Psychology Commons^™

Aging And Pattern Separation, Nathan Giles, Dr. C. Brock Kirwan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

It is widely known that as we age, our cognitive functions start to decrease, especially when it comes to memory. Memory in the human brain has major processes in the medial temporal lobe, specifically the hippocampus. It is widely accepted that in older adults, the areas in the medial temporal lobe start to atrophy and this decrease in brain tissue volume is what leads to difficulty in memory (Van Petten, 2004). Further, as we age the rate of new neuron growth (termed neurogenesis) in the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus slows down (Small, 2001). Neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus …

Cortisol Profiles As Bio-Markers Of Extreme Temperaments, Claudia Rasmuseen, Dr. James Dee Higley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Temperament is defined as a variation between individuals’ affective-motivational reactivity and self-regulation (Rothbart & Bates, 1998; Rothbart & Derryberry, 1981; Rettew &McKee, 2005). Temperament can be measured as early as birth and has been found to remain relatively stable across the lifespan (Goldsmith, 1987; Lansade, Bouissou & Erhard, 2008;Chronis-Tuscano, et.al, 2009). Although most temperaments used to be grouped into reactivity and self-regulation, new temperament taxonomies have been found to belong to two higher order dimensions: degree of sensitivity to signals of punishment and a propensity to experience negative emotions (Rettew & McKee, 2005). The variety in taxonomies extends to non-human …

The Effects Of Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation On The Discriminability And Generalizability Of Learning, Bengt Grua, Dr. C Brock Kirwan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The goal of this study was to determine how sleep affects memory recall in an academic setting with relation to memory discrimination and memory generalization. Memory generalization depends on the computational process of pattern completion, which is the brain’s ability to retrieve a memory representation based on a partial or modified stimulus (such as viewing a false statement as true if it has many true elements embedded in it). Memory discrimination depends on the computational process of pattern separation, which is the brain’s ability to store a memory as distinct and separate from other, similar memories. Current models of sleep …

Good Vs. Evil: Incorporating Human Stimuli To The Question Of Infant Morality, Jordan Layton, Dr. Ross Flom

Journal of Undergraduate Research

A recent as well as intriguing question in developmental psychology is whether human infants have an innate sense of morality. Media outlets such as 60 Minutes and New York Times magazine have reported findings from Hamlin et al. (2007)1 that infants as young as 6-months have the innate ability to discriminate an individual as either appealing (i.e., helpful) or aversive (i.e., hindering).

Maoa Genotype X Environment Interaction And Influence On Monoamine Neurotransmitter Functioning In Rhesus Macaques (Macaca Mulatta), Daniel Loveland, Dr. J. Dee Higley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Original Project Title: Why can’t we all just get along? MAOa genotype variation is associated with aggressive temperaments in nonhuman primates

In place of studying behavior differences among rhesus monkeys with differing MAOa genotypes, my research group and I chose to analyze the effects of genes and the environment on brain chemistry.

Priming The Pump: A Study Of Hidden Biases, Rachel Maxwell, Dr. Jerffrey Reber

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Priming is a method often used in psychology research to activate implicit attitudes and behaviors. Priming has been effectively demonstrated in advertising and the marketplace (North, Hargreaves, & McKendrick, 1999; Milliman, 1982; Jacob, Gueguen, & Boulbry, 2011), politics (Berger, Meredith, & Wheeler 2008; Rutchick, 2010), business (Kay, Wheeler, Bargh, & Ross, 2004), social norms (Aarts & Dijksterhuis, 2003), studies of aggression (Berkowitz & LePage, 1967), and studies of racism (Wittenbrink, Judd, & Park, 2001). In these studies certain cues in the environment led to an unconscious activation of an attitude or behavior.

Change Over Time Of White Matter Hyperintensities And Cognitive Scores In The Cache County Memory And Aging Study, Zachary Mcdonnell, Dr. Erin Bigler

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Cache County Study on Memory in Aging (CCMA) includes a sample of over 400 individuals with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Bigler et al., 2000). Studies have shown that White Matter Hyperintensities (WMH) on MRIs are associated with not only cognitive decline, but degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease (Philip Scheltens et al., 1998). A common and widely used clinical rating method for identifying WMH is the Scheltens Rating Scale (PH Scheltens et al., 1993). This scale rates WMH, Grey Matter Hyperintensities (GMH), Periventricular White Matter Hyperintensities (PWM), and Infratentorial Signal Hyperintensites (IFH) in a semi-quantitative scale that can be easily …

