBPs) prior to participation in an early intervention summer program. Teacher report of conflict, closeness, and dependency dynamics …

Differences In Predictive Ability Of Gross And Fine Motor Skills Towards Language Outcomes: A Systematic Review, Veronica Alvarez

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Motor skills can be divided into two types: gross motor skills (e.g., crawling, walking) and fine motor skills (e.g., grasping). When infants are first learning to navigate their environment, motor skills are a primary way for infants to independently explore and interact with objects and people. Importantly, research has indicated that motor skills can have a cascading effect on language acquisition. The purpose of the current study is to systematically review current literature on the relation between gross and fine motor abilities and language development in order to investigate any potential differences in predictive abilities of gross and fine motor …

Introverts And Extroverts: Learning To Understand One Another, Nicole Larraguibel

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

The world today is made up of individuals with varying levels of introversion and extroversion. Such strong differences in personality can easily lead to clashes, making it crucial for introverts and extroverts to learn to understand one another. The purpose of this research paper is to highlight the differences in personalities and demonstrate how they can be used as strengths to complement one another. If introverts and extroverts are able to better understand each other, then it will immensely benefit interpersonal communication in all aspects of life, ranging from relationships to the workplace.

Bilingualism And Executive Functions, Trinidad Arguelles

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

For this research experiment our team was able to recruit and test 36 Miami Dade College Students, (13 Monolingual , 22 bilinguals, and one trilingual). Participants ranged in age from 18- 30 years old. The study is part a collaboration with Nova Southeastern University (NSU). By administering a series of multiple audio, visual, and verbal tests our team was able to compare cognitive functioning between the two samples. The battery of tests consisted of : The Nonverbal Stroop Card Sorting Test (NSCST), Bilingual Verbal Ability Test (BVAT), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Shipley, and the N-BACK. We use language …

Self-Coaching With Ai: Developing Thinking Skills, Thinking Dispositions, And Well-Being, Olivier Malafronte, Isla Reddin, Roy Van Den Brink-Budgen

ICOT 18 - International Conference on Thinking - Cultivating Mindsets for Global Citizens

Being motivated by the need to address the challenges of our Volatile Uncertain Complex Ambiguous world, we strive to create tools to improve people’s lives and help them become more resilient, resourceful, self-confidant, and successful.

In a digital world, we must understand how to efficiently connect to digital systems. Connecting “with AI” doesn’t mean spending more time on digital devices, but spending time in a deliberate way with purpose and intentional learning outcomes.

As a society, we want to see graduates with emotional intelligence and reflective skills in order to address global economic and social issues. As for jobs …

Método Innovador De Neurociencia Y Coaching Que Reduce El Estrés Y Mejora El Rendimiento Y La Capacidad Cerebral, Sara Dobarro, Javier Simón, Alejandro Marin, Santiago Dobarro

ICOT 18 - International Conference on Thinking - Cultivating Mindsets for Global Citizens

Presentación de los resultados obtenidos con la aplicación del Método mSD en el manejo del estrés, la ansiedad, y otros estados mentales motivados por procesos involuntarios. El mSD se ha aplicado sobre niños, jóvenes, adultos, ancianos con y sin patologías clínicas, dando todos ellos excelentes resultados. También se ha trabajado con el mSD en pacientes con Alzheimer en un proyecto de investigación farmacológica.

El Impacto De Las Artes Visuales En Personas Afectadas Por Cáncer, Bettina Ingham

ICOT 18 - International Conference on Thinking - Cultivating Mindsets for Global Citizens

El impacto de las artes visuales en el bienestar y la mejora de la calidad de vida de personas afectadas por cáncer.

Un programa diseñado para poner en práctica e investigar el alcance que tienen las artes visuales y el método de Estrategias de Pensamiento Visual para el desarrollo de habilidades de pensamiento que promueven la identificación y expresión verbal de las emociones, minimizando, en el caso de las personas convalecientes, el sufrimiento que va desde el dolor de la enfermedad hasta el miedo a la muerte.

