Psychology Commons^™

Error-Related Negativity And Feedback-Related Negativity On A Reinforcement Learning Task, Elizabeth Ridley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Event-related potentials play a significant role in error processing and attentional processes. Specifically, event-related negativity (ERN), feedback-related negativity (FRN), and the P300 are related to performance monitoring. The current study examined these components in relation to subjective probability, or confidence, regarding response accuracy on a complicated learning task. Results indicated that confidence ratings were not associated with any changes in ERN, FRN, or P300 amplitude. P300 amplitude did not vary according to participants’ subjective probabilities. ERN amplitude and FRN amplitude did not change throughout the task as participants learned. Future studies should consider the relationship between ERN and FRN using …

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Acute Stress, And Working Memory, Marissa R. Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Working memory (WM) is a crucial component of cognitive function that affects learning, reasoning, and problem solving, all of which are important for daily functioning. Therefore, addressing factors that can impact working memory, such as stress, are incredibly relevant to understanding WM efficiency. WM is an important component of higher order cognitive function and high WM capacity has been shown to be important for academic and occupational performance. Thus, understanding the relationship between stress-related factors and WM could aid in identifying strategies to mitigate the deleterious effects of stress on working memory. Although some previous research has indicated a negative …

The Effects Of Music Arousal Level And Tempo On Card Game Players’ Risk-Taking And Eeg Mental State Among Introverts And Extroverts, Hao Yi Ho

Student Works (2020-2029)

This is an experimental quantitative study which examined the effects of music arousal level and tempo on card game players’ risk-taking and EEG mental state among introverts and extroverts. A total of 20 male participants (through selection of 10 introverts and 10 extroverts) aged between 18 – 29 voluntarily participated by playing the card game In-Between. All participants put on the NeuroSky® MindWaveTM Mobile EEG device and played the game while being exposed to various music conditions. The conditions were no-music (control) condition, and a set of both high-arousal (hereafter HA) and low-arousal (hereafter LA) music manipulated to three different …

Attitudes Affecting Speeding Behaviour With Special Reference To Attitudes Of Malaysian Car Drivers, Mohamad Farah Fazlinda

Student Works (2020-2029)

The increasing number of road crashes and fatalities on Malaysian roads is a worrying phenomenon and the main cause of this has been attributed to the speeding behaviour of drivers. As such, this study aims to investigate the possible driver factors, specifically, their attitude, which could affect the speeding behaviour of drivers on Malaysian roads. This study uses a mixed method research design. The quantitative data were collected via a face-to-face survey of 503 participants in Malaysia. Data were then analysed via Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The outcome of the quantitative approach was further supported by …

Searching For Neural Mechanisms Of Social Cognition, Chandler Siemonsma, Cristina Uribe, Louanne Boyd, Aaron Schurger, Deanna Hughes, Tian Lan

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Social cognition involves the integration and pruning of perceptual information which leads to the formation of an abstract representation, which is also known as the perceptual gist. This study examined 87 differences in visual perception of Mooney face stimuli of differing sizes and the relationship to gist formation in ten individuals with autism compared to neurotypical controls. Parents of both groups completed the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2) to assess social functioning in real-world scenarios.

Teen Stress And The High School Experience: Fostering The Adaptive Abilities To Survive And Advance, William P. Dewitt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose if this study is to examine the stress experience of teenagers during their high school years. The study uses existing research to identify causes of stress and stress- management techniques and then gathers students’ perceptions through surveys and a group interview to provide student voice on the issue of stress.

Recent nation-wide efforts have been made in schools to provide more supports for the social and emotional well-being of students, but despite these efforts, stress levels of high school students remain elevated. Understanding the ways in which students identify stress and the adaptive abilities they use to manage …

Perceptual Characterization: On Perceptual Learning And Perspectival Sedimentation, Anthony Holdier

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In her analysis of perspectival effects on perception, Susanna Siegel has argued that perceptual experience is directly rationally assessable and can thereby justify perceptual beliefs, save for in cases of epistemic downgrade or perceptual hijacking; I contend that the recalcitrance of known illusions poses an insurmountable problem for Siegel’s thesis. In its place, I argue that a model of perceptual learning informed by the dual-aspect framework of base-level cognitive architecture proposed by Elisabeth Camp successfully answers the questions motivating Siegel’s project in a manner that avoids such issues.

