Cognition and Perception Commons^™

Exploring A Game Before Instruction To Improve Understanding Of Social Dilemmas, Kyisha M. Walter

The Cardinal Edge

Social dilemmas occur when groups must balance self-interest with group interests when there are limited resources. Despite their prevalence in society, understanding varies and can magnify the possible risks associated. This study examines the differences in learning about ecological and social aspects of social dilemmas for small groups when confronted with a simulated social dilemma in a lab experiment. These conditions are meant to imitate broader classroom and field setting uses. Participants (N=116) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions and played a social dilemma board game twice. In the Lesson-First condition (n=56), participants received a lesson in the …

Embodied Transcendence: Psychedelics And The Evolution Of Moral Abstraction, Emanuel Jas

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This paper explores the role of psychedelics in the context of evolutionary brain development and the conceptual capacity for moral realism. Drawing on theories from evolutionary anthropology, neuroscience, and moral philosophy, the first part provides a brief overview of human evolution and brain expansion. From here, recent empirical data from the neurosciences is assessed on the effect psychedelics have on the brain, along with speculations on the role of psychedelics in our hominoid evolutionary history—specifically, the capacity for phenomenologically rich, conscious, subjective experiences that are incredibly vivid and real. This imaginative capacity for transcendence and disembodiment could enable the realization …

Artificial Sentience: The Other Side Of The Story, Amanda Sharkey

Animal Sentience

There is another side to the story of the account of artificial sentience — one that makes the possibility of artificial sentience unlikely: the fundamental difference between living bodies and artificial systems.  Sentience occurs in strongly embodied, living entities, and not in disembodied artificial systems, nor in robots. The appearance of sentience is exacerbated by deceptive behaviour and anthropomorphism. The risks of keeping an open mind about the required underlying substrate are in wasted efforts to protect systems that cannot suffer, and in placing inappropriate trust in their abilities.

Rewiring The Senses: Neural And Perceptual Adaptation Through Cultural Immersion In Chile, Alexa Castillo

University Honors Theses

This thesis explores how cultural immersion reshapes perception over time. Rather than focusing only on language acquisition, the project examines how sustained exposure to a new cultural and linguistic environment alters sensory processing, cognitive effort, and emotional experience. The study draws on cultural neuroscience and neuroplasticity research to frame immersion as a process of adaptive recalibration.

Over four weeks in Valparaíso, Chile, I documented daily changes in auditory processing, visual attention, emotional response, and social interpretation. Journal entries were analyzed using qualitative thematic coding and organized into five categories: language overload, cognitive effort, automaticity, anxiety/frustration, and belonging/comfort. Weekly intensity ratings …

What Is Happening In The World Today And Why: Humanity’S Evolving Consciousness And The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding, Carroy U. Ferguson

Journal of Conscious Evolution

What is happening in the world today and why? Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels. Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say. However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born—to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be. That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an …

Nostalgia's Impact On The Perception Of The Past And Future, Sara Lazo

The Kean Review: Journal in Student Research

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects nostalgia may have on the perceptions of the past and future. Nostalgia has always been perceived as a positive psychological tool for hope and fulfillment, but is also viewed negatively for its distortions of the past. To observe its effects, a survey was sent via Microsoft Teams which included 7 statements where participants were asked to either agree or disagree using a number scale of 1-5, with1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree. Results yielded that nostalgia perceives the past more positively and the future negatively. Additionally, results …

Somatosensory Cortex Responses To Illusory Touch In A Visual-Tactile Integration Task, Aditi Surendra Pawar

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Perceptual illusions arising from multisensory integration reveal how the brain constructs subjective experience from sensory input, and provide a powerful means of allowing the investigation of neural processes that track perceptual interpretation rather than physical stimulation alone. While visual illusions induced by auditory or tactile stimuli have been fairly well studied, the neural mechanisms underlying visually-induced illusory touch remain unclear. This study investigated whether illusory tactile perception engages the somatosensory cortex in a manner similar to veridical touch. Twenty healthy adults participated in an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study while performing a tactile numerosity judgment task. Each trial …

