Cognitive Science Commons^™

What We Hear In Voices: Identifying Dimensionality In Speech Stimuli Trait Impressions, Caroline W. Conway

Cognitive Science Senior Theses

Is there dimensionality in how people form impressions of speakers? The first portion of the study generated trait terms via text survey responses to recordings from the Emotional Speech Database (ESD). Following the analysis of this initial data, a second survey invited subjects to rate the speaker on a specific trait for each of many ESD recordings. The trait terms were selected from the text responses from the first survey that were most strongly correlated via a mixed-effects model with the speaker of each recording rather than the emotion or sentence. Following an exploratory factor analysis of the trait ratings …

Examining Differences In Concept Representation Across Similarity Spaces Between Humans And Large Language Models, Krishnachandra Nair

Computer Science Senior Theses

The replication of human concept representation is a critical task for the pursuit of artificial general intelligence. With the recent influx of large language models that demonstrate text-generation capabilities nearly on par with humans, the question stands on whether these large language models can capture concepts within language. We examine this question by exploring differences in concept representation across similarity spaces between humans and LLMs. We find that, while concept representation within LLMs does partially mimic human concept representation, LLMs are greatly limited by their dependence on semantic information and cannot therefore develop an understanding of human social code or …

Usefulness Of Current Patient-Reported Outcome Scales For Acl Injury: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation Of Stakeholder-Perceived Utility Of Specific Constructs And Items Across The Rehabilitation Timeline, Erich Petushek, Jed A. Diekfuss, Joseph D. Lamplot, Anne-Inger Mørtvedt, Lauren C. Hoey, Kevin Heo, Camryn B. Petit, Kim D. Barber Foss, Shayla M. Warren, Alexis B. Slutsky-Ganesh, Charles D. Kenyon, April L. Mcpherson, Michael E. Biller, Michael Newsome, Brian Jennings, John W. Xerogeanes, Gregory D. Myer

Michigan Tech Publications

BACKGROUND: Numerous patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have been used in patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), often with overlapping constructs of interest and limited content validity. Inefficient scale application increases burden and diminishes overall usefulness for both the patient and practitioner. PURPOSE: To isolate specific PROM items across a diverse set of constructs that patients and practitioners perceive as having the greatest value at various stages of recovery and return to sport (RTS) in patients after ACLR. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: A combined 77 stakeholders participated in this 2-phase mixed-methods investigation. In phase 1, a total of 27 …

Resonant Perceptions: Exploring Autistic Aesthetics Through Embodied Cognition, James Hutson, Piper Hutson

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This study investigates the nuanced realm of aesthetic preferences among individuals with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) compared to neurotypical individuals, addressing a significant gap in understanding the diverse perceptual experiences within the neurodiverse community. The impetus for this study stems from the growing recognition of neurodiversity and the need to appreciate how individuals with ASC uniquely experience and interpret their environment, particularly in the context of aesthetics. Employing a dual-method approach, the research integrates data from comprehensive surveys and in-depth interviews to construct a comparative analysis of aesthetic preferences and experiences. Participants encompassed a broad demographic spectrum, ensuring a diverse …

Embodied Co-Regulation: A Neuroregulatory-Informed Dance/Movement Therapy Transition Intervention Method For Arousal Regulation For Adolescents In A Partial Hospitalization Program, Anamaria Guzman

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This thesis introduces a novel Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) approach, focusing on nervous system arousal regulation during transitions between therapy groups. The core of the method involves a brief 5-minute exercise designed to modulate arousal levels, encompassing alertness and energy, aiming to establish a baseline homeostasis. Rooted in Polyvagal Theory and Developmental Neurobiology, the approach assumes the co-regulation of nervous systems within a group therapeutic setting. Two primary outcomes are self-assessed: 1) somatic experiences documented through narratives and 2) nervous system biodata measured using the Flowtime headband monitoring of brainwaves, heart rate, and other biomarkers. Results indicated that all six sessions …

Does Higher Socioeconomic Status Associate With Better Mental Health Outcomes Among Primary Caregivers In Rural China?, Wenwen Zhang

Master's Theses

This study explores the intricate relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and the mental health outcomes of primary caregivers in rural China, focusing on the Early Childhood Development (ECD) context in Ya'an. Anchored in a major intervention project launched in 2023, the study critically examines the hypothesis that higher socioeconomic status correlates with lower levels of negative emotions among caregivers.

