Cognitive Psychology Commons^™

Maternal Scaffolding And First Graders' Near And Far Transfer On Problem-Solving Tasks, Andria R. Clausell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examined correlations between four dimensions of maternal scaffolding, maternal beliefs and values, children’s temperament, and children’s performance and use of self‑regulation strategies on problem‑solving tasks. There are two foci of this study: examining factors that predict the quality of maternal scaffolding, and assessing the relationship between quality of maternal scaffolding and children’s problem solving. Participants consisted of 10 mother‑child dyads in the experimental group and 10 children in the control group. Using a pre- and post‑test design, children were given near and far transfer independent problem‑solving tasks. The experimental group also worked with their mothers on one task …

Distance Effects In Similarity Based Free Categorization, Benjamin Alan Miller

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This experiment investigated the processes underlying similarity-based free categorization. Of particular interest was how temporal distance between similar objects affects the likelihood that people will put them into the same novel category. Participants engaged in a free categorization task referred to as binomial labeling. This task required participants to generate a two-part label (A1, B1, C1, etc.) indicating family (superordinate) and species (subordinate) levels of categorization for each object in a visual display. Participants were shown the objects one at a time in a sequential presentation; after labeling each object, they were asked to describe the similarity between that …

Toward A Two-Stage Model Of Free Categorization, Gregory J. Smith

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research examines how comparison of objects underlies free categorization, an essential component of human cognition. Previous results using our binomial labeling task have shown that classification probabilities are affected in a graded manner as a function of similarity, i.e., the number of features shared by two objects. In a similarity rating task, people also rated objects sharing more features as more similar. However, the effect of matching features was approximately linear in the similarity task, but superadditive (exponential) in the labeling task. We hypothesize that this difference is due to the fact that people must select specific objects to …

The Role Of Working Memory Resources In Mind Wandering: The Difference Between Working Memory Capacity And Working Memory Load, Jason Seiichi Tsukahara

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

There is no consensus on the relationship between working memory resources and mind wandering. The purpose of the current study is to investigate whether mind wandering requires working memory resources to be sustained. The resource-demanding view is that mind wandering requires working memory resources to sustain an internal train of thought (Smallwood, 2010). The resource-free view is that mind wandering is a result of executive control failures and this internal train of thought proceeds in a resource-free manner (McVay & Kane, 2010). Participants were presented with thought probes while they performed a Simon task in single and dual task conditions. …

Incarceration And Reintegration: How It Impacts Mental Health, April M. Marier, Alex Alfredo Reyes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Background: Previous criminal justice policies have been non-effective leading to overpopulated prisons and unsuccessful reintegration. There is a lack of effective supportive and/or rehabilitative services resulting in high rates of recidivism and mental health implications. Objective: This study investigated the perceived impact that incarceration and reintegration with little to no supportive and/or rehabilitative services has on the mental health status of an individual. The emphasis was on participant perception and not on professional reports because of underreporting and lack of attention to mental health in the criminal justice system. Methods: Focus groups in the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley …

An Examination Of The Young Schema Model: Permissive Parenting, Early Maladaptive Schemas, And Procrastination, Wade Lee Kidner

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to test specific hypotheses based on the Young Schema Model (YSM). In this model, poor parenting and traumatic events early in life result in maladaptive behaviors in adulthood. The present study tests the specific prediction that permissive parenting will have an indirect effect to increase procrastination by way of the intervening variables of entitlement/grandiosity and insufficient self-control/self-discipline cognitive schemas.

Evaluation Of The Process Model Of Goal Orientation And Feedback-Seeking In Organizations, Naomi Lorine King

Theses Digitization Project

This study hypothesized that an individuals' cost and value perceptions of feedback-seeking were related to their goal orientation which further led to the preference for certain types of feedback. The 260 working adult participants for this study were asked to respond to several demographic questions on a survey link that was posted on social media websites.