Humanity Is Evolving Its Consciousness: The Role Of Archetypal Energies As Guides During An Unfolding Weeding Out And Alignment Process, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels.  Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say.  However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born—to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be.  That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an unfolding period of weeding out and alignment with the …

The Aperspectival Playfulness Of Allan Leslie Combs, Zeke Floro

Journal of Conscious Evolution

This commemorative article reflects on the work of the late Dr. Allan Leslie Combs, a pioneering scholar in consciousness studies and an influential mentor. The essay argues that his scholarly writing, characterized by profound openness, heartfelt compassion, and sharp wit, represents an embodiment of the integral consciousness he writes about. Through a close reading of his essays and a personal reflection on his mentorship, the article connects his playful style to Jean Gebser’s concept of aperspectival consciousness and frames his humor within Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy of divine “play” (lila), concluding that, for Combs, scholarship is an embodied practice …

Allan Leslie Combs: Celebrating The Life Of A Trickster And Pioneer In Consciousness Studies, Zeke Floro, Leila A. Kincaid

Journal of Conscious Evolution

The Journal of Conscious Evolution (JCE) is a peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to exploring consciousness, conscious evolution, and transdisciplinary inquiry as they relate to human growth, transformation, and planetary well-being. Originally founded by Allan Leslie Combs (1942-2025), Professor Emeritus at CIIS, JCE highlights outstanding work from both students and professional scholars around the world. A distinguished author, teacher, and mentor, Combs devoted himself to the study of consciousness, authoring over 250 publications on consciousness and the brain, including Synchronicity, The Radiance of Being (which won the 1996 best book award from the Scientific and Medical Network) and Consciousness Explained Better. …

Emotional And Social Perception In Hearing And Deaf Individuals, Julie Klenotic

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This study will compare the differences in emotional recognition and social dynamic understanding between hearing and Deaf people. I will investigate the differences in these areas between hearing and Deaf individuals, as well as the role American Sign Language use has in performance. It will utilize point light walkers which will display the emotions happy, angry, sad, and neutral. Participants will be asked which emotion is being displayed based on the presented gait of the point light walker. Second, they will view 15 videos from the Interpersonal Perception Task without audio. The questions from the IPT 15 will then be …

A Macrocognitive Design Taxonomy For Simulation-Based Training Systems: Bridging Cognitive Theory And Human-Computer Interaction, Jessica M. Johnson

Virginia Digital Maritime Center (VDMC) Faculty Publications

Simulation-based training systems are increasingly deployed to prepare learners for complex, safety-critical, and dynamic work environments. While advances in computing have enabled immersive and data-rich simulations, many systems remain optimized for procedural accuracy and surface-level task performance rather than the macrocognitive processes that underpin adaptive expertise. Macrocognition encompasses higher-order cognitive processes that are essential for performance transfer beyond controlled training conditions. When these processes are insufficiently supported, training systems risk fostering brittle strategies and negative training effects. This paper introduces a macrocognitive design taxonomy for simulation-based training systems derived from a large-scale meta-analysis examining the transfer of macrocognitive skills from …

Practical Considerations For Conducting Canine Behavioral Science, Lucrezia Lonardo, Madeline H. Pelgrim, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Jeffrey Stevens Publications

Research on behavior in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) has increased rapidly recently due to the interest in them as pets, working dogs, and model species for understanding evolution, domestication, and even human health. This interest in canine behavioral science has resulted in the creation of dozens of dog lab worldwide, with more starting every year. Our aim here is to review practical issues that potential dog researchers might consider when deciding how to set up a dog lab and conduct research in canine behavioral science. We hope that this can offer a path forward in promoting high-quality, cutting-edge …

Modeling Joint Visual Attention In Naturalistic Dyadic Interactions, Kuushini Thennakoon, Yasasi Abeysinghe, Bhanuka Mahanama, Vikas Ashok, Sampath Jayarathna