Utilizing cross-sectional data, the research investigates how educational attainment and household income influence caregivers' mental health, measured through the DASS-21 score in three dimensions: stress, anxiety, and depression. The findings reveal that higher household income and educational levels are significantly associated …

Euclidean Coordinates Are The Wrong Prior For Models Of Primate Vision, Garrison W. Cottrell

MODVIS Workshop

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are currently the best models we have of the ventral temporal lobe – the part of cortex engaged in recognizing objects. They have been effective at predicting the firing rates of neurons in monkey cortex, as well as fMRI and MEG responses in human subjects. They are based on several observations concerning the visual world: 1) pixels are most correlated with nearby pixels, leading to local receptive fields; 2) stationary statistics – the statistics of image pixels are relatively invariant across the visual field, leading to replicated features 3) objects do not change identity depending on …

Perceptual Grouping With Latent Noise, Ben Lonnqvist, Zhengqing Wu, Michael H. Herzog

MODVIS Workshop

Humans effortlessly group elements into objects and segment them from the background and other objects without supervision. For example, the black and white stripes of a zebra are grouped together despite vastly different colors. A thorough theoretical and empirical account of perceptual grouping is still missing – Deep Neural Networks (DNNs), which are considered leading models of the visual system still regularly fail at simplistic perceptual grouping tasks. Here, we propose a counterintuitive unsupervised computational approach to perceptual grouping and segmentation: that they arise because of neural noise, rather than in spite of it. We show that adding noise in …

Anisotropy In Non-Rigidity Perception: The Role Of Anisotropies In Neural Populations, Akihito Maruya, Qasim Zaidi

MODVIS Workshop

No abstract provided.

Feature Integration And Spatial Localization For Attention Across The Visual Hierarchy, Joyce Tam, Chloe Callahan-Flintoft, Brad Wyble

MODVIS Workshop

The featural and spatial specificity of visual representations broadly decrease along the ventral visual stream. The selection of behaviorally relevant information, or attention, must therefore establish spatial correspondence across the visual hierarchy while maintaining behavioral guidance to relevant visual features. Moreover, selection is often accompanied by an inhibitory surround as well as selective inhibition of distractor items. Considering these key functions, we describe a biologically realistic computational theory of visual selection and inhibition through feedforward and feedback signals along the ventral visual stream, complemented by feature-agnostic spatial competition in the pulvinar nuclei. Our model simulates signature visual search behaviors and …

The Power Of Words: Unpacking Language's Role In Educational Inequities, Zara Yokohama, Liz Beccari, Malcolm Jasmin

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

The language used to describe racial disparities in education may inadvertently influence how we address them. Framing such disparities as “achievement gap” rather than as “inequality in educational outcomes” assumes a deficit thinking mindset, shifting focus from the structural injustices contributing to education disparities to individuals, resulting in decreased prioritization of racial equity (Quinn & Desruisseaux, 2022). We aim to replicate this prioritization effect, specify the language driving the effect, and examine the impact of frames on perceptions of how to achieve racial equity. Participants were randomly assigned to conditions framing racial equity concerns as: a racial achievement gap, racial …

Comparing Executive Control: Bilingualism's Cognitive Advantage, Malcolm Jasmin, Tonya Buchanan Ph.D.

