Psychological Phenomena and Processes Commons^™

Quantifying Cerebral Contributions To Pain Beyond Nociception, Choong-Wan Woo, Liane Schmidt, Anjali Krishnan, Marieke Jempa, Mathieu Roy, Martin A. Lindquist, Lauren Y. Atlas, Tor D. Wager

Publications and Research

Cerebral processes contribute to pain beyond the level of nociceptive input and mediate psychological and behavioural influences. However, cerebral contributions beyond nociception are not yet well characterized, leading to a predominant focus on nociception when studying pain and developing interventions. Here we use functional magnetic resonance imaging combined with machine learning to develop a multivariate pattern signature—termed the stimulus intensity independent pain signature-1 (SIIPS1)—that predicts pain above and beyond nociceptive input in four training data sets (Studies 1–4, N¼137). The SIIPS1 includes patterns of activity in nucleus accumbens, lateral prefrontal and parahippocampal cortices, and other regions. In cross-validated analyses of …

Weight Loss Maintenance: Women's Experience During Perimenopause, Karren B. Liebert

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Women’s health may be at risk during middle age, a time when women in the United States often gain weight. Being overweight or obese during perimenopause increases a woman’s vulnerability to disabling health sequela in later life, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and osteoarthritis, all of which increase morbidity, mortality, health care costs and decrease quality of life. Stigma and discrimination related to overweight and obesity are associated with delay and avoidance of health care, and with poorer quality health care. Weight loss often is followed by weight regain within three to five years. This qualitative study was designed …

Sociocultural Risk Factors For Elevated Perceived Stress Among African American Smokers, Monica Webb Hooper, Noella A. Dietz, Joseph C. Wilson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: African Americans experience unique stressors that may inhibit smoking cessation and enhance relapse rates. Few studies, however, have focused on risk factors for perceived stress among treatment seekers. Because African Americans are less likely to quit compared to the larger community, understanding factors associated with perceived stress among smokers has the potential to improve intervention outcomes. This study examined psychosocial and cultural correlates of stress in a sample of African American participants in a randomized controlled trial.

Methods: At baseline, participants reported demographic factors and completed assessments of smoking history, alcohol use, friend and household smoking, weight concerns, acculturation, …

The Effects Of Abilify On Memory, Coordination, And Stereotypy In Cd-1 Mice, Jostein Andersen

Undergraduate Honors College Theses 2016-

The atypical antipsychotic Abilify is the second most popular treatment for schizophrenia and other related disorders. Its popularity and wide use is due to its unique pharmacological profile, working differently at dopamine and serotonin receptors compared to other antipsychotics. Schizophrenia is an infamous mental dysfunction involving cognitive impairment, positive symptoms, and negative symptoms. The current study investigated Abilify’s effect in a dose-dependent manner on memory, coordination and stereotypic movement. The sample consisted of 15 male and 15 female CD-1 mice. Memory was tested in a cognitive maze, the Rota-Rod series 8 model measured coordination, and the Coulbourn Tru-Scan Activity Box …

Petrochemical Plant Console Operator Workload:The Issues, David A. Strobhar

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

The console operators of certain petrochemical processes must maintain high levels of performance during process upsets or endanger personnel safety and the environment. Mismanagement of an upset can result in explosions, fires, and the release of hazardous chemicals to the environment. The change in workload from steady state to upset operation is significant, with alarms and control changes that are of an order of magnitude. This paper describes the state of console activity in process plants, particularly the increase with key upsets. Quantitative data on the nature of the console operator’s position, its workload during normal operation, and the requirements …

A System To Monitor Cognitive Workload In Naturalistic High-Motion Environments, Bethany K. Bracken, Seth Elkin-Frankston, Noa Palmon, Michael Farry, Blaise De B Frederick

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

Across many careers, individuals face alternating periods of high and low attention and cognitive workload can impair cognitive function and undermine job performance. We have designed and are developing an unobtrusive system to Monitor, Extract, and Decode Indicators of Cognitive Workload (MEDIC) in naturalistic, high-motion environments. MEDIC is designed to warn individuals, teammates, or supervisors when steps should be taken to augment cognitive readiness. We first designed and manufactured a forehead sensor device that includes a custom fNIRS sensor and a three-axis accelerometer designed to be mounted on the inside of a baseball cap or headband, or standard issue gear …

