Biological Psychology Commons^™

Individual Differences In Taste, Body Weight, And Depression In The "Helplessness" Rat Model And In Humans., Clinton Chapman, Nancy Dess

Clinton D Chapman

In Exp 1, exposure of rats to unsignaled, inescapable shock resulted in finickiness about drinking a weak quinine solution. In contrast, exposure to escapable shock resulted in marked individual differences in finickiness that were predicted by prestress body weight. A more sensitive index of finickiness was used in Exp 2, and a correlation between body weight and finickiness was observed in nonshocked rats. In Exp 3, measures of quinine reactivity and body weight predicted depressive symptomatology in a nonclinical human sample of 37 undergraduates. Although research in the helplessness paradigm usually focuses on environmental determinants of distress, the paradigm may …

An Evaluation Of Outcome Differentiation Using Biologically Neutral Stimuli, Wendy Ann Newell

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This experiment investigated the specificity of encoding the outcomes of instrumental responding with rats. The first part of the study examined the differential outcome effect (DOE) using a 0.5 second flash of light as the outcome differentiator. Acquisition of a two-choice conditional discrimination was not enhanced if Response 1 (R1) in the presence of Stimulus 1 (S1) produced food plus a light flash, and R2 during S2 produced only food. Next, 2/3 of the animals were then trained to make two new responses (R3 and R4), one earning light plus food and the other earning food only. There was no …

Evidence For Common Coding Of Temporal And Nontemporal Information In Pigeons, Stephen Bridson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Two experiments found evidence that pigeons commonly code temporal and visual samples that are associated with the same comparisons in many-to-one matching. In Experiment 1, pigeons were trained to match temporal (2-sec and 8-sec keylight durations) and color (red and green) samples to line tilt comparisons (vertical and horizontal). Similar rates of forgetting were found for all samples. Furthermore, retention of sample information appeared more similar for samples which shared common comparisons than those that did not. In Experiment 2, pigeons learned new comparison (circle and triangle) associations with either temporal or visual samples from Experiment 1. When tested on …

Morphological And Behavioral Effects Of Perinatal Exposure To Aspartame (Nutrasweet®) On Rat Pups., Clinton Chapman, Raz Yirmiya, John Garcia, Edward Levin

Clinton D Chapman

Side effects of perinatal exposure to L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester (aspartame [ASP]) were studied by providing ASP-containing water to female rats from 30 days before conception until the pups were 30 days of age. Compared with pups of mothers who drank plain water, ASP-exposed pups were not different in morphological (pinnae detachment, eye opening, incisor eruption, and body weight) and reflex (surface righting and negative geotaxis) development. No difference was found in the time taken by mothers to retrieve litters. At 30 days of age, performance of ASP-exposed Ss in a radial-arm maze differed from that of Ss not exposed. Results …

Gender Differences In The Relation Between Locus Of Control And Physiological Responses, Monique C. Grelot

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The relationship between locus of control and the physiological responses of heart rate (HR) and electrodermal activity (EDA) was investigated in 30 males and 31 females during an arithmetic task. The Levenson's Internal, Powerful Others and Chance (IPC) scales (Levenson, 1974) were used to assess the various degrees of internality for each subject. Additionally, to determine each subject's physiological Lability or Stability (LS), EDA was measured by recording spontaneous skin conductance responses during a ten minute rest period and to a tone (an Orienting Response (OR) task). A simple difficulty effect was found on the performance scores across the three …

Inescapable Shock Increases Finickiness About Drinking Quinine-Adulterated Water In Rats., Clinton Chapman, Nancy Dess, Thomas Minor

Clinton D Chapman

Conducted 3 studies with 108 male rats to examine the effect of inescapable shock on finickiness, operationally defined as suppressed consumption of quinine-adulterated water. Exposure to a single session of inescapable shock increased finickiness relative to simple restraint or no treatment. The effect of shock on finickiness was replicable, was specific to adulterated water, and persisted for at least 24 hrs. The weak quinine solution rejected by shocked Ss supported a conditioned taste aversion, suggesting that the difference between shocked Ss and controls was not due to the inability of the latter to taste the quinine. It is suggested that …

Spatial Vision: Age And Practice, James Pasley

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Previous studies have shown that practice can improve adults’ ability to discriminate between two similar high frequency spatial patterns. Adults trained on this task also demonstrated significant improvement on a standard acuity test which is dependent on high frequency information. The aim of this study was to extend the range of training patterns to low (1.7 c/deg) and middle (4.0 c/deg.) spatial frequencies, and to determine if practice in a similar spatial frequency discrimination task would transfer to other spatial tasks dependent on low frequency information. Fourteen subjects in three age groups (young, middle and old) were tested before and …

Norm-Of-Reaction: Definition And Misinterpretation Of Animal Research, Steve A. Platt, Charles A. Sanislow

Charles A. Sanislow, Ph.D.

The development of a phenotype is due to an interaction of the genotype with the environment. Two terms have been used to describe the outcome of this interaction, the norm-of-reaction and the reaction range. The first represents the theoretically limitless distribution of the phenotypes that may be expressed by a given genotype. The reaction range implies an upper and lower limit for phenotype expression possible from a given genotype. A critical distinction between the reaction range and the norm-of-reaction is that the norm-of-reaction is a statement of the conceivable interactions found but does not imply any predictability other than that …

Alzheimer's Disease: The Relationship Between P300 Latency And Pet Scan Ratios, Glena Lynne Needham Schubarth Andrews

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

The P300 component of the auditory EEG event-related potential (ERP) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) were investigated in individuals considered to be early cases of probable Alzheimer's type dementia (PAD) and a control group of similar age. Two questions were investigated: (a) The degree to which P300 latency was sensitive to neurocognitive changes in very early stages of PAD; and (b) The relationship between P300 latency and specific areas of reduced neural functions as reflected in PET scans. A significant difference was found between PAD and normal subjects in P300 latencies, with those in the patient group having longer P300 …

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 …

Nucleus Raphe Magnus And Vagal Inhibition Of Spinoreticular Tract Neuron Responses To Noxious Somatic And Visceral Inputs., Clinton Chapman

Clinton D Chapman

No abstract provided.

Personality Characteristics And Two Types Of Relaxation Associated With Personal Adjustment And Anxiety Reduction, Steven Michael Schwartz

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

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.

Electroencephalographic Spectra Preceding Spontaneous Blinks, Marion Auerswald Eppler

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

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.

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.

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 …

Stress Reactions By Black Females In Viewing Conflict And No-Conflict Videotapes Of A Black Male Or Female As A Function Of The Subject's Blood Pressure Level And Of History Of Stress, Andrea Jean James-Andrews

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

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 …

Relationships Among Skin Conductance Activity, Averaged Evoked Potential Amplitude, And Behavior In Chronic Schizophrenia, C. Michael Powell

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

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.

Similarities In Analgesia Produced By Cervical Probing And Intracranial Stimulation To The Mesencephalic Grey Matter, Kathleen Casey Westlake

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

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 …

The Effects Of Startle Stimulus Probability On The Human Electromyographic Startle Response, John Louis Toukatly

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

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.

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 …

Cerebral Dominance, Its Measurements And Its Role In Letter Recognition And Spelling, Edward Humphrey Bogart

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

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.