Cognitive Neuroscience Commons^™

External And Internal Attribution In Human-Agent Interaction: Insights From Neuroscience And Virtual Reality, Nina Lauharatanahirun, Andrea Won, Angel Hsing-Chi Hwang

Human-Machine Communication

Agents are designed in the image of humans, both internally and externally. The internal systems of agents imitate the human brain, both at the levels of hardware (i.e., neuromorphic computing) and software (i.e., neural networks). Furthermore, the external appearance and behaviors of agents are designed by people and based on human data. Sometimes, these humanlike qualities of agents are purposely selected to increase their social influence over human users, and sometimes the human factors that influence perceptions of agents are hidden. Inspired by Blascovich’s “threshold of social influence’, a model designed to explain the effects of different methods of anthropomorphizing …

Quantifying Resting-State Functional Connectivity In Critically Brain-Injured Patients: A Graph-Theoretical Approach With Fnirs, Ira Gupta

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Assessment of consciousness in behaviourally unresponsive patients with critical brain injuries continues to be a challenge. There remains a need for robust tools that can accurately characterize preserved cortical function and predict patient outcomes. In the present study, functional near-infrared spectroscopy is employed in conjunction with graph theory and machine learning to quantify resting-state functional connectivity in 16 acutely brain-injured patients and 23 healthy controls. Results revealed significant channel-level differences between the groups for three graph metrics, including degree, clustering coefficient, and local efficiency. Further investigation using machine learning algorithms revealed that these metrics can be used to distinguish between …

The Impact Of Emotional Sounds On Arousal And Task Performance, Brian Wu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In times of emotional arousal, it is hypothesized that neural processes are triggered to “heighten” our senses to better respond to threatening stimuli. Some studies have tested this by exposing participants to emotional sounds to determine their impacts on visual acuity but have found mixed results. Previous studies have not investigated interactions between arousal induced by emotional sounds and visual acuity. Participants (N = 42) performed an orientation detection task while presented in silence or with sounds that varied in valence. Results displayed comparable accuracy across conditions but significantly faster response times during the presentation of negative sounds on the …

Embracing The Irreplaceable: The Role Of Neurodiversity In Cultivating Human-Ai Symbiosis In Education, Piper Hutson

International Journal of Emerging and Disruptive Innovation in Education : VISIONARIUM

This study investigates the indispensable role of human skills—such as empathy, ethical judgment, and nuanced understanding—in the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) within higher education, highlighting the unique contributions of neurodivergent perspectives in creating a symbiotic human-AI relationship. Drawing upon research that evidences the superior performance of diverse teams in creativity and innovation, the paper argues for the integration of neurodiversity into AI development as a means to address the philosophy of 'fearing the Other,' thereby mitigating biases and fostering ethical AI interactions. The technology sector's adoption of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, including biopsychosocial interventions and …

Flanker Task Performance In Young And Older Adults: A Behavioral And Erp Study, Fatima Medrano

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Research suggests that as we get older, executive function abilities decline (Hasher & Zacks, 1988; Salthouse, 1996). One affected ability is that of inhibitory control, which aids in monitoring our responses to non-target stimuli or information. Current research on inhibition reveals inconsistencies across studies. Monitoring brain responses during the Flanker (used to measure inhibitory control) task may add valuable insight into the processes underlying group differences behaviorally, by studying the N200 and P300 event-related potentials which have been associated with inhibitory control processes. This study investigated whether there are differences between older and younger adults in inhibitory control and whether …

Cross-Linguistic Differences In Neural Encoding And Processing Of Stop Consonants: The Impact Of Language Experience On Attention Allocation, Aline Dos Santos Oliveira

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study aims to examine the intricate relationship between language experience and the neural processing of stop consonant speech sounds. Previous research has shown minimal differences in amplitudes and latencies of cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials (AEPs) to speech sounds across listeners from various language backgrounds. It is only towards the later latencies (around the P2 peak at 200 ms), that there have been suggestions of cross-linguistic differences. In addition, a recent study, observed an AEP difference between monolinguals and bilinguals when processing speech, specifically an "Nd effect”. The Nd effect, which is an increased negativity of the AEP is proposed …

