Cognitive Psychology Commons^™

The Role Of Working Memory In Fraction Arithmetic: Eye Movements During A Dual Task, Krystal Kamekona-Mendoza

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Fractions are first introduced at the elementary school age, yet difficulty with fraction computation (i.e., adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing) continues to persist throughout adulthood. Research suggests that fraction knowledge is predictive of future math achievement and success in algebra. Given the early age at which this concept is introduced and the critical role that it plays in future mathematics success, it is important to better understand the cognitive mechanisms involved in fraction computation and why students continue to struggle with this concept. The role of executive function (e.g., attention, inhibition, working memory) in fraction arithmetic is complex. While working …

The Role Of Selection History In Low-Prevalence Visual Search, Kendra Chamlee Smith

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The low prevalence effect (LPE), the tendency for observers to be more likely to miss rare targets than frequent targets, is a robust error and is difficult to reduce. The LPE is an obstacle in a variety of real-world search tasks in which targets are rare, including baggage screening and some medical imaging. The LPE is thought to occur because when an observer searches for a low-prevalence target, over time, the observer may become both more willing to indicate a target is not there and more likely to end the search early. The present experiments employ three selection history effects, …

Authentication Schemes' Impact On Working Memory, Janine D. Mator

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Authentication is the process by which a computing system validates a user’s identity. Although this process is necessary for system security, users view authentication as a frequent disruption to their primary tasks. During this disruption, primary task information must be actively maintained in working memory. As a result, primary task information stored in working memory is at risk of being lost or corrupted while users authenticate. For over two decades, researchers have focused on developing more memorable passwords by replacing alphanumeric text with visual graphics (Biddle et al., 2012). However, very little attention has been given to the impact authentication …

The Effects Of Emotional Working Memory Training On Trait Anxiety, Gabrielle C. Veloso, Welison Evenston G. Ty

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

Background: Trait anxiety is a pervasive tendency to attend to and experience fears and worries to a disproportionate degree, across various situations. Decreased vulnerability to trait anxiety has been linked to having higher working memory capacity and better emotion regulation; however, the relationship between these factors has not been well-established.

Objective: This study sought to determine if participants who undergo emotional working memory training will have significantly lower trait anxiety post-training. The study also sought to determine if emotion regulation mediated the relationship between working memory training and trait anxiety.

Method: An experimental group comprising of 49 participants underwent 20 …

Using Chess As An Intervention To Improve Executive Functioning Among Youth, Anandita Oberoi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Youth represent a vulnerable segment of the population and may have underdeveloped levels of executive functioning (EF), which is important in both daily life and is shown to have far-reaching effects. This research study aimed to decipher if lessons in the game of chess could be used as an efficacious intervention for accelerating EF development in youth. The three research questions focused on determining whether there was a difference in the chosen indices of EF before and after a 14-session chess intervention. The theoretical framework used for this study was Piaget’s cognitive development theory. This quantitative, single group pretest–posttest design …