Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Visual Illusion Susceptibility In Dogs Using The Ebbinghaus-Titchener Illusion In A Spontaneous Choice Task, Nicolette Becker

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, dogs have been a popular test subject when studying visual illusion susceptibility. Multiple studies have investigated whether animals perceive illusions as humans do, but few studies have evaluated dogs’ perception of illusory stimuli. In this thesis, we studied if dogs are visually susceptible to the Ebbinghaus-Titchener illusion when presented in a spontaneous choice task. Subjects were presented two visual images on a board, which had bologna pieces embedded in the stimuli. In control trials, two different sized bologna pieces were placed in the center of the images. In these control conditions, dogs were expected to choose the …

Weak Social Support As An Indicator For Worse Trauma Related Symptoms, Michael B. Sugarman

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between social support and trauma related symptoms in trauma exposed participants. Using the SCID and CAPS, weak family support factors were found to be associated with a greater number and severity of trauma related symptoms; suggesting that family support is important for trauma exposed people.

The Effect Of Dopamine Blockade On Sensorimotor Gating In Social Phenotypes Of The African Cichlid Fish Astatotilapia Burtoni, Raymond A. Turco

Theses and Dissertations

We asked if blocking dopamine could improve implicit sensory gating deficits in a socially-defeated fish of a naturally-agonistic species. This study investigated the effects of dopamine D2R receptor antagonist metoclopramide on sensorimotor gating using a prepulse inhibition (PPI) paradigm in social phenotypes of male A. burtoni African cichlid fish.

Adult And Juvenile Rats Differentially Express Mpfc Glua2 Following Traumatic Memory Retrieval, Edgar Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

To advance our understanding of how traumatic memories are modulated between adults and juveniles, we characterize the AMPAr subunits, GluA1, GluA2, GluA3 in the mPFC of rodents following traumatic memory retrieval.

GluA2 was differentially expressed in adults but not juveniles rats. There were no changes in GluA1 or GluA3 expression

Exploring Innovation And Behavioral Flexibility In African Lions (Panthera Leo) And Snow Leopards (Panthera Uncia), Victoria L. O'Connor

Theses and Dissertations

Intelligence may have evolved to help animals problem-solve in their physical and/or social environments, which enables them to cope with changes in their environments. Humans can reduce wildlife conflict by understanding how species that face harsh environments assess a situation and alter their behavior. Tests for cognitive behavior aim to formulate clear behavioral criteria for inferring an animal’s mental processes. We designed a custom multi-access puzzle box (MAB) to present a simple and effective behavioral test for exploring innovation in two species, African lions (Panthera leo) and snow leopards (Panthera uncia). Despite being vastly underrepresented in …

Behavioral Hypervigilance In A Normative Population, Karly Weinreb

Theses and Dissertations

Hypervigilance is conceptualized as a symptom of trauma-related disorders, however it can also occur in a normative population. To distinguish normative hypervigilance from trauma-related hypervigilance, 372 participants (123 trauma-exposed and 249 non-trauma-exposed) completed a questionnaire assessing hypervigilance in contexts. Trauma-exposed participants reported greater levels of hypervigilance in 3 contexts.

Judging Facial Expressions Of Emotion: Effects Of Gender, Raine Palladino

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how quickly people recognize happy, neutral or angry emotional expressions on faces that varied in gender presentation and femininity/masculinity of facial features. Facial features influenced judgments of emotion more for women than men. Neutral expressions were more likely seen as angry on a woman’s face.

Is There Synergy Between Song Learning And Vocal Stimuli Discrimination Training?, Kenta Watanabe

Theses and Dissertations

Does auditory discrimination ability predict greater accuracy in imitating song? We investigated this question in zebra finch males by testing if the accuracy of vocal imitation of song syllables relates to auditory discrimination performance. The majority of birds improved on imitating their discriminated syllable pairs over non-discriminated syllable sets.

Aesthetic Perception Of Urban Spaces: New York, Timur Pozhidaev

Theses and Dissertations

Aesthetic perception is an important field of interest in many aspects of everyday human life. It affects individual and social unconscious behavior and is strongly related to the decision-making processes in the human mind. The current study can serve as an important prototype for planning purposes and social and environmental justice among the regional units of New York City. With the current scientific sphere lacking a comprehensive methodology for assessing social superstructure, an aesthetic framework has the potential for success in evaluating the aspects of sustainable and resilient urban development.

Observation Of Visitors At A Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes Schweinfurthii) Ecotourism Site Reveals Opportunity For Multiple Modes Of Pathogen Transmission, Darcey Glasser

Theses and Dissertations

Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) tracking is a popular ecotourism activity across Sub-Saharan Africa, offering visitors a personal wildlife experience. However, chimpanzee ecotourism may increase the risk of disease transmission between chimpanzees and people. This study assessed how tourist behaviors might facilitate cross-species disease transmission in Kibale National Park, Uganda.

