Cognitive Psychology Commons^™

When Cognitive Bias Masquerades As Intervention Efficacy: Drinking Norms As Anchors And Norm Interventions As Anchoring Effects, Matthew R. Pearson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Problematic drinking is a serious public health concern on college campuses in the United States. College students most frequently report drinking for social reasons, and perceptions of peers' drinking, or perceived drinking norms, are among the most consistent, robust predictors of college student drinking. Therefore, norm-based interventions have risen to prominence in the attempt to reduce the harm caused by college student alcohol use. However, the efficacy of these interventions may be obscured by cognitive bias. Specifically, providing information regarding the drinking norm may "anchor" individuals' estimates of their own behavior. Using samples of college student drinkers, two studies were …

Mood And Creativity: The Mediating Role Of Attention, Viktoria Tidikis

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Within literature there are two opposing views regarding the role of emotions in the creative process. The most commonly held view contends that positive emotions enhance creativity, while negative emotions stifle it; yet, some studies show an opposite trend. To help resolve this conundrum, this research examined the mediating effect of attention on the relationship between mood and creativity. The results showed that positive deactivating and negative activating emotions led to broader attention, while positive activating and negative deactivating emotions caused narrowing of attention. Furthermore, the creative process is not uniform in its requirements of attentional breadth; some creative tasks …

Comics As A Cognitive Training Medium For Expert Decision Making, Amber Nalu

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Experts such as military commanders must make decisions quickly and under deadly conditions. A variety of cognitive training media exist, from Powerpoint to virtual reality (VR) simulations; however, there are alternative media that have not yet been comprehensively studied for expert decision making training. In this study, the researcher has examined the use of comics as an alternative to current cognitive training media. In Experiment 1, naval submariners were shown a text-based medium or comic strip and asked to make a decision about the scenario after viewing. The scenario was derived from a situation that submariners were somewhat familiar with …

Examining The Dual Process Model Of Decision Making In Visual Threat Detection And Human-Automation Interaction, Patricia Chin Brennan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the degree to which emotions and/or rational thinking should be emphasized to improve performance in target detection in complex tasks. Specifically, we evaluated the dual-process model of decision making to determine whether emotion or cognition (or a combination of the two) is more powerful in influencing decisions. Additionally, we considered how decisions are influenced with the addition of an automated agent to assist human decision making. Participants (n = 120) were randomly assigned to one of three framing manipulations, each with positive and negative incentives: the analytical frame emphasized numerical gains or losses; the affective frame presented …

Trust Judgments And The Hindsight Bias Effect, Martin Daniel Smith-Rodden

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

A decision to trust or not to trust can be examined within a broader category of cognition research concerning decisions under uncertainty. The purpose of this research was to investigate trust decisions through the lens of the hindsight bias effect. The hindsight bias effect (sometimes known as the "I knew it all along" effect) is a consequence that often follows judgments under uncertainty. Two experiments examined participants' evaluations of trust outcomes to determine if and how judgments of trust might be susceptible to hindsight biases. Experiment 1 exposed participants to vignettes depicting a third-party trust transaction between friends, with outcomes …

Investigating Delay In Health Related Decision Making Versus Non-Health Decision Making, Ann Lassiter Edwards

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Health and non-health decision domains were examined to explore the differences in decision domain and delay preferences. Using an existing cognitive theory of delay (Bastardi & Shafir, 1998; Tykocinski & Ruffle, 2003), type of scenario (health vs. nonhealth) was manipulated within subjects with participants receiving three scenarios of each type. Certainty (certain vs. uncertain) and delay choice condition (no delay, delay, one-week delay) were manipulated between subjects. This resulted in a 2 (health) X 2 (certainty) X 3 (delay choice) split-plot factorial design. The dependent measure was the proportion of action responses (deciding to change status quo) across the three …

Examining Neurophysiological Evidence Of Age-Related Interactions Of Sensory And Cognitive Processes During Speech Processing, Cady Kristen Block

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study sought to examine the contribution of sensory and cognitive factors on speech processing as evidenced by ERP measures and to find support for the Sensory Cognitive Interaction Theory (SCIT) and the Effortfulness Hypothesis in that older adults. who experience sensory deficits with normal aging. must put forth increased effort during early sensory stages of speech processing that may compromise subsequent semantic performance and recall of information. In the present investigation. younger and older adults performed a sentence verification task at low and high presentation levels (PL). Accuracy and response time to sentence verifications were assessed along with …

The Effect Of Task Instructions And Working Memory On Syllogistic Reasoning Performance, Clinton S. Comer

