Experimental Analysis of Behavior Commons^™

Mechanisms Of Value-Biased Prioritization In Fast Sensorimotor Decision Making, Kivilcim Afacan-Seref

Dissertations and Theses

In dynamic environments, split-second sensorimotor decisions must be prioritized according to potential payoffs to maximize overall rewards. The impact of relative value on deliberative perceptual judgments has been examined extensively, but relatively little is known about value-biasing mechanisms in the common situation where physical evidence is strong but the time to act is severely limited. This research examines the behavioral and electrophysiological indices of how value biases split-second perceptual decisions and the possible mechanisms underlying the process. In prominent decision models, a noisy but statistically stationary representation of sensory evidence is integrated over time to an action-triggering bound, and value-biases …

Alternatives: The Video Game. An Assessment Of Bias And Preferences In Uncertain Situations, Vincent Edwards

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Going against working assumptions of what is "natural", animals have been observed to "gamble" when choosing between a high-risk choice with a high reward, and a consistent alternative with a low reward that feeds them more over time. The Energy Budget Rule (EBR) claims that animals have a foraging goal they must reach to survive, and each attempt to forage has a cost; under certain conditions, a high risk "gamble" is the best option for survival. The present study attempts to observe human choice behavior in a task that tests EBR and assesses shifts in behavior over time as an …

Chlordiazepoxide Increases Risky Choice, Devin Andrew Galdieri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Probability discounting is a measure of risky choice that is correlated with maladaptive behavior and psychological disorders. Benzodiazepines are a class of drug on which relatively little risky-choice research has been conducted, particularly under conditions of chronic drug exposure. Chlordiazepoxide, a standard benzodiazepine, was administered to rats that had been trained to respond on a risky-choice task in which a choice was available between a single food pellet with 100% certainty or three food pellets with probabilities of delivery that decreased across each experimental session. During baseline, responding was sensitive to the programmed contingencies and larger-reinforcer choice decreased as the …

Behavioral Functions Of Stimuli Correlated With Transitions Between Rich And Lean Schedules Of Reinforcement, Cory Whirtley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Disruptions in operant behavior in the form of extended pausing reliably occur when there is a discriminable transition from a relatively rich schedule of reinforcement to a relatively lean schedule (i.e., a rich-lean transition). The present experiments assessed the reinforcing and aversive functions of the stimuli correlated with the transitions between rich and lean schedules using observing and escape procedures. In both experiments, pigeons’ key pecks were reinforced with food on a compound schedule with two FR components. Completing the FR in the rich component produced a large reinforcer; completing the FR in the lean component produced a small reinforcer. …

Laterality Of Eye Use By Bottlenose (Tursiops Truncatus) And Rough-Toothed (Steno Bredanensis) Dolphins While Viewing Predictable And Unpredictable Stimuli, Malin Lilley, Amber J. De Vere, Deirdre Yeater

Psychology Faculty Publications

Laterality of eye use has been increasingly studied in cetaceans. Research supports that many cetacean species keep prey on the right side while feeding and preferentially view unfamiliar objects with the right eye. In contrast, the left eye has been used more by calves while in close proximity to their mothers. Despite some discrepancies across and within species, laterality of eye use generally indicates functional specialization of brain hemispheres in cetaceans. The present study aimed to examine laterality of eye use in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) under managed care. Subjects were video-recorded through an underwater …

Mand Training And Prompt Fading: Teaching Yes-No Manding, Jessica M. Kelly

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Language is a collection of verbal skills which allows the speaker to have some control over how others interact with them. Saying the words “yes” and “no” are fundamental language abilities; The words impact the speaker’s environment by communicating acceptance or rejection of stimuli and experiences. Caregivers, teachers, and friends may have to make choices for an individual who cannot respond to yes-no questions. This skill deficit deprives the individual of autonomy and can lead to challenging behaviors occurring in place of clear communication. Applied Behavior Analysis offers techniques to teach language skills such as saying “yes” and “no” in …

A Daily Diary Study Of Drinking And Nondrinking Days In Nonstudent Alcohol Users, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Emerging adults with lower educational attainment are at higher long-term risk for problematic drinking and alcohol use disorders. Efforts to gain a more in-depth understanding of the drinking habits of nonstudent emerging adults are critical to reduce disparities and to shed light on targets of intervention for this vulnerable group.