Naloxone And Ethanol Addiction Reinforcement, Roland T. Smith Iii

Theses and Dissertations

A study was carried out examining how naloxone administered after high-incentive ethanol exposure can interrupt the reinforcing effect of drugs of abuse in C57BL/6 mice. Naloxone was shown to be an effective tool for blunting preferential and motivational behaviors associated with ethanol addiction.

Exposure To Suicidal Behavior Predicts A Suicide Attempt, Depending On Past Psychiatric Diagnosis, Emily A. Kline

Theses and Dissertations

We hypothesized that adolescents with a psychiatric diagnosis that were exposed to a suicide attempt and/or suicide death are at risk for future suicide attempts. Exposure to suicidal behavior did not predict future suicide attempts, however the interaction between having a psychiatric diagnosis and exposure significantly predicted future suicide attempts.

9/11 Exposure And Parental Monitoring, Heather Zemeck

Theses and Dissertations

This paper investigates the effects of 9/11/01 exposure on parental monitoring, and how depression and anxiety are associated with these effects. This research utilizes data collected from Evacuees, First Responders, and non-exposed Controls. Results revealed moderate 9/11 exposure is associated with increased parental monitoring; while, depression is associated with decreased parental monitoring.

The Relationship Between Workplace Environment, Teacher Well-Being, And Young Children’S Behavioral Outcomes, Sarah G. Elbaum

Theses and Dissertations

When teachers are not provided with adequate workplace support, this may influence their ability to provide high-quality learning environments, resulting in negative developmental outcomes for children. Using the 2014 Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES), this study investigated the relationship between workplace environment, teachers’ psychological well-being, and children’s behavioral outcomes.

The Impact Of Working Memory Load And Anxiety On Attention Bias Modification Training, David Lloyd Yap

Theses and Dissertations

The effect of attention bias modification training (ABMT) on anxiety-related attention bias (AB) in a large (N=204) non-clinical sample was sensitive to working memory load (WML). ABMT produced expected changes in AB in the low-WML, low-anxiety group only. High WML and high anxiety alone and in interaction disrupted ABMT.

Dolphins In Space: Quantifying The Relative Positions Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Megan S. Mcgrath

Theses and Dissertations

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are socially sophisticated mammals with high fission-fusion dynamics and complex communication. The relative positioning of individual dolphins as they swim within their social group may aid in the expression of social roles. This study sought to quantify relative positioning in a small social group of female bottlenose dolphins at the National Aquarium in Baltimore that included two mother-daughter pairs, maternal and paternal half-sisters, a half-aunt and niece, and one unrelated female. We devised a method for scoring relative positioning in three dimensions. We found that the two mothers and their juvenile and adult daughters …

Contextually Modulated Avoidance Behavior In Rats Post-Pavlovian Extinction, Lauren Branigan

Theses and Dissertations

The following study sought to examine the psychological substrates of renewal (e.g.., context dependent extinction processes) for conditioned avoidance behaviors in rats. Using signaled active avoidance conditioning, rats acquired two-way shuttle responding, to two different auditory stimuli. These behaviors were then extinguished through exposure to the auditory stimuli where shuttling behavior was now without consequence. Subjects were then tested for renewal of avoidance in three distinct renewal sequences (e.g., ABA vs ABB, AAB vs AAA, and ABC vs ABB) in three separate groups of rats. It was found that subjects showed more responding to a stimulus presented outside of its …

The Effects Of Tactile And Visual Deterrents On Honey Badger Predation Of Beehives, Abigail S. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

As human and elephant populations grow in Kenya so does human-elephant conflict. One of the most substantial contributors to this conflict, the crop-raiding behavior of elephants (Loxodonta africana), is alleviated through the use of Elephants and Bee Project's beehive fences. A threat to these beehives are the honey badgers (Mellivora capensis) who try to obtain honey, causing damage to the hive and the hive to abscond. The objective of this study was to improve the effectiveness of these beehive fences through identifying and testing novel honey badger deterrent methods. On-farm experiments in Taita Taveta County, Kenya …

Object Permanence In Asian Elephants (Elephas Maximus), Dalia Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated object permanence in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) using visible and invisible test paradigms with single and multiple object displacements. Elephants were predicted to succeed, demonstrating a capacity for object permanence and for using vision in a cognitive task. Study outcomes supported these predictions.

The Effects Of Environmental Education On Children's Knowledge Of Elephant Conservation In Rural And Urban Thailand, Tamara Aird

Theses and Dissertations

Think Elephants International’s EE program educated students on issues surrounding elephant conservation. One open-ended response question from surveys was analyzed to determine whether there was a knowledge difference between locations. After participation, urban students referenced more information about HEC, while rural students talked more about elephants’ role as keystone species.