How Sensory Exploration Using Expressive Arts Provides A Cohesive Experience For Children With Multiple Diagnoses, Chanelle Goguen

Expressive Therapiehttps://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/cgi/myaccount.cgis Capstone Theses

This thesis looks at the potential benefits and cohesive experience of sensory exploration for children with multiple diagnoses through a trauma informed lens. The researcher was inspired by Prendiville’s (2021) idea of how interactive sensory exploration and art making can help foster and develop reciprocal communication and socio-affective relationships influenced the researcher to design a method that would be used to collect data about potential similar findings. In the method, the interaction of the sensory-specific art mediums were reflected through the expressive therapies continuum (ETC) framework. The research of this thesis acknowledges and explores how trauma and adverse childhood experiences …

Local Geometry Of Elementary Visual Computations, Peter Neri

MODVIS Workshop

Visual operators (e.g. edge detectors) are classically modelled using small circuits involving canonical computations, such as template-matching and gain control. Circuit models explain many aspects of the empirical descriptors that are used to characterize local visual operators, from sensitivity to classification images. Notwithstanding their utility, these models fail to provide a unified framework encompassing the variety of effects observed experimentally, such as the impact of contrast, SNR, and attention on the above descriptors. My goal is to start with a simple, plausible geometrical representation of the perceptual operation carried out by the observer, and to show that this representation is …

Dissecting Bayes: Using Influence Measures To Test Normative Use Of Probability Density Information Derived From A Sample, Laurence T. Maloney, Keiji Ota

MODVIS Workshop

Bayesian decision theory (BDT) is used to model human performance in tasks where the decision maker must compensate for uncertainty in order to gain rewards and avoid losses. BDT prescribes how the decision maker can combine available data, prior knowledge, and value to reach a decision maximizing expected winnings. Do human decision makers actually use BDT in making decisions? Researchers typically compare overall human performance (total winnings or overall percent correct) to the predictions of BDT but we cannot conclude that BDT is an adequate model for human performance based on just overall performance. We break BDT down into elementary …

Comparing Executive Control: Bilingualism's Cognitive Advantage, Malcolm Jasmin, Tonya Buchanan Ph.D.

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

The Stroop Task is a widely used method for studying executive control. It helps to understand cognitive processes like inhibition and attentional regulation to examine how reading text and naming colors can interfere with each other. The study intends to use the Stroop Task to explore the executive control abilities of both bilingual and monolingual individuals. Previous research has shown that bilingual individuals perform better in the Stroop test compared to those who only speak one language (Bialystok et al., 2010). The impact of this advantage is believed to be due to the need to switch between languages and prevent …

Estrogen Replacement Therapy To Reduce Neurodegeneration And Socio-Cognitive Deficits In A Female Sprague Dawley Rat Model Of Early-Onset Alzheimer’S Disease, Miriam Kirylo

Senior Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Amygdala And Orbitofrontal Cortex Volume In The Context Of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Rahul Alla

Honors Scholar Theses

Disobedient and rebellious attitude in children is on the rise and this type of behavior is categorized as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). ODD in children can be identified as a persistent pattern of angry or irritable mood, argumentative or defiant behavior or vindictiveness toward others according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5, Fifth Edition) of Mental Disorders.1 Children with ODD typically have difficulty regulating and processing their emotions. Issues with regulating emotions is defined as the process by which individuals “influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express them”.2 Dysregulation of emotions …

Individual Differences In Age And Testosterone Are Uniquely Associated With Neural Oscillatory Activity Serving Verbal Working Memory In Children And Adolescents, Abraham D. Killanin

Theses & Dissertations

During the sensitive period of adolescence, the human brain undergoes dynamic changes in structure and function resulting in vast executive function gains. Verbal working memory (VWM) is one executive function that serves as a foundation to language acquisition, reading, and learning. Many have examined the development of VWM in youth, but few have probed age-related changes in the underlying neural oscillatory dynamics, and none have examined testosterone-related changes. We recorded magnetoencephalography during a modified Sternberg VWM task in 82 youth participants aged 6 – 14 years old and collected salivary testosterone samples. Significant oscillatory responses were identified and imaged using …