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

The Stroop Task is a widely used method for studying executive control. It helps to understand cognitive processes like inhibition and attentional regulation to examine how reading text and naming colors can interfere with each other. The study intends to use the Stroop Task to explore the executive control abilities of both bilingual and monolingual individuals. Previous research has shown that bilingual individuals perform better in the Stroop test compared to those who only speak one language (Bialystok et al., 2010). The impact of this advantage is believed to be due to the need to switch between languages and prevent …

Improving Ethics Surrounding Collegiate-Level Hacking Education: Recommended Implementation Plan & Affiliation With Peer-Led Initiatives, Shannon Morgan, Dr. Sanjay Goel

Military Cyber Affairs

Cybersecurity has become a pertinent concern, as novel technological innovations create opportunities for threat actors to exfiltrate sensitive data. To meet the demand for professionals in the workforce, universities have ramped up their academic offerings to provide a broad range of cyber-related programs (e.g., cybersecurity, informatics, information technology, digital forensics, computer science, & engineering). As the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of hackers evolve, the knowledge and skillset required to be an effective cybersecurity professional have escalated accordingly. Therefore, it is critical to train cyber students both technically and theoretically to actively combat cyber criminals and protect the confidentiality, integrity, …

Using Digital Twins To Protect Biomanufacturing From Cyberattacks, Brenden Fraser-Hevlin, Alec W. Schuler, B. Arda Gozen, Bernard J. Van Wie

Military Cyber Affairs

Understanding of the intersection of cyber vulnerabilities and bioprocess regulation is critical with the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning in manufacturing. We detail a case study in which we model cyberattacks on network-mediated signals from a novel bioreactor, where it is important to control medium feed rates to maintain cell proliferation. We use a digital twin counterpart reactor to compare glucose and oxygen sensor signals from the bioreactor to predictions from a kinetic growth model, allowing discernment of faulty sensors from hacked signals. Our results demonstrate a successful biomanufacturing cyberattack detection system based on fundamental process control principles.

Awareness In The Brain: A Mechanistic And Descriptive Account, Jacob Fried, Roy Pereira

Honors Thesis

An exploration of the different aspects of consciousness and their biological underpinnings, followed by a review of existing theories of awareness in the brain and a critique of the existing research. This paper conducts a review and critique of the contemporary research and finds that no existing theory currently offers an account of awareness in the brain that is both mechanistic and descriptive in nature. Thus, this paper proposes a new theory of the process of awareness in the brain, wherein Attention Schema Theory is considered as the mechanism of awareness and Global Neuronal Workspace Theory as its nature.

The Role Of Executive Functioning On Anxiety And Overcontrol On Neurodiverse Youth, Sydney Przygoda

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Autistic youth are at an elevated risk of developing anxiety. Overcontrol, or excessive self-control, shares similar clinical challenges (i.e. rigidity, social perfection) that are often associated with anxiety. Executive functioning (EF) is well-established as being positively associated with anxiety. Taking all this into account, it was predicted that EF may serve as a moderator to the relationship between overcontrol and anxiety. Using both parent and child responses to the Overcontrol in Youth Checklist, Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2, this current study explored how overcontrol and anxiety are related. Further, it tested the role …

Reinvestigating The Role Of Observational Contexts In Learning Hard Nouns, Kosta Boskovic, Sumarga Suanda

Honors Scholar Theses

Developmental scientists have long been fascinated by children’s prodigious word learning capacities and by patterns in the composition of children’s early vocabularies that reveal that certain types of words are learned earlier than others. One notable pattern has been that words that denote more abstract concepts (e.g., “story”) are learned later than words that denote concrete objects (e.g., “ball”). In fact, prior studies have concluded that different kinds of abstract words, including nouns whose referents are not whole, concrete objects (or “hard nouns”; Kako, 2005), are not learnable from observational contexts alone and necessitate linguistic information to be learned. In …

Ai-Powered Information Retrieval In Meeting Records And Transcripts Enhancing Efficiency And User Experience, Srushti Nitin Ghadge

Theses and Dissertations

This study compares the traditional search methods, which is to search from video recordings of the meetings by moving the slider back and forth or by keyword search in transcripts versus integrated AI video plus transcript search. Based on the previous test results, we introduced some human-centric design features to the AI and built a new enhanced AI search tool for information retrieval. For search technique efficiency testing, the method had two set of experiments. The first results of the experiment showed that AI-based search algorithms were more accurate and faster than conventional search approaches. Participants were also happier with …

