Cognitive Psychology Commons^™

Planning And Navigating In An Unfamiliar Location: Effects Of Outsourcing On Memory, Bailey Hoffer

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Outsourcing is the process of using some external tool as a memory aid. There are a whole host of tools to outsource information that we want to remember. The purpose of this study was to better understand how outsourcing impacts memory for information outsourced and the information not outsourced. This study used different methods of navigation: simulated GPS as well as a self-generated route to involve the generation effect—generating the to-be-remembered information by oneself. Route accuracy and route tasks were measured by participants’ memory. The independent variables in the study are navigation source (GPS determined versus self-generated) and test instruction …

Envisioning Success: An In Depth Look At The Relationship Between Episodic Future Thinking And Academic Goal Achievement, Braden Sanford

Honors Theses

Episodic future thinking is defined as the ability to mentally project oneself self into the future and pre-experience an event. Prospective memory, on the other hand, is often defined as remembering to complete future intentions. Prospective memory includes two kinds of prospective memory tasks: event-based, or prospective memory prompted by some form of external cue or event, and time-based, or a task that an individual must remember to complete at a specific time. One area that synthesizes these two subjects is the realm of goal achievement, specifically academic goal achievement. In this study, I explored how episodic future thinking, when …

Differential Patterns Of Theta Activation Underlying Various Cognitive Control Strategies, Jarrod Eisma

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this study, EEG was recorded from 157 participants at the University of Arkansas as they performed three computer tasks that tested inhibitory control (Go/Nogo Task), proactive and reactive control (AX-Continuous Performance Task), and resolving response conflict (Global/Local Task- modified Flanker Task). Time-frequency analysis (ERSP) was the primary focus of this study, in order to take advantage of the temporal and frequential characteristics of EEG recordings. The ERSPs and following statistical analysis showed significantly higher midfrontal theta band (4-8 Hz) power values for target trials (those that required more cognitive control) than control trials, which indicated that the procedure was …

Regional Differences In Wild North American River Otter (Lontra Canadensis) Behavior And Communication, Sarah Walkley

Dissertations

This study focuses on the vocalization repertoires of wild North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) in New York and California. Although they are the same species, these two established populations of river otters are separated by a significant distance and are distinct from one another. River otters are semi-aquatic social predators that can be found throughout North America. This is the first study to examine the vocalizations of wild river otters, and results are compared across field sites in the different regions. River otter vocalizations and behaviors in New York were recorded using Bushnell Aggressor trail cameras that …

Error-Related Negativity And Feedback-Related Negativity On A Reinforcement Learning Task, Elizabeth Ridley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Event-related potentials play a significant role in error processing and attentional processes. Specifically, event-related negativity (ERN), feedback-related negativity (FRN), and the P300 are related to performance monitoring. The current study examined these components in relation to subjective probability, or confidence, regarding response accuracy on a complicated learning task. Results indicated that confidence ratings were not associated with any changes in ERN, FRN, or P300 amplitude. P300 amplitude did not vary according to participants’ subjective probabilities. ERN amplitude and FRN amplitude did not change throughout the task as participants learned. Future studies should consider the relationship between ERN and FRN using …

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Acute Stress, And Working Memory, Marissa R. Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Working memory (WM) is a crucial component of cognitive function that affects learning, reasoning, and problem solving, all of which are important for daily functioning. Therefore, addressing factors that can impact working memory, such as stress, are incredibly relevant to understanding WM efficiency. WM is an important component of higher order cognitive function and high WM capacity has been shown to be important for academic and occupational performance. Thus, understanding the relationship between stress-related factors and WM could aid in identifying strategies to mitigate the deleterious effects of stress on working memory. Although some previous research has indicated a negative …

The Effects Of Metformin On High-Fat Diet-Induced Neuroinflammation And Cognitive Impairment, Caleb Levine

Psychology

Chronic high-fat feeding is associated with neuroinflammation, cognitive impairment, and anxiety-linked behaviors in rats. Metformin, a popular treatment for type II diabetes, has been shown to attenuate metabolic dysregulation and weight gain associated with an obesogenic diet. We demonstrated that HFD caused elevated fasting blood glucose, glucose intolerance, and increased body weight without cognitive impairment or anxiety as measured by novel object recognition and open field testing. Further, we demonstrated that metformin did not produce cognitive impairment, which was a concern associated with its chronic use. Further work will elucidate the impact of chronic HFD and metformin treatment on molecular …