The Effects Of Metformin On High-Fat Diet-Induced Neuroinflammation And Cognitive Impairment, Caleb Levine

Psychology

Chronic high-fat feeding is associated with neuroinflammation, cognitive impairment, and anxiety-linked behaviors in rats. Metformin, a popular treatment for type II diabetes, has been shown to attenuate metabolic dysregulation and weight gain associated with an obesogenic diet. We demonstrated that HFD caused elevated fasting blood glucose, glucose intolerance, and increased body weight without cognitive impairment or anxiety as measured by novel object recognition and open field testing. Further, we demonstrated that metformin did not produce cognitive impairment, which was a concern associated with its chronic use. Further work will elucidate the impact of chronic HFD and metformin treatment on molecular …

Promoting Resilience In Self-Management (Prism): Adverse Childhood Experiences And Impacts On Emotion Regulation, Kasey Ann Macedo

Honors Scholar Theses

PRISM (Promoting Resilience in Self-Management) is a mindfulness-based intervention that aims to strengthen emotion regulation skills among individuals by employing cognitive behavioral therapy components. The purpose of the current study is to identify the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and depression, as well as to examine the changes in emotion regulation strategies of participants by comparing pre and post test data. The participants were voluntarily recruited from the Cornerstone Foundation, a homeless shelter, food pantry, and community center in Vernon, CT. The 13 participants completed PRISM through four weeks of two-hour workshop sessions in a small-group format. Results indicate …

Positive Emotions And Favorable Cardiovascular Health: A 20-Year Longitudinal Study, Julia K. Boehm, Ying Chen, Farah Qureshi, Jackie Soo, Peter Umokoro, Rosalba Hernandez, Donald Lloyd-Jones, Laura D. Kubzansky

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

No studies have examined whether positive emotions lead to favorable cardiovascular health (CVH) early in the lifespan, before cardiovascular disease is diagnosed. Moreover, the direction of the association has not been thoroughly investigated. Among younger adults, we investigated whether baseline positive emotions were associated with better CVH over 20 years. We also considered whether baseline CVH was associated with subsequent positive emotions during the same period.

Participants included 4196 Black and White men and women from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study. Positive emotions and cardiovascular-related parameters were each assessed in 1990 (this study's baseline), with repeated …

Perceived Impact Of Non-Contact Boxing On Daily Life And Occupational Participation At Home Among Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Kristen E. Bignal

Student Capstone Papers

The aim of this project was to determine whether individuals with Parkinson's disease perceive an impact on their daily life and occupational participation at home secondary to participation in non-contact boxing.

Semi-structured open-ended interview questions were conducted with 17 participants (3 female) who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease for(i.e., self-care, home and health maintenance, sleep, intimacy, social and leisure interests, etc.) in the home environment. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed utilizing thematic analysis.

Data analysis derived three overarching themes including psychological benefits, sense of community, and framework to develop routines. Subsequent research exploring how non-contact boxing directly impacts specific …

The Effects Of Texture And Temperature On Disgust Ratings For A Common Fruit, Carah D. Porter, Lydia Burnett, Kassidy Reneau, Mel Mcintosh

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Researchers were interested in whether feelings of disgust towards food were impacted by specific textures and temperatures. Using apple products, participants were given puree, sauce, and slices served at a warm or cold temperature. 73 students (8 males and 65 females) with a mean age of 19 participated. A 3X2 mixed-subjects design was used, with texture as the within-subject factor and temperature as between. Results showed a main effect of texture F(2,138) = 24.802, p < .001, η2= .264. A post hoc test showed a significant difference between puree and slices, with puree being more disgusting, and between sauce and slices, with sauce being more disgusting. Additionally, there was a main effect of temperature F(1,69) = 6.444, p=.013, η2= .085, with warm products rated as more disgusting. Finally, there was a significant interaction between texture and temperature F(2,138) = 8.203, p < .001, η2=.106, such that, for both puree and slices, disgust ratings were higher in the warm condition. However, temperature did not significantly impact ratings of the sauce. Overall, findings show that participants’ disgust ratings when consuming foods are impacted by both the texture and the temperature of the food. This knowledge could help individuals incorporate healthier foods into their diets.