Children's Beliefs About Search Engines., Lauren N. Girouard-Hallam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children rely on information from other sources to think and learn about the world around them. As the world around them digitizes, their options for where to seek new information have expanded to include technological sources like Google Search. This dissertation examines what factors impact children’s trust in search engines, particularly Google. In the first set of studies, 4- to 8-year old children were asked whether technological informants and a teacher could answer stable and changing questions, and which informant would have the better answer. With age, children endorsed the Google search engine at higher rates and the teacher at …

Sex And Age Differences In Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Responses And The Resulting Influences On Cognition, Miranda K. Traylor

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Vascular dysfunction is the earliest known marker of neurodegeneration. However, limited research has been conducted to determine if changes in peripheral vascular function track differences in brain health. Therefore, the purpose was to determine if previously reported sex differences in near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) vascular occlusion test (VOT) parameters persist across the lifespan and if these differences track age- and sex-related differences in a cognitive task. Ninety-nine healthy, cognitively intact adults (50 women, 49 men) across the adult lifespan (19-81 yrs) were used for analysis. The combination of NIRS-VOT was used to quantify microvascular function. Cognition was defined as the time …

Social Support In An Internet Weight Loss Community, Richard Freund, Marta Favara, Catherine Porter, Jere Behrman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Many low- and middle-income countries have introduced public works programs (PWPs) to fight poverty. This paper provides the first evidence that children from families who benefit from PWPs show increased foundational cognitive skills. The results, based on unique tablet-based data collected as part of a long-standing longitudinal survey, show positive associations between participation in the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) in Ethiopia during childhood with long-term memory and implicit learning, and suggestive evidence for working memory. These associations appear to be strongest for children whose households were still PSNP participants in the year of data collection. Evidence suggests that the …

Alterations In Brain Morphometric Networks And Their Relationship With Memory Dysfunction In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Rye Young Kim, Yoonji Joo, Eunji Ha, Haejin Hong, Chaewon Suh, Youngeun Shim, Hyeonji Lee, Yejin Kim, Jae-Hyoung Cho, Sujung Yoon, In Kyoon Lyoo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cognitive dysfunction, a significant complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), can potentially manifest even from the early stages of the disease. Despite evidence of global brain atrophy and related cognitive dysfunction in early-stage T2DM patients, specific regions vulnerable to these changes have not yet been identified. The study enrolled patients with T2DM of less than five years’ duration and without chronic complications (T2DM group, n=100) and demographically similar healthy controls (control group, n=50). High-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging data were subjected to independent component analysis to identify structurally significant components indicative of morphometric networks. Within these networks, the groups’ …

A Model Of Evidence-Based Practice For Law Schools To Improve System Outcomes, Chance Meyer

St. Mary's Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Identifying Covariate-Related Subnetworks For Whole-Brain Connectome Analysis, Shuo Chen, Yuan Zhang, Qiong Wu, Chuan Bi, Peter Kochunov, L Elliot Hong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Whole-brain connectome data characterize the connections among distributed neural populations as a set of edges in a large network, and neuroscience research aims to systematically investigate associations between brain connectome and clinical or experimental conditions as covariates. A covariate is often related to a number of edges connecting multiple brain areas in an organized structure. However, in practice, neither the covariate-related edges nor the structure is known. Therefore, the understanding of underlying neural mechanisms relies on statistical methods that are capable of simultaneously identifying covariate-related connections and recognizing their network topological structures. The task can be challenging because of false-positive …

Does Pleasurable Music Indirectly Better Learning?: A Multimodal Approach, Elizabeth Anna Roeglin

