Biological Psychology Commons^™

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Emg Biofeedback And Relaxation Training On Chronic Back Pain Patients, Pam W. Vredevelt

Dissertations and Theses

This experiment examined the effects of EMG biofeedback and relaxation training as compared with biofeedback alone. The following dependent variables were examined: manifest anxiety, perceived pain, perceived relaxation, EMG activity, and locus of control. Back pain patients were assigned to one of two treatment groups. Group 1 was treated with both EMG biofeedback and relaxation training. Group 2 was treated with biofeedback alone. It appears that both biofeedback combined with progressive relaxation and biofeedback training alone are effective in lowering muscle activity and perceived pain, and in increasing perceived relaxation. However, from the results of this study, it is impossible …

Effect Of Menstrual Cycle On Hedonic Response To Gustatory Stimuli, Laurie Ann O'Toole

Dissertations and Theses

The present experiment was conducted to determine the relationship between the human menstrual cycle and gustatory hedonic response. Hedonic response was defined as the perceived pleasantness or unpleasantness of a taste stimulus. Gender differences in taste hedonic have been observed; these may be due to differences in endocrine systems. Animal taste preferences are altered when reproductive hormonal status is experimentally manipulated. Previous researchers report that human females' hedonic responses to sucrose vary systematically with phase of menstrual cycle.

The Effects Of Amphetamine And Ethanol On Habituation Of Exploratory Responses Of Rats In Novel And Familiar Environments, Kuen-Teng Kao

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

To study the relationship between level of arousal and rate of habituation in rats, the current research manipulated arousal level using sedatives (ethanol 200 and 600 mg/kg) and stimulants(d-amphetamine 0.6 and 2.4 mg/kg). Furthermore, in order to investigate the possible contributions of differences in familiarity of the subjects with the test environment in producing discrepant reports about arousal-habituation relationships, half of the rats were tested in a completely novel cage without saline- pre-injection, while the other half were repeatedly given salinepreinjections and exposures to the test cage. Habituation was measured mainly as rate of change of responding level; i.e. slope …

Hemisphere Side Of Damage And Encoding Capacity, Margaret Ellen Davis

Dissertations and Theses

This study was designed to examine whether normal information processing does engage both hemispheres of the brain regardless of sensory channel (i.e., auditory or visual), and whether an opportunity for dual encoding (verbal and visual) was advantageous for patients with unilateral brain damage. It compared memory for verbal material presented in the visual and auditory modalities among three groups: right hemisphere brain damaged stroke patients (RBD), left hemisphere brain damaged stroke patients (LBD), and neurologically intact control subjects.

Only control and LBD subjects benefited from the visual presentation compared with auditory. Controls did generally better on both modes than either …

The Effect Of Early Handling On The Sexually Dimorphic Rate Of Extinction Of A Conditioned Taste Aversion In Rats, Rebecca Lee Yoder

Dissertations and Theses

Male rats have been found to extinguish a conditioned taste aversion slower than females. It has also been found that female rats that have been "handled" (i.e., exposed to daily brief isolation from siblings and mother) during the preweaning period extinguish a taste aversion faster than nonhandled females. The present study sought to combine and extend these findings by testing handled and nonhandled females and males in a conditioned taste aversion under the methodological conditions used in the sex difference research.

Lithium Chlorine-Induced Food Aversions In The Toad (Bufo Americanus), Paul R. Vaughan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This research established that a strong and persistent food aversion can be produced in the toad (Bufo americanus), using lithium chloride­ prey pairings. No previous study has reported taste-illness aversions in amphibians. The first of three experiments established this aversion learning and also suggested that prior "safe" exposures to a prey had little effect on subsequent aversive conditioning to that food (mealworm). No effect on general eating behavior as measured by response to another prey object (cricket) was observed in the initial study. The second experiment tested the effectiveness of five different dosages of a hypertonic LiCl solution (.5 M …

Effects Of Sleep Loss On Information-Processing In An Absolute Judgment Task As A Function Of Task Difficulty, Frieda O'Steen Carlton