Mode Of Delivery And Infant Cognitive Development, Madison Olson, Laura M. Glynn

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The rate of nonindicated cesarean births is increasing each year within the United States. Although cesarean delivery can function as a life- saving intervention, emerging evidence suggests that it may also be associated with deleterious developmental consequences for the child. Here we test the hypothesis that mode of delivery is associated with cognitive development during infancy. 229 pregnant women were recruited and their infants’ cognitive development was assessed at 6, 12 and 24 months with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Medical charts were reviewed by obstetric nurses to determine prenatal medical risk and birth outcomes, including mode of delivery. …

Searching For Neural Mechanisms Of Social Cognition, Chandler Siemonsma, Cristina Uribe, Louanne Boyd, Aaron Schurger, Deanna Hughes, Tian Lan

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Social cognition involves the integration and pruning of perceptual information which leads to the formation of an abstract representation, which is also known as the perceptual gist. This study examined 87 differences in visual perception of Mooney face stimuli of differing sizes and the relationship to gist formation in ten individuals with autism compared to neurotypical controls. Parents of both groups completed the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2) to assess social functioning in real-world scenarios.

Perceptual Characterization: On Perceptual Learning And Perspectival Sedimentation, Anthony Holdier

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In her analysis of perspectival effects on perception, Susanna Siegel has argued that perceptual experience is directly rationally assessable and can thereby justify perceptual beliefs, save for in cases of epistemic downgrade or perceptual hijacking; I contend that the recalcitrance of known illusions poses an insurmountable problem for Siegel’s thesis. In its place, I argue that a model of perceptual learning informed by the dual-aspect framework of base-level cognitive architecture proposed by Elisabeth Camp successfully answers the questions motivating Siegel’s project in a manner that avoids such issues.

Attitudes Affecting Speeding Behaviour With Special Reference To Attitudes Of Malaysian Car Drivers, Mohamad Farah Fazlinda

Student Works (2020-2029)

The increasing number of road crashes and fatalities on Malaysian roads is a worrying phenomenon and the main cause of this has been attributed to the speeding behaviour of drivers. As such, this study aims to investigate the possible driver factors, specifically, their attitude, which could affect the speeding behaviour of drivers on Malaysian roads. This study uses a mixed method research design. The quantitative data were collected via a face-to-face survey of 503 participants in Malaysia. Data were then analysed via Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The outcome of the quantitative approach was further supported by …

The Effects Of Music Arousal Level And Tempo On Card Game Players’ Risk-Taking And Eeg Mental State Among Introverts And Extroverts, Hao Yi Ho

Student Works (2020-2029)

This is an experimental quantitative study which examined the effects of music arousal level and tempo on card game players’ risk-taking and EEG mental state among introverts and extroverts. A total of 20 male participants (through selection of 10 introverts and 10 extroverts) aged between 18 – 29 voluntarily participated by playing the card game In-Between. All participants put on the NeuroSky® MindWaveTM Mobile EEG device and played the game while being exposed to various music conditions. The conditions were no-music (control) condition, and a set of both high-arousal (hereafter HA) and low-arousal (hereafter LA) music manipulated to three different …

Promoting Resilience In Self-Management (Prism): Adverse Childhood Experiences And Impacts On Emotion Regulation, Kasey Ann Macedo

Honors Scholar Theses

PRISM (Promoting Resilience in Self-Management) is a mindfulness-based intervention that aims to strengthen emotion regulation skills among individuals by employing cognitive behavioral therapy components. The purpose of the current study is to identify the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and depression, as well as to examine the changes in emotion regulation strategies of participants by comparing pre and post test data. The participants were voluntarily recruited from the Cornerstone Foundation, a homeless shelter, food pantry, and community center in Vernon, CT. The 13 participants completed PRISM through four weeks of two-hour workshop sessions in a small-group format. Results indicate …

Positive Emotions And Favorable Cardiovascular Health: A 20-Year Longitudinal Study, Julia K. Boehm, Ying Chen, Farah Qureshi, Jackie Soo, Peter Umokoro, Rosalba Hernandez, Donald Lloyd-Jones, Laura D. Kubzansky

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

No studies have examined whether positive emotions lead to favorable cardiovascular health (CVH) early in the lifespan, before cardiovascular disease is diagnosed. Moreover, the direction of the association has not been thoroughly investigated. Among younger adults, we investigated whether baseline positive emotions were associated with better CVH over 20 years. We also considered whether baseline CVH was associated with subsequent positive emotions during the same period.