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Joint visual attention (JVA) provides important insight into how individuals coordinate attention during social interaction. Egocentric eye tracking enables the study of JVA in natural, multi-user settings. This work presents a multi-stage framework to identify and analyze JVA using egocentric video and gaze data. The approach consists of three steps: spatiotemporal tube-based visual similarity, gaze-guided object detection, and attention pattern analysis using the ambient–focal coefficient K. Results show that object-focused collaborative activities exhibit high JVA, with object detection capturing higher joint attention than visual similarity, whereas conversation-based or independent activities show lower and more fragmented joint attention. Analysis of K …

Implementing Gestures Into Vocabulary Instruction To Aid Recall And Retention, Emma Dilley

Masters Theses

This study highlighted the idea of incorporating gestures into vocabulary instruction to help the students recall and retain the new vocabulary words. The researcher predicted that with the incorporation of the strategy of gestures into instruction, kindergarten students will be able to retain more vocabulary words compared to vocabulary instruction that does not include gestures. A total of 22 students and one teacher from a rural town in central Illinois participated in the study. This study was a mixed methods study, which included quantitative data in the form of pretest and posttest and qualitative data in the form of a …

Creativity In A Flash: Exploring The Perceived Therapeutic Effects Of Combining Creative Arts Therapies And Flash Technique, Celia J. Gagnon

Art Therapy | Doctoral Dissertations

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, research has revealed a significant strain on mental healthcare systems and healthcare professionals. Concurrently, there has been a rapid escalation in the prevalence of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and adolescent suicide rates, all of which have reached critical levels (World Health Organization, 2025; World Health Organization, 2022; Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2025; American Psychiatric Association, 2024). Post-pandemic, these statistics continue to rise across all nations and socioeconomic groups (WHO, 2025). Consequently, there is an urgent need to intensify research that supports the enhancement of mental health services globally (Institute for Health Metrics …

An Insidious Interstice: Understanding Cognition And Language Behaviour Through The Eyes Of Juvenile Justice Professionals, Anne M. Perrotti, Allison T. Chappell, Tancy Vandecar-Burdin

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Introduction

Despite evidence suggesting language and cognition deficits are prevalent for justice involved youth, little research explores how juvenile justice personnel experience language and cognition behaviours in the youth they serve.

Aims

This qualitative study explored how juvenile justice personnel understand language and cognition skills and deficits in justice involved youth.

Methods

Twenty-two U.S. juvenile justice professionals participated in individual, semi-structured interviews. Questions focused on individual understanding of receptive language, expressive language, social communication, and cognition (i.e., problem-solving, predicting consequences and impulsiveness) in juveniles served. Using a phenomenological lens, transcripts were coded identifying themes and sub-themes of participant responses.

Results …

The Absent Monster: Personal And Cultural Fears Through Kiyoshi Kurosawa’S Pulse, Gracie J. Huras

Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts

No abstract provided.

Eeg Correlates Of Tactile Synchrony, Devon K. R. Gallagher

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

New research on the tactile system has suggested that cortical representations of body parts are not fixed, as previously thought, and are instead dynamically maintained through constant sensorimotor information and feedback. Within the somatosensory cortex (S1), the capacity for both permanent and temporary changes have been the topic of ongoing research. The current study aimed to corroborate whether 24 hours of a finger adhesion manipulation is sufficient to elicit behavioural and electrophysiological correlates from cortical reorganization of digit representations in S1, using a behavioural paradigm outlined by Kolasinski et al. (2016). Through electroencephalography (EEG) recording during a tactile discrimination task, …

Assessing Physiological Arousal During A Standard Versus Inverted Vigilance Task Using Heart Rate Variability, Taha Riaz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Vigilance tasks require sustained attention over long periods of time while monitoring for rare critical signals. Inverted or reverse vigilance/sustained attention response tasks (SART) may impose greater response-control demands. Although prior studies have compared these tasks behaviorally, there are fewer investigations examining whether they differ in physiological arousal as indexed by heart rate variability (HRV).

Method: Undergraduate students from UCF completed a variation of either the X-CPT (standard vigilance task) or the CPT-3 (inverted/SART) task. Electrocardiogram data was recorded continuously. Data from 40 participants were analyzed. HRV was indexed using frequency domain analysis using the low-frequency to high-frequency ratio …