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The effects of 36 hours of sleep loss on information-processing were assessed in an absolute judgment task. Of the 24 subjects employed, 12 served in the sleep-loss (experimental) and control conditions, respectively. All subjects were tested individually for a total of ten sessions; the control group was tested on ten consecutive days, whereas the experimental subjects were tested every four hours over a 36-hour period of sleep loss, and at a recovery session following approximately 12 hours of rest and recovery. The task required subjects to make absolute judgments of the size of two small circles of light and to …

Individual Differences In Human Operant Heart Rate Conditioning: Autonomic, Cognitive And Dispositional Concomitants, Paul Favaro

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Research in human operant heart rate conditioning concerned with the elucidation of the mediators of operant heart rate changes has postulated five mediating mechanisms related to operant heart rate change: respiratory, somatic-muscular, central neurological, cognitive and dispositional (personality). However, examination of the literature indicates that much of this research has produced equivocal results, hence, a clear picture of mediation has not emerged. Experimenters interested in the events that mediate operant heart rate changes have not devoted much attention to the individual variability that is so pervasive in studies of human psychophysiology. Individuals may fundamentally differ in teh autonomic, central neurological, …

The Effect Of Prenatal Administration Of Amphetamine Upon The Cognitive-Intellectual Functioning Of The Offspring At Adulthood, Theodore Cole

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The effect of prenatal administration of amphetamine upon the offspring’s cognitive-intellectual functioning at adult levels was investigated. Three groups of Max hooded rats were used, each composed of seven females and twelve males. One group was subjected to prenatal injections of amphetamine, one group received injections of saline, and the final group received no treatment. After the subjects reached adulthood they were presented with a series of complex mazes, and the dependent variable was the number of errors committed during the series. The data were analyzed by an analysis of variance of a 3 x 2 factorial design. The results …

The Cardiovascular Effects Of Human Contact With Coronary Artery Disease Patients In The Coronary Care Unit, Margaret A. Palmour

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Ten coronary artery disease patients were selected using purposive method of sampling and observed for six hours. It was postulated that 1) Human contact with coronary artery disease patients in the coronary intensive care unit would be associated with significant (p = 0.05) changes in the electrocardiogram such as: (a) increased heart rate more than 10 per cent, (b) changed atrio-ventricular conduction more than 10 per cent, (c) changed ST segment one millimeter or more and (d) increased frequency of ectopic beats more than 10 per cent. 2) The degree of stress and cardiac response was related to a number …

Observation Of Physiological Changes During Transcendental Meditation, Ron Royer, Edwin J. Nordheim

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Techniques of yoga have been associated with alterations in physiology, but until recently there has been only haphazard and uncontrolled research . Since 1970, information has been gathered which suggests that the practice of Transcendental Meditation (TM), a derivative of yoga, significantly affects changes in several physiological areas. This study observed changes in breath rate and peripheral circulation before, during, and after the practice of TM. Results showed a significant decrease in breath rate and changes in circulation patterns in the hand and forehead of subjects.

Mental Illness Among Chinese In The United States: Myth Or Reality?, Alex C. N. Leung

Dissertations and Theses

Several mental health professionals have suggested that Chinese in the United States as a group are less subject to mental disorders than other races. Whereas other investigators have also indicated that due to the influences of cultural conflict and racism, Chinese in the United States are under greater emotional distress than members of the host society. When stress from these sources becomes too great, mental health problems are frequently the result.

The purpose of this library research thesis is to review the available research works related with Chinese Americans mental health problems in the hope of seeking answers to the …

Exteroceptive Influence On A Marihuana Induced Conditioned Taste Aversion, Albert William Greenwood

Dissertations and Theses

Forty-five male, Sprague Dawley rats were used to determine if external stimuli could influence the length of a conditioned taste aversion. Animals were given a novel taste (sucrose), and then injected with one of three different substances, marihuana, LiCI, or saline. The animals were then placed into either a stimulation condition, a non-stimulation condition, or returned to the home cage. The stimulation condition contained aversive stimuli in the form of bright, flashing lights and loud noises. The other conditions had no aversive stimulation. It was expected that the animals receiving injections of marihuana would have an increase in their responsiveness …

A Relationship Between The Bender-Gestalt & The Burks Behavior Rating Scale For Organic Brain Dysfunction, Judith Chenet