Participants included 4196 Black and White men and women from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study. Positive emotions and cardiovascular-related parameters were each assessed in 1990 (this study's baseline), with repeated …

Perceived Impact Of Non-Contact Boxing On Daily Life And Occupational Participation At Home Among Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Kristen E. Bignal

Student Capstone Papers

The aim of this project was to determine whether individuals with Parkinson's disease perceive an impact on their daily life and occupational participation at home secondary to participation in non-contact boxing.

Semi-structured open-ended interview questions were conducted with 17 participants (3 female) who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease for(i.e., self-care, home and health maintenance, sleep, intimacy, social and leisure interests, etc.) in the home environment. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed utilizing thematic analysis.

Data analysis derived three overarching themes including psychological benefits, sense of community, and framework to develop routines. Subsequent research exploring how non-contact boxing directly impacts specific …

The Effects Of Texture And Temperature On Disgust Ratings For A Common Fruit, Carah D. Porter, Lydia Burnett, Kassidy Reneau, Mel Mcintosh

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Researchers were interested in whether feelings of disgust towards food were impacted by specific textures and temperatures. Using apple products, participants were given puree, sauce, and slices served at a warm or cold temperature. 73 students (8 males and 65 females) with a mean age of 19 participated. A 3X2 mixed-subjects design was used, with texture as the within-subject factor and temperature as between. Results showed a main effect of texture F(2,138) = 24.802, p < .001, η2= .264. A post hoc test showed a significant difference between puree and slices, with puree being more disgusting, and between sauce and slices, with sauce being more disgusting. Additionally, there was a main effect of temperature F(1,69) = 6.444, p=.013, η2= .085, with warm products rated as more disgusting. Finally, there was a significant interaction between texture and temperature F(2,138) = 8.203, p < .001, η2=.106, such that, for both puree and slices, disgust ratings were higher in the warm condition. However, temperature did not significantly impact ratings of the sauce. Overall, findings show that participants’ disgust ratings when consuming foods are impacted by both the texture and the temperature of the food. This knowledge could help individuals incorporate healthier foods into their diets.

The Effects Of Background Music On Sustained Attention Tasks And Workload Perception, William Hove

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

In the world that we live in that is populated by music many of the places we go, it is important to question how this music could impact our ability to work. This study aimed to observe the relationships between different classifications of background music and performance on a sustained attention task, as well as the perception of workload. 55 participants were randomly assigned to a difficult or easy attention task and to a music condition. Building off of prior research in workload and sustained attention, this study approaches these topics through the lens of stimulating and relaxing background music.

The Vulnerability Of Chronic Stress: Implications For Feeling Like Giving Up, Miranda Jany

Theses

The feeling of learned helplessness has been associated with prolonged stress and trauma. Additionally, many previous studies have examined the relationship between stress and decreased feelings of control, such as self-efficacy and locus of control. However, these forms of control have been primarily self-reported. The present study aimed to investigate the relationships among learned helplessness, chronic stressors, and self-agency using a computer-based task. We also measured heart rate variability (HRV) during the self-agency task to assess psychophysiological correlates of these variables. Seventy-four participants completed a series of questionnaires that were used to assess lifelong stressors (e.g., exposure to natural disasters, …

375— Forgetting Memories: How Meaning Influences Memory Decline In The Hippocampus, Brendan Hines, Sophia Phillips

GREAT Day Posters

Cognitive neuroscience research suggests that forgetting may depend on which brain areas are supporting a memory, and whether the memory is for meaningful or less meaningful content. The hippocampus is known to represent more vivid recollections of the past, and hippocampal memories appear to decay at the same rate regardless of meaning. In contrast, the medial temporal lobe represents more intuitive feelings of familiarity, and is better at retaining memories for meaningful experiences over time. We sought to test the impact of interference on hippocampal and non-hippocampal memories. We had participants study and recognize a list of random words in …

416— The Effects Of Early Life Trauma On Anxiety And Alcohol Use Is Modified By Environment, Katie Kompanijec, Keara Mullin, Gavin Vaughan, Melissa Herman, Allison Bechard

GREAT Day Posters

Early life trauma is a risk factor for later anxiety and alcohol use disorders. However, the role of the post-trauma environment on the development of such disorders is not well understood. In the present study we investigated experience-dependent changes in anxiety and alcohol use after exposure to early trauma. Young mice (day 23) were exposed to a predator odor (synthetic fox pheromone, TMT) and then reared in either standard (SE) or enriched environments (EE). Adolescent anxiety and conditioned fear were reduced in EE-males, but not EE-females. Adult mice were then tested for their preference to drink alcohol. Alcohol intake escalated …