The Effects Of Background Music On Sustained Attention Tasks And Workload Perception, William Hove

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

In the world that we live in that is populated by music many of the places we go, it is important to question how this music could impact our ability to work. This study aimed to observe the relationships between different classifications of background music and performance on a sustained attention task, as well as the perception of workload. 55 participants were randomly assigned to a difficult or easy attention task and to a music condition. Building off of prior research in workload and sustained attention, this study approaches these topics through the lens of stimulating and relaxing background music.

The Vulnerability Of Chronic Stress: Implications For Feeling Like Giving Up, Miranda Jany

Theses

The feeling of learned helplessness has been associated with prolonged stress and trauma. Additionally, many previous studies have examined the relationship between stress and decreased feelings of control, such as self-efficacy and locus of control. However, these forms of control have been primarily self-reported. The present study aimed to investigate the relationships among learned helplessness, chronic stressors, and self-agency using a computer-based task. We also measured heart rate variability (HRV) during the self-agency task to assess psychophysiological correlates of these variables. Seventy-four participants completed a series of questionnaires that were used to assess lifelong stressors (e.g., exposure to natural disasters, …

375— Forgetting Memories: How Meaning Influences Memory Decline In The Hippocampus, Brendan Hines, Sophia Phillips

GREAT Day Posters

Cognitive neuroscience research suggests that forgetting may depend on which brain areas are supporting a memory, and whether the memory is for meaningful or less meaningful content. The hippocampus is known to represent more vivid recollections of the past, and hippocampal memories appear to decay at the same rate regardless of meaning. In contrast, the medial temporal lobe represents more intuitive feelings of familiarity, and is better at retaining memories for meaningful experiences over time. We sought to test the impact of interference on hippocampal and non-hippocampal memories. We had participants study and recognize a list of random words in …

416— The Effects Of Early Life Trauma On Anxiety And Alcohol Use Is Modified By Environment, Katie Kompanijec, Keara Mullin, Gavin Vaughan, Melissa Herman, Allison Bechard

GREAT Day Posters

Early life trauma is a risk factor for later anxiety and alcohol use disorders. However, the role of the post-trauma environment on the development of such disorders is not well understood. In the present study we investigated experience-dependent changes in anxiety and alcohol use after exposure to early trauma. Young mice (day 23) were exposed to a predator odor (synthetic fox pheromone, TMT) and then reared in either standard (SE) or enriched environments (EE). Adolescent anxiety and conditioned fear were reduced in EE-males, but not EE-females. Adult mice were then tested for their preference to drink alcohol. Alcohol intake escalated …

119— The Role Of Post-Encoding Retrieval On Cognitive And Neural Representations Of Spatial Environments, Brooke Demetri, Kaitlyn Bertleff, Harris Schwab, Jonathan Mccart, Jason Ozubko

GREAT Day Posters

Spatial memory is an important ability for navigating around one’s surrounding environment. However, due to the challenges of developing experimental paradigms that utilize large scale, real-world environments, little research has analyzed, in detail, the development of cognitive maps over time. Past research in rodents has shown that hippocampal place-cells replay during periods of quiet wakefulness, suggesting that mental replay of recent spatial experiences is tied to the development of cognitive maps. In humans, we hypothesize that the development of cognitive maps could therefore be manipulated by having participants selectively recall recent navigational experiences. We analyzed the development of cognitive maps …

Emotional Intelligence Methods Utilized By Successful Major League Baseball Closers To Perform Successfully In High Pressure Situations, Joshua Rosenthal

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study is to understand the similarities that exist in the descriptions of emotional intelligence methods utilized by retired successful Major League Baseball closers to appraise, express, regulate, and utilize their emotions to perform successfully in high pressure situations.