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Sixty randomly selected first, second, and third graders were rated on the Burks Behavior Rating Scale for Organic Brain Dysfunction and were administered the Bender-Gestalt. The scores from each Burks category were compared to the Koppitz Developmental score on their corresponding Bender-Gestalt protocol. A Spearmar Rho indicated significant correlations (p<.05) between the total Burks score and the Koppitz Bender-Gestalt, the Vegetative-Autonomic scale and the Koppitz Bender- Gestalt, and the Perceptual -Discriminative scale and the Koppitz Bender- Gestalt. A nonsignificant negative correlation was found between the Burks Social-Emotional scale and the Koppitz Bender-Gestalt.

The Effect Of Pre-Exposure To Sucrose On The Acquisition And Extinction Of A Conditioned Aversion, Shirlee Fenwick

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Twenty-eight female, water deprived rats were given 5 minutes access to sucrose for either 1,7,14, or 21 days. They were then given LiC1 injections every third day until an aversion to the sucrose developed. The results indicated that as amount of pre-exposure to sucrose increased, the number of illnesses required to develop an aversion increased. Also, the rate of extinction of the conditioned aversion was inversely related to the number of exposures required. to establish the aversion.

Hemispheric Asymmetries For Visual Processing Of Familiar Figures In Normal Man, Charles M Herndon

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

State-Dependent Learning With Caffeine, Barbara A. Cooper

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction

• The study investigates state-dependent (SD) learning, where performance is influenced by the drug state during learning.
• Caffeine, a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant, is the focus, with high doses administered to subjects.
• The research aims to determine if caffeine can serve as a discriminative stimulus in a T-maze shock escape task.

Method

• Subjects: 20 naive male albino rats, selected based on activity levels.
• Experimental design involved two groups: one receiving caffeine and the other saline.
• The T-maze apparatus was used for training and testing, with specific dimensions and shock delivery mechanisms.

Procedure

• A 30-minute free exploration period was conducted …

Genetic And Ontogenetic Variation In Response To Scopolamine And D-Amphetamine In Three Strains Of Mice, Gary Remington

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Highly inbred mice of three strains (A/J, DBA/2J and C57BL/6J) were tested in an acitivity task at 14, 21, or 28 days of age. Ten minutes prior to testing, mice received treatment of either saline, scopolamine (0.1 or 1.0 mg/kg) or d-amphetamine (0.5, 1.0 or 5.0 mg/kg). At 14 days of age DBA mice exhibited higher levels of activity than either A or C57 mice. However, the increase in activity in C57 was such that at 21 and 28 days no difference was observed relative to DBA mice, and activity was higher than that of A mice. With respect to …

Some Aspects Of The Biological Bases Of Language, Lydia Artiola

MA TESOL Collection

A look into language from a biological point of view. Some aspects of language in the central nervous system, concentrating on the brain are presented. Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology of the language system are discussed. A discussion on the applicability of certain biological premises to the language system.

The Effects Of Electroconvulsive Shock Following Different Noncontingent Foot Shock Durations On A Conditioned Emotional Response, Carol Knobel

All Master's Theses

Varied lengths of noncontingent foot shock (NCFS) followed by an ECS or NO ECS were presented 24 hours after fear conditioning to investigate the state dependency hypothesis. The hypothesis that the NCFS would interact with ECS to produce a transient attenuation of fear conditioning was not supported. Results were discussed in terms of the possibility that the state dependency hypothesis applies only to certain levels of brain excitation when NCFS and ECS are used to induce brain state changes.