Objectives: The current investigation aimed to: (1) provide a description of the daily drinking habits of nonstudent emerging adult drinkers using a 14-day diary method, and (2) examine nondrinking days by assessing their reasons for not drinking as well as strategies used to avoid drinking.

Methods: Participants were 27 …

The Midsession Reversal Task With Pigeons: Effects Of A Brief Delay Between Choice And Reinforcement, Megan Ashley Halloran

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

During a midsession reversal task, the session begins with a simple simultaneous discrimination in which one stimulus (S1) is correct and the alternate stimulus (S2) is incorrect (S1+/S2-). At the halfway point, the discrimination reverses and S2 becomes the correct choice (S2+/S1-). When choosing optimally, a pigeon should choose S1 until the first trial in which it is not reinforced and then shift to S2 (win-stay/lose-shift). With this task pigeons have been shown to respond suboptimally by anticipating the reversal (anticipatory errors) and continuing to choose S1 after the reversal (perseverative errors). This suboptimal behavior may result from a pigeon’s …

Gender And Ethnicity: Are They Associated With Differential Outcomes Of A Biopsychosocial Social-Emotional Learning Program?, Ronnie I. Newman, Odikia Yim, David Shaenfield

Psychology Faculty Publications

Context: Social-emotional learning (SEL) program outcomes may be enhanced when programs take into account gender and ethnicity differences, yet few studies directly examine these variables. The limited literature further suggests improved outcomes accrue by integrating physiological techniques, such as yoga and meditation, directly into SEL curricula to reduce stress.

Aims: This study investigated the association between outcomes of a yogic breath-based biopsychosocial SEL intervention across gender and ethnicity.

Methods: Fifty-nine high school students were evaluated on 4 positive (self-esteem, identity formation, anger coping ability, planning, and concentration) and 3 negative SEL outcomes (impulsivity, distractibility, and endorsement of aggression). Using a …

The Effects Of Behavioral Skills Training To Teach Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder How To Respond To Bullying, Carissa Lyn Kazee

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The literature on bullying among school-aged children is widespread, with more than half of children on the autism spectrum having reported experiencing some form of bullying in the last year. For this reason, the primary goal of this study was to introduce a two-week long intervention to teach six middle-school aged children with autism how to recognize and appropriately respond to bullying. The intervention used behavioral skills training that is complimentary to Bandura’s social learning theory. Six middle school-aged participants, one girl and five boys, were taught to recognize bullying situations using comic strip vignettes, and how to respond to …

Exploring The Spirit In U.S. Audiences: The Role Of The Virtue Of Transcendence In Inspiring Media Consumption, Sophie Janicke-Bowles, Arthur A. Raney, Mary Beth Oliver, Katherine R. Dale, Robert P. Jones, Daniel Cox

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Little is yet known about audiences who routinely seek out media content that is inspirational in nature. The current study expands the research on inspirational media by utilizing a nationally representative sample of U.S. audiences (n = 2,016) to explore relationships between inspiring media exposure, trait transcendence, and self-transcendent emotions. Results show that media content is a reliable source for everyday self-transcendent emotional experiences in U.S. audiences. These experiences are most frequently encountered by persons with high levels of trait spirituality and gratitude. The profile of U.S. audiences that seek out inspiring media is discussed.

The Feasibility Of Vigorous Resistance Exercise Training In Adults With Intellectual Disabilities With Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors, Stijn Wetering, Alyt Oppewal, Thessa I. M. Hilgenkamp

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

Background The cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is high in adults with intellectual disabilities. This CVD risk can potentially be decreased with a resistance training (RT) programme at vigorous intensity, following previous research on successful High‐Intensity Training programmes. Our aim was to explore the feasibility of a vigorous RT‐programme for adults with intellectual disabilities with CVD risk factors. Method Twenty‐four adults with intellectual disabilities with at least one CVD risk factor participated in a 24‐week RT‐programme. The training intensity was increased from novice (50%1RM) to vigorous (75%–80%1RM). Feasibility was based on the achieved training intensity at the end of the RT‐programme. …