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the predictions of existing theories of syllogistic reasoning performance as they relate to working memory. One-hundred and twenty undergraduate students from Old Dominion University completed a working memory span test and evaluated 92 conclusions for possible, multiple model syllogisms. Participants were randomly assigned to either a validity or possibility reasoning task. The mean syllogistic performance scores and mean reaction times were compared across the two groups. Working memory span scores were added as a covariate to determine if there were differences in working memory and performance correlations between the two groups. Analyses …

Directed Forgetting Of Live Motion Events: An Investigation Of A New Stimulus Set, Shawn Dickerson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Instructions to forget presented information are often given and it is necessary to further understand how those involved can be affected by what is called "directed forgetting". The purpose of the current study was to investigate if a video stimuli would produce directed forgetting using the list method and a recognition style test. In addition, viewing live motion events has been suggested to be a more relevant modality to examine directed forgetting and thus another purpose of the current study was to utilize video stimuli to create a more valid assessment of this phenomenon. Participants (N=181) were selected through the …

The Relationship Between Valuing Diversity And Implicit Racial Bias: A Construct Validation Study, Rebekka Althouse Gordon

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two studies examined the construct validity of valuing diversity in relation to both explicit and implicit racial bias. In the first study, participants completed three measures: the Miville-Guzman Universality-Diversity Scale to measure valuing diversity; the Implicit Association Test to assess implicit racial bias; and the Symbolic Racism 2000 Scale to assess explicit racial bias. Results indicated there was a significant relationship between the valuing diversity and implicit racial bias measures as well as between the valuing diversity and explicit racial bias measures. The explicit and implicit racial bias measures accounted for unique variance in the valuing diversity construct. There was …

Alarm Relevance And Reliability: Factors Affecting Pilots' Alarm Prioritization, Elizabeth T. Newlin

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of alarm reliability and relevance on pilots' trust. perceived relevance, alarm response frequency and time. Twenty pilots flew a simulated aircraft roundtrip from Dulles to Boston Logan and responded to 20 pressurization alarms. Alarm system reliability using two levels (60%, 80% true alarms) and system relevance with two levels (high at altitudes above 25,000 feet (ft) mean sea level (MSL), low below 25,000 ft MSL) were manipulated within groups. Results indicated participants perceived alarms above 25,000 ft MSL as more relevant and responded faster and more often to them. Participants …

Social-Cognitive Biases In Simulated Airline Luggage Screening, Jeremy R. Brown

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The study examined the role that social-cognitive biases play in decision making processes during airline luggage screening, Participants (n = 96) performed a computer simulated task where they tried to detect hidden weapons in 200 x-ray images of passenger luggage. Participants saw each luggage image for either two seconds (high time pressure) or six seconds (low time pressure). In addition, on each trial, participants observed the pictures of the "passenger" to whom the luggage purportedly belongs. The "pre-anchor group" answered questions about the passenger before the luggage image appears, the "post-anchor" group answered questions after the luggage appears, and the …

The Relationships Among Age, Physical Activity, And Working Memory, Ellen M. Carpenter

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

As our population ages, determining exogenous factors that may offset cognitive decline become increasingly important. The primary goal of the present study was to determine whether older individuals who engage in regular physical activity demonstrate superior working memory performance relative to older sedentary individuals. Forty young (20 active, 20 sedentary) and forty older (20 active, 20 sedentary) individuals engaged in cognitive measures of information processing speed, inhibitory function, and verbal and visuospatial working memory. Age differences in recall were found for verbal and visuospatial span tasks, as well as for recall reaction time on verbal and visuospatial n-back tasks, and …

Using Working Memory Interference Tasks To Test For Verbal And Spatial Route Learning Strategies, Ian Reagan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Research indicates considerable individual variability exists on a host of tasks that measure navigational ability. This experiment examined the hypothesis that some individuals use verbal and others spatial processing to learn routes. A survey was used to categorize individuals into good or poor sense of direction (GSD or PSD) groups. Then participants learned two routes in a virtual setting; they learned one while engaged in spatial tapping and one while engaged in articulatory suppression. The experimenter led participants through the route once. Participants then traversed the route from memory. During the spatial tapping condition, participants in the GSD group were …

Theta Activity During Navigation In Virtual Environments, Colleen Margaret Moore

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Human navigation has gone through many different stages, from guidance by stars to guidance by technology. Theories for performance differences range from differences between individuals, to experience with the environment. Researchers turn to virtual environments during experimentation which are easy to manipulate and easier to measure during navigation. However, fidelity is an issue with regard to transfer of learning to a real world environment. We examined differences in theta activity during navigation in low and high fidelity virtual environments. The researchers recruited thirty-two students between the ages of 18-40 from the university subject pool for voluntary participation. We measured EEG …

