Cognitive Science Commons^™

Intellectual Functioning And Multi-Dimensional Attentional Processes In Long-Term Survivors Of A Central Nervous System Related Pediatric Malignancy, Robert W. Butler, Diane L. Fairclough, Ernest R. Katz, Anne E. Kazak, Robert B. Noll, Ryan D. Thompson, Olle Jane Z. Sahler

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

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Abstract

Aims

Central nervous system (CNS) malignancies and/or their treatment in pediatric cancer survivors are known to be associated with deficits in neuropsychological functions. We report findings from a nation-wide study of childhood cancer survivors to investigate intelligence and attention/concentration from a multi-dimensional perspective in a diverse sample from this population.

Main methods

Four hundred forty-four pediatric cancer survivors between 6 and 17 years of age, who had suffered CNS involvement associated with their malignancy, were evaluated. All patients completed a measure of general intelligence. Attention was measured by a continuous performance test (CPT) and by parental report using a …

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Trauma Severity And Defensive Emotion-Regulation Reactions As Predictors Of Forgetting Childhood Trauma, Bette L. Bottoms, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Michelle A. Epstein, Matthew J. Badanek

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

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Using a retrospective survey, we studied a sample of 1679 college women to determine whether reports of prior forgetting of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and other traumas could be explained by trauma severity and individual differences in the use of defensive emotion-regulation reactions (i.e., repressive coping, dissociation, and fantasy proneness). Among victims of physical abuse (but not sexual abuse or other types of trauma), those who experienced severe abuse and used defensive reactions were sometimes more likely to report temporary forgetting of abuse, but other times less likely to report forgetting. We also found unanticipated main effects of trauma severity …

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The Neuroscientific Study Of The Self: Methodological And Theoretical Challenges, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Samuel E. Winer

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

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Neuroscientific research methods, such as brain imaging techniques, have increasingly been applied to social cognitive research efforts and, in particular, to the study of the self. In this essay we discuss the ability of such research to shed light on the emergent, dynamic psychological phenomenon of self. Although neuroscientific tools can be useful for gaining general knowledge about associated underlying structures, a careful consideration of the methodological and theoretical issues discussed herein is necessary to avoid simplifying or reifying the self.

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Examining Neurophysiological Evidence Of Age-Related Interactions Of Sensory And Cognitive Processes During Speech Processing, Cady Kristen Block

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

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The present study sought to examine the contribution of sensory and cognitive factors on speech processing as evidenced by ERP measures and to find support for the Sensory Cognitive Interaction Theory (SCIT) and the Effortfulness Hypothesis in that older adults. who experience sensory deficits with normal aging. must put forth increased effort during early sensory stages of speech processing that may compromise subsequent semantic performance and recall of information. In the present investigation. younger and older adults performed a sentence verification task at low and high presentation levels (PL). Accuracy and response time to sentence verifications were assessed along with …

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Validation Of A Serotonin Depletion Checklist In Parkinson’S Disease, Kelly Diane Darby Holder

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

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The distinctive pathological marker of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the progressive death of neurons that produce dopamine; however, there are also major alterations in the production of quantities of other neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and serotonin that contribute to the signs, symptoms, neuropsychological manifestations of the diseases. PD patients can be divided into classes based on the manifestation of motor symptoms, type A, classified as tremor dominant, and type B PD, classified as akinetic. Type B PD patients, often manifest symptoms in which serotonin deficiency plays an important role, such as frontal cognitive impairments, which often includes a history of …

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Theta Activity During Navigation In Virtual Environments, Colleen Margaret Moore

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

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Human navigation has gone through many different stages, from guidance by stars to guidance by technology. Theories for performance differences range from differences between individuals, to experience with the environment. Researchers turn to virtual environments during experimentation which are easy to manipulate and easier to measure during navigation. However, fidelity is an issue with regard to transfer of learning to a real world environment. We examined differences in theta activity during navigation in low and high fidelity virtual environments. The researchers recruited thirty-two students between the ages of 18-40 from the university subject pool for voluntary participation. We measured EEG …

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Distributed Artificial Neural Network (Dann): Model Of Human Memory Behavior, Karen Meriweather

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

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It is believed that a distributed network system will provide a general means of understanding cognitive functions that occur in the brain. This study provides a framework for modeling human memory behavior using a Distributed Artificial Neural Network (DANN) architecture. This approach presents a different method for modeling cognitive functions using peer-to-peer computing. The computers on the network represents different memory stores, and by using Hopfield Neural Network Techniques, along with the software application Joone, the final product is a DANN system that exhibits human memory behavior and the ability to associate input vectors from the Fisher's Iris Classification output …

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Attentional Processing In Parkinson's Disease: Hyperkinetic And Akinetic Type, Christine Diane Kraus

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

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Parkinson's disease (P.D.) has long been thought of as a single disorder. Recent research involving neurochemistry, neurophysiology, and detailed analysis of symptoms, have created a basis for questioning the concept that P.D. is a singular disorder. Literature suggests there may be two primary subtypes (with the possibility of others). The two probable subtypes are hyperkinetic, in which tremor is the predominate symptom and akinetic, in which, gait freezing and postural instability predominate.

In both of these pathological manifestations, several investigators have noted cognitive deficits including attention. The differences in symptomotology and neuropathology attributed to these probable subtypes suggest that there …

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Michael D. Lieber's Review Of Edwin Hutchins' Culture And Inference. Cognitive Science Series, 2, Michael D. Lieber

Pacific Studies

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No abstract provided.

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