Los efectos que la contemplación (percepción estética), el análisis y la práctica(proceso creativo) …

A Comparison Of Hispanic Infant Populations On Vocabulary Size, Elizabeth Torres, Sandy Gonzalez

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Research indicates that many infants hear both English and Spanish in their home, with census estimates indicating that 73% of Hispanics 5 years or older routinely hear Spanish at home. Most bilingual research has focused on language production, but it is crucial to understand if comprehension follows a similar pattern of development for English-Spanish bilinguals. For infant language comprehension, the Communicative Development Inventories (CDI) is widely used in multiple languages. In this study, Spanish and English CDI data were collected from 16-month-old bilingual Hispanic Miami infants (N=21), and were compared to archival Spanish CDI data of 16-month-old monolingual …

The Role Of Wayfinding Experience On Spatial Anxiety: Implications For Spatial Aptitude, Nhan Hoang, Paolanthon Mora

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Spatial ability strongly predicts whether college students pursue science-and math-related majors, in which women are especially underrepresented (Ramirez et at., 2012). One factor that can negatively impact spatial ability is anxiety around completing spatial tasks (e.g., mental rotation, spatial orientation; Lawton, 1996), which tends to be higher in women than in men (Lawton, 1994). Individual and gender differences in self-reported spatial anxiety and childhood wayfinding experience have been linked to the use of different tactics for navigating, or wayfinding, with men and women relying on different strategies (Lawton & Kallai, 2002). Moreover, less childhood wayfinding experience may contribute to higher …

Gendered Sexual Health Beliefs’ Influence On Black College Men’S Hpv Vaccine Uptake Decision Making, Nathalie Perez, Ivette Troitino

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

In 2009, the CDC approved the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for men. This vaccine has been identified as a safe and effective approach to preventing HPV-related illnesses, including anal cancer, penile cancer, throat cancers and genital warts (CDC, 2015). However, preliminary studies indicate that young men are not as willing as young women to be vaccinated despite the fact that between 65% and 93% of college men have HPV (Elbasha & Dasbach, 2010). This study identifies the ways in which gendered sexual health beliefs influence Black college men’s human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine decision making processes. A total of 16 Black …

Words In Space: Words With Implicit Spatial Associations Influence Anticipatory Attention, Ariel Aguero

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Certain words (e.g., star, shoe) are implicitly associated with locations in space (e.g., up, down) and can bias visual attention toward those locations (e.g., hearing “bird” and looking up; Gozli, Pratt, Martin, & Chasteen, 2016). Research often attributes these shifts in attention to the processing of associations between words and space, although a lack of research with infants has left the developmental origins of this phenomenon unexplored. Visual attention, measured through the Intermodal Preferential Looking Paradigm (IPLP), provides insight into infants’ cognitive processes (Golinkoff, Ma, Song & Hirsh-Pasek, 2013). The current study analyzes 24 to 36 month old toddlers’ (8 …

Reaching Kinematics In Infant Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca Mulatta), Alyssa Seidler, Megan Taylor

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

The structure of reaching has been well characterized in human infants using motion analysis. Over the first years of life, reaches become smoother, straighter, and decrease in average speed. Data on reach kinematics in nonhuman primates are limited, particularly in infant samples. The goal of this project was to conduct the earliest assessment of reach kinematics in any nonhuman primate species. Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were chosen because they are one of the most widely studied primates, particularly in the motor domain. The onset of successful reaching in rhesus monkeys is approximately 3 weeks of age. In this study, monkeys …

The Role Of Experience In Gender Differences In Spatial Aptitude, Elaine Green, Jorge Limia

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Spatial reasoning predicts college students’ pursuit of science and math careers, in which women are typically underrepresented (Blair, 2011). Previous research has found gender differences in preschool children’s spatial skills (e.g., mental rotation; Levine et al., 1999), with boys typically outperforming girls. This sex difference in spatial reasoning remains prevalent in adulthood. Explanations for sex differences in one type of spatial ability-wayfinding (i.e., navigation) - include higher levels of spatial anxiety in women compared to men (Lawton, 1994). Because spatial skills take time to develop through the interaction of brain development (e.g., the hippocampus) and spatial experience (e.g., navigation, block/puzzle …

The Expression Of 5- Ht2ar And The 5-Ht2cr In The Dorsal And Ventral Hippocampus, Kiara Serrano

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Cocaine use disorder (CUD) affects 17 million people worldwide. The success in recovery from CUD is challenged by vulnerability to relapse driven in large part by cue reactivity (sensitivity to cues previously linked with drug-taking experience) and craving. Recently, the Cunningham group has demonstrated that the 5-HT_2A receptor (5-HT_2AR) and the 5-HT_2C receptor (5-HT_2CR) have oppositional effects on cue reactivity. Specifically, 5-HT_2CR agonists and 5-HT_2AR antagonists reduce cue reactivity in cocaine self-administration supporting the idea of that these two receptors act in opposition to control behaviors related to CUD. Previous …