Predictive Factors Of Gender, Attitudes Towards Sec, And Relationships On Signs Of Dating Violence In Japan, Joshua Murphy, Niwako Yamawaki

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Domestic violence is on the rise and poses serious societal and health concerns. Studies have shown that between 21% and 34% of all women in the United States will be physically assaulted by an intimate partner (Browne, 1993). Shockingly, 1 of every 5 female high school students have reported physical and/or sexual assault by her date (Silverman, Raj, Mucci, & Hathaway, 2001). Furthermore, in Japan a study done by Nakata (2007) found that 30% of female high school participants reported they had experienced unwanted sexual activity. It is important that this study occurs given the lack of investigation in adolescents’ …

Effects Of Chronic Ethanol On Gaba(A) Receptors In The Vta, Ashley Nelson, Dr. Scot Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attributes approximately 80,000 deaths annually to excessive alcohol use (CDC), and alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States (Mokdad et al., 2004). These statistics do not even describe the detrimental effects alcohol addiction has on personal lives and families. The accepted model for addiction in the brain is a change in the normal regulation of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) in the mesolimbic pathway. Studying this pathway is important in developing treatments for addiction, which has implications to improve the lives of many suffering people. The primary …

The Effect Of Second Language Reading On Eye Movement On Second Language Learners, Kyle Nelson, Dr. Steven Luke

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Due to the difficulty of finding valid and reliable testing material for our subjects to read, this current study has been significantly delayed. Finding reading passages that can be rated for difficulty for a non native speaker to read has been difficult and only in recent weeks have we found, through the generous help researchers in the linguistics department at BYU, materials that we finally feel can be used in such a study as the one we have proposed to carry out. Finally having reading passages that have been previously rated and used in research provides reliable passages with which …

Fear Of Negative Evaluation In Autism Spectrum Disorders, Catie Nielson, Mikle South

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by social communication deficits and restricted repetitive behaviors. Studies have found co­‐morbidity of ASD and social anxiety disorder (SAD), but it is unclear how the anxiety experienced in ASD is socially mediated (White, Oswald, Ollendick and Scahill; 2009). In this study, we measured psychophysiological reactivity during socially stressful (performance­‐evaluated) trials compared to unevaluated trials. We aimed to understand how anxiety in people with ASD is mediated by fear of negative social evaluation, a key factor in SAD. We hypothesized that the ASD group would show elevated stress during evaluation, whether the task was hard …

The Effects Of Trilostane And Dheas On Dopamine Release In The Nucleus Accumbens, Tyler Okelberry, Dr. Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alcohol dependency is a serious, widespread problem in the United States. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that “In 2009, the number of persons aged 12 or older needing treatment for an alcohol use problem was 19.3 million (7.7 percent of the population aged 12 or older).” ¹ The following study contributed to a growing body of research about alcohol addiction and the brain. The study focused on a part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens. The release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the nucleus accumbens has been implicated in the mental processes of reward and …

The Effect Of Exercise On Inhibitory Control To Images Of High And Low Calorie Food, Cory Pettit, Michael J. Larson, Phd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of exercise on the neural correlates of response inhibition to high and low calorie foods. Specifically, we aimed to explore whether engaging in forty-five minutes of moderate intensity exercise affects brain activity that denotes inhibitory control while a person withholds practiced responses to pictures of high or low calorie food. We quantified inhibitory control by measuring the amplitude of the N2 event related potential (ERP; described below) using electroencephalogram (EEG) technology.

The Efficacy Of Neurofeedback In Improving Physical Balance, Christopher Schow, Dr. Scott C. Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Biofeedback is a process by which a person may learn to control physiological functions of their body they would otherwise not be aware of e.g. heart rate. This is accomplished by relaying real-time information back to the user. The user then changes their physiological activity in order to achieve set goals. Neurofeedback is one form of biofeedback that utilizes EEG to collect a person’s electrical brainwave activity and displays it to them, usually in the form of a video game.

