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Biological Psychology Commons™

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2008

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Articles 1 - 19 of 19

Full-Text Articles in Biological Psychology

Psychological Distress And Change In A Pediatric Obesity Population, Amy Rebecca Beck Dec 2008

Psychological Distress And Change In A Pediatric Obesity Population, Amy Rebecca Beck

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Pediatric overweight and obesity is a growing national epidemic with 15 percent of children ages 6-19 considered obese and at least 22 percent considered overweight. While there is considerable research pointing to contributing factors of obesity, there is a paucity of research which elucidates what contributes to successful intervention. Considering that by the year 2050, nearly 50 million Americans may be obese, understanding the factors delineating success of weight loss and prevention is a necessity. The purpose of this study was to utilize archival data from the LLU Growing Fit Program to evaluate the levels of psychological distress experienced by …


Effects Of Pre-Pubertal Social Experiences On The Responsiveness Of Juvenile Rats To Predator Odors, Stephen M. Siviy Sep 2008

Effects Of Pre-Pubertal Social Experiences On The Responsiveness Of Juvenile Rats To Predator Odors, Stephen M. Siviy

Psychology Faculty Publications

The extent to which social variables may modulate the fear associated with a predator cue was assessed in juvenile rats. Cat odor reduced play to a comparable extent in both socially housed and isolate-housed rats, although socially housed rats exhibited more risk assessment during extinction. Rats that had played previously in the context used for assessing fear hid slightly less when exposed to cat odor than those rats that had not played previously in the testing context. However, no other differences were found between these two groups suggesting that prior social experience with the testing context has minimal effects on …


The Use Of Personality Assessments In Designing Environmental Enrichment For Garnett's Bushbabies (Otolemur Garnettii), Lauren Elizabeth Highfill Aug 2008

The Use Of Personality Assessments In Designing Environmental Enrichment For Garnett's Bushbabies (Otolemur Garnettii), Lauren Elizabeth Highfill

Dissertations

Recently the study of animal personality has become an important and credible topic of research and a number of studies have revealed personality traits in a variety of species. The consideration of individual animal personality traits is important for animal management and welfare. For example, ensuring inter-individual compatibility in group housing animals may serve to ensure the safety of the whole group. To date, no formal research has been conducted on whether the assessment of individual personality traits could be used as a tool for individualizing environmental enrichment interventions. The goal of environmental enrichment is to increase the rate of …


The Development Of Day-Night Differences In Sleep And Wakefulness In Norway Rats And The Effect Of Bilateral Enucleation, Andrew J. Gall, William D. Todd, Baisali Ray, Cassandra M. Coleman, Mark S. Blumberg Jun 2008

The Development Of Day-Night Differences In Sleep And Wakefulness In Norway Rats And The Effect Of Bilateral Enucleation, Andrew J. Gall, William D. Todd, Baisali Ray, Cassandra M. Coleman, Mark S. Blumberg

Faculty Publications

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) exhibits circadian rhythmicity in fetal and infant rats, but little is known about the consequences of this rhythmicity for infant behavior. Here, in Experiment 1, we measured sleep and wakefulness in rats during the day and night in postnatal day (P)2, P8, P15 and P21 subjects. As early as P2, day-night differences in sleep-wake activity were detected. Nocturnal wakefulness began to emerge around P15 and was reliably expressed by P21. We hypothesized that the process of photic entrainment over the first postnatal week, which depends upon the development of connectivity between the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT) and …


Social Olfaction In Maternally Separated Cd-1 Mouse Pups, Kia Hope Shine May 2008

Social Olfaction In Maternally Separated Cd-1 Mouse Pups, Kia Hope Shine

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Abstract not Inlcuded


Eating Disorders: A Study Of University Type And Prevalence, Emily C. Riggins May 2008

Eating Disorders: A Study Of University Type And Prevalence, Emily C. Riggins

Senior Honors Theses

Disordered eating has become an increasing problem, especially in western culture. A study was conducted to determine a possible relationship between disordered eating among college students and type of university. Previous studies allude to the possibility of private evangelical colleges yielding more eating disorders than private non-evangelical and public colleges. College students at two east coast universities were compared on the Eating Attitudes Test and a demographic questionnaire. The research indicated that prevalence of eating disorders is not significantly different between private evangelical institutions and private non-evangelical institutions. The findings show some background, prevalence, causes, and theoretical explanation of eating …


Season Of Birth Effects In Autism Spectrum Disorders, Kastley Marvin May 2008

Season Of Birth Effects In Autism Spectrum Disorders, Kastley Marvin

Honors Scholar Theses

One factor that is investigated as a possible clue to etiological factors in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is season of birth. Season of birth effects could be the result of temperature, toxins, dietary changes, viral infections, and cultural or social factors that change seasonally (Bolton, Pickles, Harrington, Macdonald, & Rutter, 1992). A number of studies have looked for season of birth effects in ASD with no conclusive results. The current study analyzed season of birth effects in a sample of 441 children diagnosed with ASD. Analysis was also repeated after excluding prematurely born children from the data. Level of functioning …


The Influence Of Species And Context On Human-Dolphin Interactions, Deirdre Breen Yeater May 2008

The Influence Of Species And Context On Human-Dolphin Interactions, Deirdre Breen Yeater