Crisp And Fuzzy Signal Detection Theory And Pilot Weather Judgment: Implications For Vfr Flights Into Imc, Joseph T. Coyne

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Weather represents one of the greatest hazards to general aviation (GA), accounting for 15% of the GA accident fatalities. Of the fatal weather accidents 90% are attributed to visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The situation assessment hypothesis suggests that pilots may inadvertently enter IMC because they lack the sensitivity needed to distinguish between visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and IMC. An alternative hypothesis is that pilots recognize conditions have deteriorated but are motivated by some other factor, such as pressure from passengers. The present study uses Jensen's Pilot Judgment Model and Signal Detection Theory to explain …

The Role Of Field Dependence And Independence In Visual Search, Elizabeth A. Schmidt

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Research has shown that individuals are faster at searching for the presence of features in displays than the absence of features. The present study was designed to examine whether differences in the ability to search for the presence and absence of features are moderated by differences in the ability of individuals to perceive separate parts of the visual field as distinct from the background (field dependence/independence). In addition, spatial ability was examined to assess its relationship to field independency. Participants were administered the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) and were divided into field …

The Effects Of Test Validity Perceptions On Ethnic Group Differences In Cognitive Ability Test Performance, Florence R. Jinadu

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Ethnic group differences in cognitive ability test performance have led to the problem of adverse impact for many organizations. In attempting to understand the cause of such differences, this study investigates the relationships among general test attitudes, test experiences, race, test validity perceptions, test knowledge, and cognitive ability test performance. A sample of undergraduate psychology students completed a paper-and-pencil test of cognitive ability as well as surveys of their attitudes towards employment tests and prior testing experiences. Participants in an experimental group received information that explained the validity and usefulness of employment tests for making selection decisions.

It was hypothesized …

Does Wisdom Really Come With Age?: Cognitive Differences Between Traditional And Nontraditional Aged College Women, Kelli Jean England

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Nontraditional aged (age 25 and over) college women outperform traditional aged (age 18-24) college women academically. This research reviewed areas of differences in the two groups and proposed that differences in two main areas contribute to performance: motivation and cognitive maturation. One hundred and twelve female traditional and nontraditional aged students completed Mehrabian's Achieving Tendency Scale (MATS), the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA), and the Learning Environment Preferences measure (LEP). Students were identified as traditional aged (18-24 years), younger nontraditional aged (25-31 years), and older nontraditional aged (& 32 years). Grade point average (GPA) was used as a measure of …

The Effect Of Ethanol And Hypoglycemia On Rat Performance In The Radial Arm Maze, Monica Ann Gaffney

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Both hypoglycemia (HG) and ethanol (ETH) intoxication can cause serious impairment in physiological and psychological functioning. Their combination could cause more severe cognitive impairment than either condition alone. This experiment investigated the effects of hypoglycemia, ethanol intoxication, and their combination on rat radial arm maze performance. Eleven male rats were trained to a stable, low error rate performance in achieving food rewards in an eight arm radial arm-maze. Rats were then given either insulin (2 units/kg) or saline in combination with ETH doses of 250, 500, 1000, or 1500 mg/kg 20 minutes prior to the maze run. Treatment order was …

Fostering The Development Of Domain-General, Nonlinear Mental Models: A Foundation For Systemic Thinking, Jeffrey S. Sinn

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two experiments examined whether people can develop a domain-general, nonlinear mental model when provided with an appropriate conceptual model. Both experiments presented causal loop models (i.e., variables connected in a circle by arrows representing causal relationships) as a conceptual model for positive feedback. Study 1 found that participants trained in causal loop modeling could accurately represent scenarios of low but not high complexity. Study 2 expanded on the design of Study 1 by varying the type of training and type of aid presented during testing. Participants received training with modeling instruction, training with cue-utilization instruction (i.e., participants were trained to …

Structural Equation Modeling Of Attitudes Toward Employment Testing, Laura Susan Hamil

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This research investigated the relationships among past testing experiences, testing attitudes, perceptions of test performance, race, and gender. In addition, the effects of testing information on testing attitudes were studied. Two hundred and twelve applicants to a variety of positions in a large telecommunications company were asked to complete a series of questionnaires before and after employment testing. The questionnaires included measures of testing experience, general and specific testing attitudes, and perceptions of test performance. Scores on the employment test were also obtained as a measure of cognitive ability. Of the 212 participants, half were given a brochure to read …

Effects Of Goal Reward And Feedback Frequency On Motivation: A Control Theory Perspective, Jonathan Michael Balcerek