Voluntary Control Of Gsr Using Continuous Visual Display And Simultaneous Changes In Other Autonomic Functions, Laurence E. Boyce

Masters Theses

Using 28 male undergraduate university students provided with continuous oscilloscope display of basal skin resistance, this study investigated voluntary control of the GSR and concurrent changes in respiration. It was found, given feedback, subjects could voluntarily raise or lower their GSR. Subjects instructed to increase their GSR (N-14) could do so within the first trial session. However, subjects instructed to decrease their GSR (N-14) required additional practice. With less than 20 minutes of practice all subjects were able to reach a criterion of 2,500 ohms change from their basal level. Subjects increasing their GSR were found to have a significant …

An Investigation Of Some Electrophysiological Concomitants Of Hallucinations, Ronald S. Golemba

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The present research was designed to determine if a single LSD experience produces a detectable change in the electrical potential of the brain, and if so, how long that change lasts, and to examine the changes in the electrical potential of the brain associated with chemogenic and hypnogenic hallucinations. Four studies were conducted measuring the electrical potential between the front and back of the head in monkeys and humans. The frontal potential was shown to shift negatively with the use of LSD-type psychedelics but not with marijuana compounds. LSD caused the potential in humans to shift into the range commonly …

The Effects Of Cs Habituation And Duration Of The Directional Modification Of The Cardiac Response In The Guinea Pig (Cavia Procellus), Ray Charles Larson

All Master's Theses

The present experiment examined the effects of CS habituation and two different levels of CS duration (60 versus 6 sec) on the directional modification of the conditioned cardiac response in the guinea pig. The results indicated that the only reaction to the CS, regardless of prior habituation or CS duration, was a decelerative conditioned HR response. However, habituation to a CS prior to classical aversive conditioning was found to attenuate the magnitude of the bradycardia CR that developed. The bradycardia CR was discussed in terms of being a cardiac component of the orienting response.

Effects Of A Series Of Nurse-Patient Interactions On Multiple Sclerosis Patients, Lynne Campbell

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of the study was to learn whether a series of nurse-patient interactions would result in changed psychophysiologic functioning in multiple sclerosis patients.

Psychophysiologic relationships were described in the theoretical framework. Literature, reviewed in the areas of disease description and psychotherapeutic approaches to treatment, indicated that there is a high incidence of multiple sclerosis in the United States; that symptoms often include psychological alterations; that there is an emotional component to the illness; that these patients have a need for a psychotherapeutic relationship; and that psychotherapeutic approaches may have beneficial psychophysiologic effects.

Two groups of multiple sclerosis subjects were …

An Investigation Into The Incidence Of Psychogenic Factors Underlying The Temporomandibular Joint Pain/Dysfunction Syndrome, Ernest William Small

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

No abstract.

The Relative Effect Of Time Of Reinforcement And Pre-Reinforcement Activity On The Learning Of Meaningful Verbal Material, Daisuke Bill Nakashima

All Master's Theses

The present study was designed to compare the relative effects on learning and retention of (1) time of reinforcement, (2) pre-reinforcement activity, and (3) the interaction of the temporal interval and activity. The hoped-for criterion was the retention of six principles.

Conservatism In A Bayesian Probability Situation As A Function Of The Sex Of The Subject, Paul Frederick Miller

All Master's Theses

The present study was designed to examine whether the conservatism present in a Bayesian probability situation could be partially attributable to the sex of the subjects performing the task. The experimental design required that the subjects estimate the probabilities of occurrence of two independent events. They were then given an opportunity to revise their estimates as additional information was experimentally introduced into the situation. These estimates were compared to estimates calculated from Bayes’ theorem.

Development Of Circadian Sleep-Wakefulness Rhythm In A Healthy Boy Gauged By Circadian Quotients, Ellen Reeker, Michael Diffley

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

The circadian quotient, briefly CQ, serves to estimate the prominence of a rhythm with a period of about 24 hours. The CQ may be computed from so-called variance spectrum analysis, among other procedures ( 1) . Computational details and some applications have been discussed earlier (1 , 2). We wish to illustrate herein the use of the CQ for gauging the development of a circadian sleep-wakefulness rhythm in the senior author's first-born child, FAR, also documented in general terms, elsewhere ( 3).

Food Intake As A Function Of Duration Of Food Deprivation In The Albino Rat, John H. Wright

Master's Theses

The present study is an attempt to investigate food intake as a function of hours of food deprivation for a wide range of deprivation values. On the basis of the existing evidence it is expected that intake will increase for the shorter deprivation values but subsequently decrease for the longer deprivation values. Additional interest lies in the secondary measures of weight loss during deprivation, water intake during the consumption period, and weight gained during the consumption period.