Assessing Gender Differences In Cognitive Processes Using Event Related Potentials, Jack Silcox, Dr. Bruce Brown

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many have recognized the importance of identifying biomarkers for cognitive disorders (Casey, Craddock, Cuthbert, Hyman, Lee and Ressler, 2013). This is due to the amount of subjectivity that exists in current diagnostic methods. A patient with a mental disorder has to rely upon a psychiatrist’s experience and limited understanding of the patient’s mental state for a diagnosis, with the hopes of receiving the most effective treatment. Finding biomarkers to help supplement a psychiatrist’s subjective diagnosis would allow a patient to receive the appropriate treatment at the appropriate time. Current brain imaging technology has the potential for identifying biomarkers for mental …

Assessing The Impact Of Spiritual And Relational Teaching On Student Learning, Jillian Ferrell, Jeffrey Reber

Journal of Undergraduate Research

According to the mission and aims of Brigham Young University, one of the outcomes of a BYU experience should be that it is spiritually strengthening. BYU is not alone in desiring this kind of experience. A faculty and student survey collected by UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) (Lindholm, Szelényi, Hurtado, & Korn, 2005) found that perhaps up to 80 percent of students nationwide have an interest in spirituality and almost half say that it is “essential” that colleges encourage the personal expression of spirituality. Unfortunately, only 30 percent of faculty nationwide agree that colleges should be concerned with facilitating …

Development Of A Self-Determination Theory Measure Of Adolescent’S Motivations To Abstain From Sex And Alcohol, Jacob Curtis, Sam Hardy

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Adolescent sex and alcohol use are issues today in America. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012), about a third of high school students report having had sex in the previous three months, and 79% of twelfth graders have drunk alcohol at least once in their lifetime. There has been a cost for society. Teen childbearing cost U.S. taxpayers $10.9 billion in 2008 (The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, 2011), and underage drinking cost Americans over $62 billion in 2010 (Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center, 2011).

Role Of Ros (Reactive Oxygen Species) On Cocaine-Induced Da Release In The Nac, Jacqueline Solomon, Dr. Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Cocaine as a stimulant drug causes Dopamine (DA), a neurotransmitter, to be released in the Accumbens Nucleus (NAc). It accomplishes this by its well-known actions on the DA transporter (DAT). When the DAT is blocked, more DA stays in the synaptic cleft, leading to rewarding and pleasurable sensations. While in the synaptic cleft, DA undergoes excessive oxidation, giving rise to oxidative stress (OS) which causes neural damage. The OS has been shown in damaging the pleasure pathway and makes it so that addictive pathways are formed. In this research study we saw that Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Scavengers can eliminate …

Neural Mechanisms: Nicotine And Alcohol Co-Dependence, Jordan Spencer, Dr. Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alcohol abuse is prevalent in today’s society, causing an economic burden to the US of several hundred billions of dollars annually in direct costs alone. Several reports have estimated that 80% of those with a dependence on alcohol are also smokers. While smoking rates in the general population have decreased in recent decades, the use of NIC has remained high (approximately 70-75%) in individuals who regularly use alcohol. Often taken in concert, the use of tobacco and alcohol are leading causes of preventable death in the United States. In addition, there is strong evidence of co-dependence – individuals who smoke …

The Impact Of Exercise On Memory: A Neurological Investigation Of The Recommendations Made By The American Heart Association, Seth Spencer, Dr. C Brock Kirwan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many studies have shown a correlation between physical exercise and healthy cognitive processing. It has been shown extensively that regular exercise has a positive impact on brain health. One example is a study that linked increased exercise with greater performance on as shown via a Stroop Color-Word test [1]. Similarly, regular exercise has been shown to be related to improved memory and object recognition [2]. Another study has shown that even a single session of exercise can alter functional connectivity in the brain as measured by the resting-state fMRI [3]. The problem with this literature is an utter lack of …

The Role Of Α6 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors On Dopamine Release, Michaela Squire, Dr. Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

With today’s society’s alcohol abuse, there has been a large economic burden of several hundred billion dollars annually. In addition, 80% of those who are dependent on alcohol are also smokers, and the use of nicotine has remained relatively high in those who use alcohol, displaying the co-dependence of nicotine and alcohol. Due to the high percentage of apparent co-dependence of nicotine and ethanol (EtOH), it has been theorized that the addictive nature of these drugs may act through similar mechanisms, specifically through nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) on presynaptic gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons. The purpose of this project was to …

Gains And Losses, Cassie Widdison, Dr. Christopher Kirwan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Regions of the brain, such as the medial temporal lobe (MTL), including the hippocampus and the adjacent MTL cortex, facilitate recognition memory performance (Squire, Stark, & Clark, 2004). The hippocampus is known for its ability to encode and retrieve memories through two processes called pattern separation and pattern completion (Mcclelland, Mcnaughton, & Oreilly, 1995). Pattern separation is a computational process in which the memory representations of similar stimuli are made as dissimilar as possible. This allows one to recall differences between old stimuli and similar, but novel stimuli. Pattern completion is a computational process where a memory representation is retrieved …