Towards A Not Obtrusive Low Cost Biosystem To Assess Risk Perception In Workplace Through Stress Detection, Emanuele Bellini, Serena Benevenuti, Chiara Batistini

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

The main aim of the article is to build a method to assess risk perception in real time in order to early detect and prevent risk behaviors and possible human errors. To this end, the relation between mental workload and stress as critical factors affecting risk perception has been investigated. In particular the mental-physical activation generated by an increment of the workload has the effect of reducing the resources needed to perceive risk increasing the worker vulnerability. The complexity of the stress phenomenon suggested the adoption of an integrated view. The Functional Model has been adopted to for its holistic …

Reducing Peak Workload In The Cockpit: A Human In The Loop Simulation Evaluating New Runway Selection Tool, Tanja Bos, Rolf Zon, Wilfred Rouwhorst

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

In efforts to increase safety and reduce peak workload situations in the cockpit, a tool with a different interaction style was developed for use in case of a runway change instructed by Air Traffic Control during approach. In an experiment a workload comparison was made between the new tool and the conventional cockpit. Workload was measured by means of a self-rating after each experiment run, as well as eye blink frequency during each run. Results show that the self-rated workload decreases with the new tool for one of the two crew members and the blink frequency suggests a workload decrease …

Managing Operator Mental Workload With Standards Based Decision Support, Maurice Wilkins

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

H-Workload 2017: The first international symposium on human mental workload, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland, June 28-30.

Towards A Continuous Assessment Of Cognitive Workload For Smartphone Multitasking Users, Angel Jimenez-Molina, Hernan Lira

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

The intermeshing of Smartphone interactions and daily activities depletes the availability of cognitive resources. This excessive demand may lead to several undesirable cognitive states, which can be avoided by continuously assessing the user cognitive workload. Recently, many attempts have emerged to assess this workload by using psycho physiological signals. This paper provides evidence that it is possible to train models that accurately identify in short time windows such cognitive workload by processing heart rate and blood oxygen saturation signals. This assessment could be applied in Smartphone notification delivery, interface adaptations or cognitive capabilities evaluation.

Human Performance Modelling In Manufacturing: Mental Workload And Task Complexity, Maria Chiara Leva, Lorenzo Comberti, Micaela Demichela, Rebecca Duane

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

No abstract provided.

Moving Between Automated And Manual Driving: Mental Workload And Performance Implications, Totsapon Butmee, Terry C. Lansdown

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

Automated driving has been predicted to take-over from manual vehicle control in the near future. The driver’s role may then change from active operator to passive observer. Such technology offers the tantalising promise of improving driving safety. However, many studies have presented findings suggesting potentially adverse effects from automated driving systems, e.g., reduced situation awareness. Mental workload is also a key issue of concern for researchers in this area. Excessive mental workload has repeatedly been shown to be associated with degraded driving performance. Previously, most traffic psychology studies on mental workload have focused the manual driving task. However, a shift …

Facing Human Workload: The Resilient Ego: A Psychoanalytic Point Of View, Glauco Maria Genga, Maria Gabriella Pediconii

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

The paper aims to show new connections among Human Factors, Human Workload and Resilience. We intend: 1) to highlight the role of subject in facing the human workload, inflected as demanding tasks and emergency situations; 2) to show how psychoanalysis can provide novel insights, not only into human errors, but also into human resilience. They have a common denominator, at least in part: the role of subjective contributions even in demanding situations. Human workload includes a work for satisfaction. We recall also the case study of US Airways Flight 1549 water landing (the so called “Miracle on the Hudson”), which …

System Identification Of Motion Artifact: Noise In Eeg Headsets From Locomotion, Kaela Shea, James Tung

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

Fall prevention for geriatric populations is a growing concern among clinicians and researchers due to severe risk of morbidity and loss of independence. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that mental workload while walking influences gait stability and the risk for falling. Electroencephalography (EEG) presents a potential method to provide objective measures of mental workload, particularly during daily activities. Noise introduced to the EEG signal during motion, however, is restrictive. The study presented in the following paper isolates EEG signal noise attained from gait for a commercially accessible EEG system, the "Emotiv" Time and spectral system identification techniques were applied to model …