Characterizing A Link Between The Gut Microbiome And Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Hassan Akram

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

The role of microbiome is emerging slowly in various fields, including in the field of mental health. Gut microbiome has been related to anxiety, autism, mood disorder and to memory impairments; however its interplay with higher cognition such as Executive Functions (EF) and Emotion Regulation (ER) still remains an open question. ADHD, a highly prevalent mental disorder, is associated with EF and ER dysfunction. Given that microbiome influences the brain through the release of neurotransmitters such as, dopamine, BDNF and serotonin (5-HT) as well as some other molecules like butyrate, this study aims to link microbiome with EF/ER neural circuitry …

Aggression And Violent Video Games, Kyle Martinez

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Across the world, video games are becoming one of the more popular pastimes for children. Many of the video games that have become incredibly popular tend to involve violence. This study was created in order to answer whether these violent video games actually affect the aggression in its adolescent players so that parents can make better decisions on whether their children should play violent video games. In this study, tenth and eleventh grade students were surveyed on who long they played violent video games followed by a five point scale using questions adapted from the “State Hostility Scale” asking how …

Connection Between Aggressive Player Tendencies And The Aesthetics/Gameplay Of A Video Game, Bryan Consuegra

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Amidst a myriad of controversy revolving around the correlation between violent video games and the violent behavior exhibited by some players, a study was conducted to determine the potential connection between aggressive player tendencies and the aesthetics/gameplay of a video game. A sample population of 30 high school students were tasked with playing one of two video games for 10 minutes: Super Smash Bros for Wii U or Mario Kart 8. Both games sport a family-friendly cartoon-like aesthetic, yet both feature radically different forms of gameplay. While the former game is a competitive fighting game depicting numerous acts of slapstick, …

Writing The Literature Review Section: Teaching Undergraduate Psychology Students Scientific Writing, Hung-Tao Chen

South Florida Education Research Conference

Many undergraduate psychology students write the literature review section of a scientific paper as a list of summaries without direction or coherence. This paper proposes to teach students to write the literature review section as an argument instead of following the traditional hourglass metaphor approach.

Causes And Proposed Solutions For Dental Anxieties And Dental Phobias In Relation To Age And Ethnicity, Michelle Cavalaris

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

There are millions of Americans who suffer from dental phobias and about thirtyfive million Americans who suffer from dental anxieties. These statistics reprent the magnitude of dental related fears among individuals. Persons who suffer from these dental related fears are unable to keep an appointment with a dentist. Therefore, the patient’s oral health suffers; which may lead to other health issues. This experiment was created to determine the basis of dental fear, by concentrating on three categories: age, origin, and dental environment. The first objective of this experiment is to first determine if there is a significant difference between a …

Elevated Prenatal Progesterone Causes An Increased Heart Rate In Northern Bobwhite Quail (Colinus Virginianus) Neonates, Yvette Rodriguez

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

The proposed research is designed to investigate whether increased levels of progesterone found within the yolk of Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) will elevate arousal levels as measured by heart rate. Previous studies show that elevated progesterone levels cause an elevation in emotional reactivity among chicks and also influence their auditory learning. Previous studies have also indicated that an increased heart rate following an injection of norepinephrine into quail eggs prior to hatching, can interfere with prenatal auditory learning. To test whether progesterone elevation does have an effect on quail embryos’ heart rate, prior to incubation 90 bobwhite quail chick …

Evaluating The Sandcastles Program: A Group Intervention For Children Of Divorce, Lauren A. Shure Phd, Alvaro Domenech Lcsw, Linda Fieldstone M.Ed., Isadore Newman Phd, Gerene Starratt Phd, Tori Burgess

South Florida Education Research Conference

The Sandcastles program has been utilized nationwide as a one-time group intervention to assist children of divorcing parents. For several years Miami-Dade family court services mandated participation in the program for divorcing or separating families. Currently, there is a paucity of research and evaluation to ascertain the efficacy of the program. This symposium will provide details and discussion regarding the planning and process used to establish an evaluation plan to assess the effectiveness of the Sandcastles program for families in MiamiDade County. Any preliminary outcomes available at the time of the symposium will also be shared.