Methodology: The dissertation was a qualitative case study. Twelve of the top 50 retired save leaders in Major League Baseball were interviewed to understand the similarities in the descriptions of emotional intelligence methods used to perform successfully in high pressure situations. This study attempted to understand what exactly elite closers did to utilize emotional intelligence …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy In The Treatment Of Hewitt And Flett's Socially Prescribed Perfectionism In University Students Prior To The Onset Of Depression, Lisa Taylor

Virginias Collegiate Honors Council Conference

Perfectionism is a multidimensional construct which has been positively correlated with a rising trend in psychopathology. Previous literature proposed that individualism, high parental standards, and neoliberalism’s meritocratic values contribute to the rise of perfectionism. The present study examined the mediational relationship between perfectionism and various aspects of psychopathology and the outcome of cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of perfectionism. The research found that unrealistic goal setting, self-criticism, avoidant coping, and frequently perceived failures cause perfectionistic concerns to become maladaptive. Although there is validity to each model of perfectionism, Hewitt and Flett’s socially prescribed perfectionism is centralized around interpersonal expectations …

Perceived-Value-Driven Optimization Of Energy Consumption In Smart Homes, Atieh R. Khamesi, Simone Silvestri, Denise A. Baker, Alessandra De Paola

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Residential energy consumption has been rising rapidly during the last few decades. Several research efforts have been made to reduce residential energy consumption, including demand response and smart residential environments. However, recent research has shown that these approaches may actually cause an increase in the overall consumption, due to the complex psychological processes that occur when human users interact with these energy management systems. In this article, using an interdisciplinary approach, we introduce a perceived-value driven framework for energy management in smart residential environments that considers how users perceive values of different appliances and how the use of some appliances …

Increasing The Echoic Repertoire Of A Child With Autism Using An Imitation And Echoic Sequence, Rose Bridges

Honors Theses

A prerequisite to many things in life is the ability to communicate. Although this may mean many different things, such as verbal language, sign language, written language, and even icons, there must be some form of communication that may be utilized to get needs across. Many young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are non-verbal, however there are also many children with ASD who have the ability to say words but are still not independently speaking. Reinforcing approximations to word sounds has been previously used as an effective way of increasing the child’s verbal repertoire (Shane, 2017). The present study …

Non-Traditional Church Involvement As A Life-Course Turning Point: Qualitative Interviews With Religious Offenders, William Hunter Holt

Dissertations

This research project conducted and then analyzed qualitative interviews from former and current addicts and criminal offenders who are voluntarily participating in the Christian faith at the same non-traditional, Protestant church. An abridged case study of this church is also provided for background and context. Life-course theory and grounded theory are utilized.

Both the offenders and this church were chosen in an attempt to better understand how the offenders’ involvement at this house of worship, along with their faith in general, have impacted them. Obtaining the perspectives of the offender is essential for three reasons. First, qualitative research conducted in …

Reliability Of Index And Subtest Discrepancy Scores From The Kabc-Ii Nu, Grant Hacherl

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

School psychologists often consider index- and subtest-level discrepancy scores from intelligence tests when making decisions regarding students’ special education eligibility. Best practices for clinical decision-making indicate that scores may only be considered if they meet an established standard of reliability. Therefore, it is essential to assess whether an interpretation of discrepancy scores can be considered reliable. This research used data provided in the supplemental manual of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition Normative Update (KABC-II NU) to calculate internal reliability coefficients (ICR) for discrepancy scores for each of the sample age group batteries, ages 3-6 and ages 7-18. …

Further Understanding Of The Spillover Process: Work Influences On Family Disengagement And The Mediating Effects Of Flexible Work Arrangements, Alexandra Myers

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Organizations have long sought to determine methods in reducing the work family conflict employees experience in order to improve overall morale as well as producing more efficient and effective employees. My study examined the spillover process from the work to family domain. Specifically, I examined the influence of work related affective rumination on family disengagement, mediated by strain-based work-to family conflict. I also examined the buffering effects of flexible work arrangements on the relationship between strain-based work-to-family conflict and family disengagement. Utilizing a sample of employees recruited via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and working full-time outside the home, I analyzed the …

The Relationship Between Object-Based Judgments And Judgments Of Relative Direction As Measures Of Spatial Memory, Zachary Carpenter, Tressa Molinar, Herbert A. Colle