The Influence Of Menstrual Cycle Phase On Threat Recognition, Melanie Lynn Beaussart

Theses Digitization Project

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between women's perception of different types of threats and the menstrual cycle. This thesis argues for the existence of a specific cognitive adaptation in human females that reduces the possibility of rape during the time of maximum pregnancy risk.

Creative Achievement, Feedback, And Regulation Of Motivation For Creative Behaviors, Ryan Edward Holt

Theses Digitization Project

This study will explore the effects of self-regulation and the tendency to commit to or refrain from creative projects. The relationship between one's feelings of creative achievement and motivation to pursue creative activities will also be investigated. A total of 274 students of California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) were recruited from lower division and upper division psychology courses. Participants rated 12 questions regarding their creative identity on a 4 point scale.

Effects Of Bilingualism On Goal Representation And Maintenance, Amina Saadaoui

Theses Digitization Project

The main focus of this study was to examine whether the bilingual advantage in cognitive control is due to the bilinguals' ability to represent and maintain goal information in working memory. Cognitive control, also referred to as executive control, is the ability to inhibit one cognitive task while executing another task.

The Effect Of A Group-Affirmation On Prejudice, Adrian Joseph Villicana

Theses Digitization Project

The main goal of the current research was to examine the effects of a group-affirmation on evaluations of out-groups.

The Effectiveness Of Altering Value Structure To Enhance Creativity, Christa Larai Taylor

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of the current study is to determine if individual creativity may be lastingly enhanced by altering a more stable, enduring factor than those in previous studies, namely values. This study was designed to determine if values related to creativity may be enhanced using an established method of value change, known as Value Self Confrontation (VSC), and if an increase in "creative dimension" values would therefore result in enhanced creative behavior.

Individual Performance In Solving The Zin Obelisk Problem Solving Task: An Examination Of The Influence Of Cognitive And Personal Factors, Dalia Michelle Arellano Labrada

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to bring together the findings to date regarding individual problem solving and to extend previous research in order to add to our understanding of problem solving by examining the factors that lead to effective individual problem solving on an analytical, timed task.

Modulation Of Memory Formation Following Violations Of Conditioned Expectations, Dennis Antonio Amodeo

Theses Digitization Project

Increment in attention to the conditioned stimulus (CS) leads to an increased rate of acquisition of new associations involving CS. While the neuroanatomical basis of the phenomenon is largely understood, little is known about the synaptic mechanisms underlying memory formation for prediction error. The current experiment tests the overall hypothesis that this specific form of memory depends on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation.

Early Maladaptive Schemas: The Role Of Gender, Renee Kathleen Prince

Theses Digitization Project

This thesis studied the effects of self identified gender, gender roles and beliefs, and gender attributes on Early Maladaptive Schema (EMS). Early Maladaptive Schema therapy is an innovative prototype which blends aspects of many schools of thought to enhance treatment outcomes for difficult to treat clients with ingrained character issues.

Context Processing As A Function Of Anxiety Level, Viara Ivanova Stankova

Theses Digitization Project

The present study aims to establish a direct link between insufficiences in context processing and cognitive deficits related to anxiety symptoms and thus enhance the overall understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the observed discrepancies in cognitive performance. The goal of the present investigation was to apply Braver's model of cognitive control to groups selected on their differences in trait anxiety and explore their relationship. The main goal is to demonstrate that Braver and colleagues context processing theory of cognitive control provides a parsimonious explanation of processing deficits found in those showing anxiety symptoms. A total of 458 Cal State …

Play And Cognitive Function: Play As A Contributory Factor In Cognitive Development, Arthur Eugene Seale

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between play and cognitive development. The case study was an examination of the effect of teaching play to a nine-year-old girl with severe developmental disability. Results show a considerable rate of growth, as compared to the rate of growth to date, in cognitive function.

Analogies As Aids To Understanding And Memory, Carol Carter Hansen

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Covert Scanning And Serial Encoding In Visual Short-Time Memory, Robert C. Olson

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.