How Can Fredrickson’S Broaden-And-Build Theory Enhance Personal Resources?, Jennifer Danilowski

South Florida Education Research Conference

Abstract: Positive psychology has garnered great attention towards understanding how individuals develop personal resources to enhance wellbeing and flow. Barbara Fredrickson’s broaden and build theory suggests when individuals imbue various personal resources with more positive affect, individuals are more likely able to develop greater resilient assets as a result.

Mand – To Tact Training Transfer Acquisition Rates In Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder With Limited Verbal Skills, Vanessa Yanek

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Autism Spectrum Disorder () is defined as “the presence of severe and pervasive impairments in reciprocal social interaction and in verbal and nonverbal communication skills” (Diagnostic & Statistical Manual, 2000). It is estimated that 1 in 68 children across the United States are diagnosed with ASD. One of the most common delays that children diagnosed with ASD experience are language delays. Children with ASD that have a language delay will often develop maladaptive behaviors as a result of poor communication skills (Carr & Durand, 1985). The failure to develop mand acquisition in typical fashion results in behaviors ranging from social …

The Effects Of Attention Bias Modification Training On Cognitive Biases Perceived Threats In Children With Anxiety, Andres Roque

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

It has been found in research that children and adults with anxiety have a bias toward interpreting ambiguous situations as threatening. This bias is thought to consequently maintain many symptoms of anxiety. An emergent computer treatment system called Attention Bias Modification Training (ABMT) has been used to try to reduce this bias. It is essential to understand whether this bias can be reduced with ABMT because of its feasibility and cost effective nature of treatment. In the current study, interpretation bias is measured using the Children's Opinions of Everyday Life Events (COELE). The ABMT treatment is given to children once …

User Interface Design For Electronic Learning Software: Promoting Usability And Facilitating Learning For Children, Cesar G. Villa-Garcia

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Computing devices have become ubiquitous in our technologically-advanced world, serving as vehicles for software applications that provide users with a wide array of functions. Among these applications are electronic learning software, which are increasingly being used to educate and evaluate individuals ranging from grade school students to career professionals. This study will evaluate the design and implementation of user interfaces in these pieces of software. Specifically, it will explore how these interfaces can be developed to facilitate the use of electronic learning software by children. In order to do this, research will be performed in the area of human-computer interaction, …

Preschooler’S Comprehension Of Spatial Terms, Elsa Bravo

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

This study aims to understand individual differences in preschooler’s early comprehension of spatial language. Spatial language is defined as terms describing location, direction, shape, dimension, features, orientation, and quantity (e.g location, shape). Spatial language is considered to be one of the important factors in the development of spatial reasoning in the preschool years (Pruden, Levine, & Huttenlocher, 2011). In recent years, research has shown spatial reasoning is an important predictor of successes in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields (e.g. Shea, Lubinski & Benbow, 2001; Wai, Lubinksi &Benbow, 2009). The current study focuses on when children begin to comprehend …

Eyeblink Conditioning In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Natlie Armenteros

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

The eyeblink conditioning paradigm has commonly been used in many studies to probe various levels of functioning in different areas of the brain. It is an ideal paradigm that incorporates Pavlovian classical conditioning features and is useful to study neuropsychological disorders in a non-invasive manner, and is also extremely practical for autism spectrum disorder in particular because it does not require social or verbal skill competency. Previous studies have indicated that children with autism spectrum disorder show an impaired ability to properly time eyeblinks during delay eyeblink conditioning, which is a type of eyeblink conditioning in which the conditioned stimulus …

Emotional Reactivity Is Reduced Following Early Postnatal Exposure To A Novel Stimulus In Bobwhite Quail Chicks, Natalie Ceballos, Michael Suarez

Undergraduate Research at FIU (URFIU) Conference

Neophobia, the fear of novelty, is a behavioral trait displayed by many animal species, in which novel stimuli are perceived to have aversive properties. This is typically associated with an increase in emotional reactivity (i.e. fearfulness). In this study, we investigated whether early postnatal exposure to a novel visual stimulus could reduce neophobia in bobwhite quail chicks (Colinus virginianus). The experiment consisted of three conditions which consisted of a no stimulus control, a test-only exposure control, and a postnatal exposure condition. The stimulus utilized was a moving decoy of a predatory hawk in flight, and was presented to chicks in …