Celebration of Undergraduate & Graduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Materials

There are frequently two different conceptions used to describe what people store in their memory for environmental layouts. The SOLAR (Straight-Line Object-Based, Local Angular Relations) model and the quasi-Euclidean Framework model. The Framework model assumes that people store coordinated points in their layout of spatial memory. This grid-like representation of points is then used to remember layouts. A common, natural judgment that is used within the Framework model are called judgments of relative direction (JRDs). The SOLAR model, on the other hand, assumes people remember and store information about 3D objects, so characteristics such as fronts can be used as …

Cognitive Reappraisal And Expressive Suppression: An Examination Of Their Associations With Seeking Social Support, Well-Being And Academic Performance, Khalid Abdulazem Mohamed Ahmed

Theses

This thesis examined individual differences regarding two prominent emotion regulation processes - cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression - and their associations with social functioning, psychological well-being, and academic performance. Six hypotheses were proposed. It was hypothesized that frequent use of cognitive reappraisal is positively correlated with seeking social support, psychological well-being, and academic performance, while the chronic use of expressive suppression is negatively associated with the three factors. Additionally, the differences between high reappraisers and low reappraisers, and between high suppressors and low suppressors, were investigated to confirm the results following the correlational analyses. An online survey was conducted …

The Effects Of Interruption Relevance And Complexity On Primary Task Resumption And Mental Demand, Brandon Allan Fluegel

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

In the present study, undergraduate students viewed patient charts and entered numerical values from these charts into a medical record database. They were unexpectedly interrupted by secondary tasks that differed in relevance and complexity. The secondary tasks varied by whether they facilitated or inhibited (i.e., relevant or irrelevant) rehearsal of the suspended task and whether they placed a demand on working memory (i.e., high complexity or low complexity). The primary measures of interest were the duration of time needed to resume the primary task and perceived mental demand. The Memory for Goals model (Altmann & Trafton, 2002) predicts that task …

Measuring The Additive Effects Of Multimedia Social Cue Principles On Learners’ Cognitive Load, Emotions, Attitude, And Learning Outcomes, Smruti J. Shah

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Multimedia principles are developed and employed to design effective multimedia instructions that foster learning. Specifically, multimedia principles such as personalization, voice, and embodiment principles are developed based on social cues to promote deep learning. Most researchers in the past have investigated the individual effects of these principles on learning. The goal of the present study was to investigate the additive effects of these abovementioned principles on learners’ perceived cognitive load, emotions, attitude, and learning outcomes (i.e. retention and transfer of knowledge). Sixty college students participated in this study. Participants were asked to complete two short instructional modules and a short …

Development And Evaluation Of The Nebraska Assessment Of Computing Knowledge, Markeya S. Peteranetz, Anthony D. Albano

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

One way to increase the quality of computing education research is to increase the quality of the measurement tools that are available to researchers, especially measures of students’ knowledge and skills. This paper represents a step toward increasing the number of available thoroughly-evaluated tests that can be used in computing education research by evaluating the psychometric properties of a multiple-choice test designed to differentiate undergraduate students in terms of their mastery of foundational computing concepts. Classical test theory and item response theory analyses are reported and indicate that the test is a reliable, psychometrically-sound instrument suitable for research with undergraduate …

Public Opinions Of Unmanned Aerial Technologies In 2014 To 2019: A Technical And Descriptive Report, Lisa M. Pytlikzillig, Janell C. Walther, Carrick Detweiler, Sebastian Elbaum, Adam Houston

Lisa PytlikZillig Publications

The primary purpose of this report is to provide a descriptive and technical summary of the results from similar surveys administered in fall 2014 (n = 576), 2015 (n = 301), 2016 (ns = 1946 and 2089), and 2018 (n = 1050) and summer 2019 (n = 1300). In order to explore a variety of factors that may impact public perceptions of unmanned aerial technologies (UATs), we conducted survey experiments over time. These experiments randomly varied the terminology (drone, aerial robot, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), unmanned aerial system (UAS)) used to describe the technology, the purposes of the technology (for …