Psychological Predictors Of Injury In Marathon Runners, Dallin Christensen, Ben Ogles

Journal of Undergraduate Research

While training for and participation in marathons provides substantial health benefits, there is also a high incidence of musculoskeletal injury in marathon runners. Previous research has identified correlation between various cognitive running strategies and running related injury. In particular, association, which is exemplified when runners focus on and maintain awareness of their body and physical factors crucial to performance, has been shown to predict injury (Masters and Ogles). Dissociation is employed when a runner diverts attention away from their body and physical feedback to anything external to themselves. While dissociation was originally hypothesized to increase injury risk, previous research suggests …

Neural Mechanisms Of Inhibitory Control: Predictors Of Eating Behavior In Obesity, Kaylie Carbine, Michael Larson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Obesity is a prominent public health concern associated with increased risk of high blood pressure, chronic diseases, and mortality (National Institutes of Health, 2011). Understanding the neural underpinnings of obesity may prove beneficial for effective weight control interventions. Specifically, decreased ability to inhibit responses toward food-related cues may be associated with impulsive eating and subsequent weight gain (Batterink, Yokum, & Strice, 2010). Response inhibition is defined as one’s ability to withhold a prominent response in order to correctly respond to environmental or taskrelevant information (Ko & Miller, 2013). Weight and inhibitory control are negatively correlated, indicating that individuals with reduced …

P300 Latency In Alzheimer’S Disease: A Meta-Analysis And Meta-Regression, David Payne Bennett, Dawson Hedges

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Developing a biomarker for accurate assessment and detection of Alzheimer’s disease was the goal of our research. The P300 component of the event-­‐related potential has been indicated to apparently change with the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. As measuring the P300 is non-­‐invasive and relatively easy, we sought to investigate abnormalities in the latency of the P300 in probable Alzheimer’s disease compared to healthy controls. Should such abnormalities be present, they would constitute a strong foundation for clinically significant biomarkers.

Adaptation Of D2 Dopamine Receptors Following Acute Ethanol, Brian Behnke, Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of my experiment was To study the effects that ethanol (EtOH) has on the D2 receptors (D2R) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA), in order to determine if D2 is a key contributor to an alcohol addictive state.

Memory Processes In Autism, Storm Atwood, Dr. C Brock Kirwan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The prevalence of autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder impairing social interaction, communication, and behavior, has risen from 1 in 110 affected to 1 in 88 affected (Centers for Disease Control, 2012). The rise in prevalence of autism has increased the awareness of autism and increased the desire and need for more research. In general, it has been found that memory performance remains largely unchanged in autism. For example, a recent study on recognition memory in autism found that there was no difference in the ability of an autistic participant versus a control participant in identifying whether a stimulus was old or …

The Effects Of Genes On The Stress Response, S. Andrew Aston

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) acts as one of the primary coordinators of the physiological, behavioral, and autonomic stress response. CRH secreted from the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus initiates the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis response by signaling the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary. ACTH then travels to the adrenal glands, leading to the release of cortisol Thus, CRH plays a key role in preparing an individual to adaptively respond to a stressful situation.

The Neural Correlates Of Anxiety, Learning And Memory In Autism, C. Brock Kirwan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social communication as well as substantial behavioral rigidity. Autism often has a devastating impact on the wellbeing of affected individuals and their families, as well as in community settings such as schools and health care systems. Recent research suggests that some aspects of learning and memory are impaired in autism, but the exact pattern of impaired and spared functions remains unclear. This sponsored MEG project used cross-disciplinary methods to address two main aims: 1) the relationship between anxiety and associative learning and 2) the impact of autism on long-term declarative memory …

Development Of Student Research Resources And Training Material For Functional And Structural Mri-Based Research At Byu, Neal K. Bangerter, Erin Bigler, Brock Kirwan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project was aimed at providing in-depth training and mentoring for a small group of students to address the large anticipated demand for accessible research and training resources at BYU’s new MRI Research Facility. The facility opened summer of 2013, and demand has been steadily increasing by groups across campus interested in doing research using the BYU MRI machine. The resources and mentoring environment that was established with funds from this MEG have laid the groundwork for an explosion of student mentoring that is taking place at the MRI facility.