P300 Event-Related Potential Responses To Self-Relevant Stimuli, Jordan Razzak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature has suggested an apparent P300 sensitivity to self-relevant stimuli. To further explore this relationship, we asked participants to submit 10 photos, each of a particular category (e.g. footwear, plants), to be used as either targets or distractors in a given condition of an oddball task. Furthermore, we attempted to see whether the effect of self-relevance on the P300 could be induced in a participant by allowing them to study a set of unique photos which would then be used as targets. Our analysis suggested that P300 amplitude elicited in response to self-relevant stimuli used as targets was statistically …

Exploring Available Information On The Gut-Brain Axis And Alzheimer’S Disease For Clinicians Making Dietary Recommendations: A Scoping Review, Megan Gibson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease that requires interprofessional collaboration. Pharmacological options are currently ineffective, increasing the need for preventative strategies to combat the rise of AD. Considerations of gut-targeted interventions have increased as a key component in the prevention of AD, based on the understanding that the state of the gut microbiome can impact cognitive function through the pathway known as the gut-brain axis.

Methods: This scoping review explored information on the gut-brain axis in persons with AD. A comprehensive search was conducted in November 2023. Forty reviews and 13 human studies were analyzed.

Results: There …

Exploring Resilience With Neuroimaging: Moderators Of The Impacts Of Childhood Traumatic Stress On Fear Processing., Karisa June Hunt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Childhood trauma is an alarming public health crisis, and the field of trauma research is relatively underdeveloped given population rates of childhood trauma and post-trauma pathology. Even less studied than the impacts of trauma are the impacts of resilience, and the protective factors that foster it. It is widely acknowledged that an investigation of trauma is incomplete without an investigation of its impacts on fear processing. Understanding the neural underpinnings of resilience to childhood trauma during fear conditioning is vital to the development of therapeutic interventions able to moderate its devastating impacts. The present study investigated the complex neurobiological interplay …

Biophysical Model Of Retraction Motor Neurons And Their Modification By Operant Conditioning, Maria Rasheed

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Operant conditioning (OC) is a form of associative learning in which an animal modifies its behavior based on the consequences that follow that behavior. Despite its ubiquity, the underlying mechanisms of OC are poorly understood. Insights into the mechanisms of OC can be obtained by studying Aplysia feeding behavior as it can be modified by OC. This behavior is mediated by a central pattern generator (CPG) network in the buccal ganglia that contains a relatively small number of neurons. This CPG generates rhythmic motor patterns (BMPs) that move food into the gut by closing a tongue-like structure (i.e., radula) during …

Competition And Criticality In Cortical Neural Circuits Underlie Behavior And Optimize Working Memory, Jacob Harrison Barfield

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One of the primary goals of neuroscience is to explain how brain function emerges from dynamic interactions among large populations of neurons. A long-standing hypothesis at the interface of physics and neuroscience posits that neural circuits may operate close to the critical point of a phase transition. In this dissertation, we will investigate a new form of criticality and the implications that it has in working memory and the generation of voluntary body movements. We will utilize this new form of criticality to investigate the functional benefits that can be harnessed by operating near the critical point when performing working …

Towards Understanding And Improving Speech Processing, Sonia Yasmin

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation explores mechanisms for understanding and improving speech processing. First, I used EEG to investigate the acoustic and semantic processing of continuous naturalistic speech masked by multi-talker babble. I found that different features of the same speech signal are reflected in different aspects of the neural tracking response, which are themselves differentially affected by noise. These findings point to a complex relationship between speech intelligibility and neural speech encoding.

Next, I systematically reviewed the current advancements in speech enhancement technologies. I find that speech enhancement algorithms are limited in their generalizability to speech-noise (i.e., babble). I demonstrate that, for …

Cultivating Excellence: A Literature Review On Harnessing The Power Of The Gut Microbiome For Athletic Performance, Maya Katharine Dean

Honors Projects

The interplay between our gut microbiome and health is immense. This literature review analyzes the current research assessing the interplay between gut microbiome and athletic performance. Knowing how to improve gut microbial diversity via nutrition and supplementation can take athletic performance to the next level; namely improvements in immune, mental, and physical health.