Online Measuring Of Available Resources, Enrique Munoz-De-Escalona, José Juan Canas

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

This paper present a proposal for measuring available mental resources during the accomplishment of a task. Our proposal consists in measuring emotions provoked by perceived self-efficacy in the execution of the task. Self-efficacy is one of the most important factors that affect the resources that a person puts at the disposal of the execution of the task. When a person perceives that he/she is not being effective he/she will activate more resources to improve his performance. This self-efficacy will be reflected in the emotions that the person experiences. A good efficacy will provoke positive emotions and a bad efficacy negative …

Reliability And Validity Of The Hd-Pro-Triadtm, A Health-Related Quality Of Life Measure Designed To Assess The Symptom Triad Of Huntington's Disease., Nicholas R Boileau, Julie C Stout, Janes S Paulsen, David Cella, Michael K Mccormack, Martha A Nance, Samuel Frank, Jin-Shei Lai, Noelle E Carlozzi

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Huntington's disease (HD), is a neurodegenerative disorder that is associated with cognitive, behavioral, and motor impairments that diminish health related quality of life (HRQOL). The HD-PRO-TRIADTM is a quality of life measure that assesses health concerns specific to individuals with HD. Preliminary psychometric characterization was limited to a convenience sample of HD participants who completed measures at home so clinician-ratings were unavailable.

OBJECTIVES: The current study evaluates the reliability and validity of the HD-PRO-TRIADTM in a well-characterized sample of individuals with HD.

METHODS: Four-hundred and eighty-two individuals with HD (n = 192 prodromal, n = 193 early, and n …

Distress And Worry As Mediators In The Relationship Between Psychosocial Risks And Upper Body Musculosketal Complaints In Highly Automated Manufacturing, Fiona Wixted, Leonard O'Sullivan

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

As a result of an upward trend in automation, the requirement for supervisory monitoring and consequently, cognitive demand has increased in automated manufacturing. The incidence of musculoskeletal disorders has also increased in the manufacturing sector. A model was developed based on survey data to test if distress and worry mediate the relationship between psychosocial factors (job control, cognitive demand, social isolation and skill discretion), stress states and upper body musculoskeletal complaints in highly automated manufacturing companies (n=235). Cognitive demand was shown to be related to higher distress in employees. The data raise the question about the link between job control …

A Workload-Centered Perspective On Reduced Crew Operations In Commercial Aviation, Daniela Schmid

H-Workload 2017: Models and Applications (Works in Progress)

Mental workload of a pilot, in short workload, depends on various characteristics of different accumulated tasks on the flight deck. Exogenous task demands and endogenous supply of attentional or information processing resources determine workload [1]. Performance is expect to drop if the demand exceeds the available resources of the pilot. Expertise and experience modulate the endogenous sup- ply of resources like perceiving, updating memory, planing, making a decision, and executing and processing a response. Subsequently, workload manifests in performance variables, subjective experience, and physiological parameters [2]. This is how we can summarize workload very brie y to introduce a model …

Defining A Person: The Nurse At Risk For Compassion Fatigue, Ellen Johnston

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis was to examine compassion fatigue in nurses through analysis of research studies conducted within the past five years in an effort to identify predisposing factors to the experience of compassion fatigue. Individual and institutional factors were identified as well as current strategies to assist with management of compassion fatigue. Findings indicated that being new to practice, having a trait negative affect, being younger in age, having a history of exposure to trauma and working in high emotionally stressful units predisposed individuals to the experience of compassion fatigue. Institutional factors included a lack of managerial support, …

The Physiological & Psychological Effects Of Sleep Deprivation, Nilson Aguilar

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

Sleep deprivation is a serious issue that affects this nation as a whole and is sadly ignored, overlooked, and even dismissed. Through extensive research one could see that sleep deprivation causes several unwanted health issues: some of which include obesity, insomnia, and anxiety. From this research conducted over the physical and psychological effects of sleep deprivation one can conclude that with simple education over this serious topic the effects of sleep deprivation would in fact significantly decrease. This in turn would benefit several people, families, and even society as a whole.

From the research conducted one can see that as …