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The current study investigated the effects of feedback frequency and goal reward on subject motivation. Klein's (1989) control theory model of work motivation was used to conceptualize the method and hypothesis. Subjects performed a simple computer addition task. When we examined subjects who displayed medium to high mathematical ability, significant effects were discovered. Higher goal reward led to higher motivation. In addition, subjects with a low goal reward and high amounts of feedback displayed lower motivation than subjects with a high goal reward and high amounts of feedback and subjects with a high goal reward and low amounts of feedback. …

The Influence Of Time Pressure And Information Load On Rule-Based Decision-Making Performance, Brooke Browne Schaab

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Performance was evaluated under varying levels of time pressure and information load to determine their influence on simple rule-based decision-making. Consistent errors, biases, and heuristics found in human decision-making have been attributed to attempts to reduce attentional demands and to the limitations of working memory. Do these same mistakes occur when little or no demand is placed on working memory and the decision is made by following a set of simple rules? Using a simulation of a radar operator's task, 96 participants monitored a display for 24 min. Time pressure was manipulated by increasing or decreasing the number of aircraft …

Neuropsychological Assessment Of Battered Women, Mona Matheney Tiernan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the effect of physical battering on the neuropsychological functioning of women. Twenty-five battered women and twenty-five non-battered women were administered a neuropsychological screening battery (11 separate tests, yielding 16 variables) to assess for possible deficits in the areas of attention/concentration, memory, visual-perceptual skills, sensory-motor skills, novel problem solving, and verbal fluency. All participants completed a demographic questionnaire, a post-concussive syndrome checklist, and a questionnaire evaluating for the presence of depressed mood and possible effects of depression. Potential participants with a history of previous head injury (occurring from a source other than battering) or other neurological disorders were …

Animal-Word And Sound Test: An Auditory Cognitive Interference Effect, Jason L. Parker

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study presented a method in which the Stroop Color Word Test can be adapted to an auditory form. This auditory test used a series of animal words, animal sounds and word-sound combinations. This "Animal-Word-and-Sound test" contained three subtests. The test tasks were to repeat a list of words, identify a list of animal sounds, and to identify the sound in a combined animal word-sound pairings (Both the animal's name and sound are presented simultaneously). An alternate form of this audio test was examined. The alternate form followed the same construction except in the final condition, the task was to …

Body Image And Information-Processing Biases On A Modified Stroop Task, Andrea Powell Arcona

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Recent research in the area of body image and body-image disturbance has increasingly examined cognitive information-processing models. The focus of the current study was on the processing of appearance-related and nonappearance-related information in appearance-schematic versus appearance-aschematic women. As a modified and extended replication of a study by Labarge, Cash, and Brown (in press), information processing was investigated using a computerized Stroop-type task. Participants were 128 Old Dominion University women who had previously completed the Appearance Schemas Inventory (ASI). They were divided into two groups based on their above median (appearance-schematic) or below-median (appearance-aschematic) ASI scores, Then, at designated times, these …

The Effects Of Simultaneous And Successive Tasks And Knowledge Of Results On Add And Non-Add Children, Pamela J. Bishop

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Computerized continuous performance tasks (CPT) are often used to diagnose attention deficit disorders (ADD) The purpose of the present study was to continue the evaluation of a CPT developed from a psychophysical perspective. Specifically, two versions of a monitoring task (simultaneous and successive) were examined in the context of three conditions of knowledge of results (KR); KR to correct detections, false alarms, and irrelevant KR. Thirty children diagnosed with ADD and 30 without ADD performed two 9-minute monitoring tasks. Parents of the children were also interviewed with an adaptive behavior scale to investigate whether ADD children exhibit social functioning at …

Attentional Processing Of Visual Stimuli: What Makes A Face A Face?, Samuel L. Chapman

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Reaction time (RT) and accuracy have been used to investigate the manner in which humans process visual stimuli for many years. Some researchers have found evidence of serial processing (e.g., Sternberg, 1969a) while others have shown that some visual stimuli are processed in parallel (e.g., Neisser, 1963). There have been very few studies investigating the processing of schematic faces with respect to RT and accuracy. The present study investigates the mechanisms associated with the recognition of schematic faces with respect to RT and accuracy.

Forty-two Old Dominion University students were shown a target face for ten seconds and were then …

Conjunctive Decisions In A Paper-And-Pencil Task, Tracy A. Bean

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Many situations can have a significant effect on response time. Some situations affecting response time require union decisions - decisions based on the 'or' rule. The Hick-Hyman law, as well as Sternberg's linear relationship, are based on union decisions. Most situations in the real world, however, are based on intersection or 'conjunctive' decisions - decisions based on the 'and' rule. The relationship between conjunctive decisions and reaction time is examined in the present research. One question this study attempted to answer is whether there is a functional relationship between mean response time and display size.

The study consisted of 139 …