Dissertations

Anthropogenic activities pose a threat to marine mammals around the world. Cetaceans that use coastal waters are at particular risk for potential disturbances caused by vessel traffic and human swimmers. Although many cetacean species are found near the coast of Utila, Honduras, little is known about their behavior or the effects of anthropogenic activities on their behavior. Whether the presence of boats and human swimmers led to short-term changes in dolphin behavior was investigated for three commonly sighted species of dolphins; rough-toothed (Steno bredanensis), spinner (Stenalla longirostris), and bottlenose (Turslops truncatus). The dolphins' behavioral activities, with and without other boats …


Effects Of Neonatal Handling On Play Behavior And Fear Towards A Predator Odor In Juvenile Rats, Stephen M. Siviy Feb 2008

Effects Of Neonatal Handling On Play Behavior And Fear Towards A Predator Odor In Juvenile Rats, Stephen M. Siviy

Psychology Faculty Publications

The effects of brief daily separation, also known as "handling," during the first 2 weeks of life on play behavior and fearfulness toward a predatory odor were assessed in juvenile rats. Handled rats were more playful than nonhandled control rats, and while handling had no effect on the direct response of these rats toward a predatory odor, handled rats did not exhibit a conditioned suppression of play when tested later in the same context where they had been exposed to the predatory odor. Handled rats were still wary of the environment in that they continued to show a heightened level …


Childhood Obesity And Depression, Leslie N. Horton Jan 2008

Childhood Obesity And Depression, Leslie N. Horton

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Obesity is a commonly experienced health issue. Children who suffer from obesity may experience medical concerns such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension (American Obesity Association, 2006). Obese children may also face psychological consequences. An overweight child may experience criticism from peers while finding it difficult to participate in age-related activities. Considering this fact, one can understand why psychological effects of childhood obesity are of concern. The purpose of this study is to examine the links between obesity and childhood depression, rated by the Childhood Depression Inventory (CDI-2). Twenty-nine children were administered the CDI-2. Activity level and age of children …


Importance Of The Kappa Opoid System For Ultrasonic Vocalizations Of Young Rats: Role Of Peripherally-Versus Centrally-Located Kappa Opioid Receptors, James Roy Osburn Jan 2008

Importance Of The Kappa Opoid System For Ultrasonic Vocalizations Of Young Rats: Role Of Peripherally-Versus Centrally-Located Kappa Opioid Receptors, James Roy Osburn

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether the kappa opioid receptors modulating ultrasonic vocalizations production are located in the central and/or peripheral nervous system.


Crf1 Receptor Antagonists Attenuate Escalated Cocaine Self-Administration In Rats, Laura O'Dell Jan 2008

Crf1 Receptor Antagonists Attenuate Escalated Cocaine Self-Administration In Rats, Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.


Cellular And Behavioral Interactions Of Gabapentin With Alcohol Dependence, Laura O'Dell Jan 2008

Cellular And Behavioral Interactions Of Gabapentin With Alcohol Dependence, Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.


Enhanced Vulnerability To The Rewarding Effects Of Nicotine During The Adolescent Period Of Development, Laura O'Dell Jan 2008

Enhanced Vulnerability To The Rewarding Effects Of Nicotine During The Adolescent Period Of Development, Laura O'Dell

Selected Works Temporary Series

No abstract provided.


Acetylcholine Levels In The Prefrontal Cortex And Hippocampus During Trace And Delay Conditioning, Mary Melissa Flesher Jan 2008

Acetylcholine Levels In The Prefrontal Cortex And Hippocampus During Trace And Delay Conditioning, Mary Melissa Flesher

Theses Digitization Project

The goal of this experiment was to examine the pattern of ACh release in mPFC and HPC during performance in trace and delay appetitive conditioning.


Cellular And Behavioral Interactions Of Gabapentin With Alcohol Dependence, Laura O'Dell Jan 2008

Cellular And Behavioral Interactions Of Gabapentin With Alcohol Dependence, Laura O'Dell

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.


Crf1 Receptor Antagonists Attenuate Escalated Cocaine Self-Administration In Rats, Laura O'Dell Jan 2008

Crf1 Receptor Antagonists Attenuate Escalated Cocaine Self-Administration In Rats, Laura O'Dell

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.


Enhanced Vulnerability To The Rewarding Effects Of Nicotine During The Adolescent Period Of Development, Laura O'Dell Jan 2008

Enhanced Vulnerability To The Rewarding Effects Of Nicotine During The Adolescent Period Of Development, Laura O'Dell

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.


Affective Flexibility: Evaluative Processing Goals Shape Amygdala Activity, William A. Cunningham, Jay J. Van Bavel, Ingrid Johnsen Haas Jan 2008

Affective Flexibility: Evaluative Processing Goals Shape Amygdala Activity, William A. Cunningham, Jay J. Van Bavel, Ingrid Johnsen Haas

Department of Political Science: Faculty Publications

Although early research implicated the amygdala in automatic processing of negative information, more recent research suggests that it plays a more general role in processing the motivational relevance of various stimuli, suggesting that the relation between valence and amygdala activation may depend on contextual goals. This study provides experimental evidence that the relation between valence and amygdala activity is dynamically modulated by evaluative goals. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, participants evaluated the positive, negative, or overall (positive plus negative) aspects of famous people. When participants were providing overall evaluations, both positive and negative names were associated with amygdala activation. When …