Undergraduate Honors Papers

Recent research has shown that musical pleasure is due to the combination of uncertainty and surprise a musical piece elicits. Additionally, research has demonstrated that music influences arousal and mood, both of which affect learning. However, current research has not adequately tested whether pleasurable music indirectly improves learning by influencing mood/arousal. This study attempts to do so. Twenty-seven participants completed a survey that included the Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire. Eighteen participants, whose scores demonstrated that they feel emotion-evoking and/or mood-regulatory pleasure from listening to music, came in for further testing. These participants experienced a music condition, in which they listened …

First-Year Engineering Students And Genai: Experience, Attitudes, Trust, And Ethics., Elisabeth Thomas, Cenetria Crockett, Campbell Rightmyer Bego

Undergraduate Research Events

Generative AI (GenAI) has the potential to benefit student learning by offering personalized feedback, idea generation, research, and analysis support, writing aid, and administrative support (Chan and Hu, 2023; Zhang, 2023). However, if used inappropriately, the same tools can lead to false/biased content creation and reduced ethical awareness leading to possible academic dishonesty and privacy issues (Schwartz, 2016; Wu, 2023). At this early stage, ethical standards and professorial guidance are unavailable, so it is important to understand what students are thinking about the recent technologies (Shen et al., 2013). Spring 2023 survey results revealed that some students used ChatGPT, a …

Unveiling Gene Interactions In Alzheimer's Disease By Integrating Genetic And Epigenetic Data With A Network-Based Approach, Keith L Sanders, Astrid M Manuel, Andi Liu, Boyan Leng, Xiangning Chen, Zhongming Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a complex disease and the leading cause of dementia in older people. We aimed to uncover aspects of AD’s pathogenesis that may contribute to drug repurposing efforts by integrating DNA methylation and genetic data. Implementing the network-based tool, a dense module search of genome-wide association studies (dmGWAS), we integrated a large-scale GWAS dataset with DNA methylation data to identify gene network modules associated with AD. Our analysis yielded 286 significant gene network modules. Notably, the foremost module included the BIN1 gene, showing the largest GWAS signal, and the GNAS gene, the most significantly hypermethylated. We conducted …

Improving Educational Delivery And Content In Juvenile Detention Centers, Yomna Elmousalami

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Students in juvenile detention centers have the greatest need to receive improvements in educational delivery and content; however, they are one of the “truly disadvantaged” populations in terms of receiving those improvements. This work presents a qualitative data analysis based on a focus group meeting with stakeholders at a local Juvenile Detention Center. The current educational system in juvenile detention centers is based on paper worksheets, single-room style teaching methods, outdated technology, and a shortage of textbooks and teachers. In addition, detained students typically have behavioral challenges that are deemed "undesired" in society. As a result, many students miss classes …

Global Strategies For Addressing Communication Disorders In Justice-Involved Youth, Sophia Martinez, Anne Marie Perrotti, Brooke Baker, Allison Chappell

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Throughout all stages of processing, most juveniles who encounter the justice system demonstrate cognitive-communicative difficulties (CCDs). Empirical evidence reveals that 19-22% of female and 28-38% of male youth offenders, culminating in approximately 50-60% of youth offenders, demonstrate language disorders that require intervention, but most have never received services (Snow et al., 2014; Winstanley et al., 2021). Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are communication experts certified to assess and treat CCDs. While nations abroad recognize the value of SLP involvement in all stages of processing for justice-involved youth (JIY), America lags in utilizing SLPs to improve JIY outcomes and lower youth's risk of …

Opportunities And Challenges For The Use Of Deep Brain Stimulation In The Treatment Of Refractory Major Depression, Prashin Unadkat, Joao Quevedo, Jair Soares, Albert Fenoy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Major Depressive Disorder continues to remain one of the most prevalent psychiatric diseases globally. Despite multiple trials of conventional therapies, a subset of patients fail to have adequate benefit to treatment. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising treatment in this difficult to treat population and has shown strong antidepressant effects across multiple cohorts. Nearly two decades of work have provided insights into the potential for chronic focal stimulation in precise brain targets to modulate pathological brain circuits that are implicated in the pathogenesis of depression. In this paper we review the rationale that prompted the selection of various brain …