Consequences Of Math Anxiety And Stereotype Threat: An Intersectional Perspective, Jennifer E. John Buck

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Individuals with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills are highly valued for their contribution to the U.S. workforce and society. However, women and some people of color enter STEM fields at lesser rates than do White men. Math anxiety and stereotype threat have been found to cause math performance decrements for women and some people of color. Presently, it is not clear how math anxiety and stereotype threat might work together to dually influence math performance and subsequent STEM participation. The current study focuses on a diverse sample of 295 undergraduate students who were randomly assigned to one of …

The Relationships Between Brain Function, Brain Structure, And Behavior In Children With Fetal Alcohol Speectrum Disorder, John Pinner

Psychology ETDs

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), the leading cause of childhood developmental disability, has long-lasting effects extending throughout the lifespan. The teratogenic effects of PAE, not always physically discernable, may corrupt brain structure resulting in neural dysfunction. These aberrant effects often result in executive functioning deficits, associated with social and academic difficulties, which hinder typical development. As maternal alcohol use during pregnancy is heavily stigmatized, children without physical dysmorphology often go unreported and untreated; resulting in increased deficiencies compared to those more severely affected who receive early life interventions. This phenomenon requires the discovery of neurophysiological makers of PAE in order to …

Relatedness In Gaming: The Effect In‑Game Touch Has On Player Connection, Victoria K. Lew, Joshua Smith, Nicholas Reuss, Xiyu Zhang, Jacob Gulliuzo, Christina M. Frederick

Publications

With the number of individuals becoming gamers on the rise, it has become ever so important to understand the underlying motivations and social interactions that occur within this video game medium. Research has revealed that player motivation and relatedness within a game setting can be affected by the interpersonal relationships that develop from in game social interactions. This specific study was interested in how interpersonal touch and relatedness gestures, more specifically positive or negative touch conditions within a gameplay experience, can impact both player motivations, as well as inter-player impressions. Additionally, observational data measuring the quality of interaction between the …

You’Re The Boss: The Stereotype Content Model As A Predictive Behavioral Tool In Résumé Evaluation Processes, Caylin M. Faria

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Extensive literature has confirmed that hiring discrimination is a persistent problem; less research has focused on the social cognitive mechanisms of prejudicial hiring and its effects on résumé evaluations. The present study evaluated how stereotyped evaluations of minority candidates could be predicted with the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) dimensions of warmth and competence. No published research has demonstrated how SCM group ratings may predict evaluations of individuals and their qualifications for employment. Participants evaluated two résumés for each of five listed job positions and completed a survey packet. One résumé in each pair suggested membership in a minority group: Muslim, …

The Study Of Encoding And Depth Of Learning, Camryn Blauth

Psychology Student Research

This study is looking at how we learn by testing three different levels of encoding. Based on how a word is used the level of encoding changes. In order to test this, three groups were formed based on randomly handing out sheets. Each sheet had a question which required a different level of comprehension. It was a between-subjects design, with self-selecting participants that were mostly 18-year-old female students. The goal of this study was to find out if the more a word is comprehended, or the deeper the encoding, the more likely it is to be able to remember that …

Music And Memory, Stephen Ray, Elizabeth Peters

Psychology Student Research

The study that we are conducting takes a look at how listening to music can affect reading comprehension and memory. Students at Kutztown University will sign up to participate through the SONA System, as well as a few friends participating in the study. We look to place the participants in a room with either playing music or having no music playing. Each participant will be randomly assigned to the condition. The music we will be playing will consist of Billboards Top 10 Songs on a shuffled and repeated playlist. We are using Billboard in order to play relevant music that …

Behavioural Risks In Female Dogs With Minimal Lifetime Exposure To Gonadal Hormones, Melissa J. Starling, Anne Fawcett, Bethany Wilson, James Serpell, Paul Mcgreevy

Physiology Collection

Spaying of female dogs is a widespread practice, performed primarily for population control. While the consequences of early spaying for health are still being debated, the consequences for behaviour are believed to be negligible. The current study focused on the reported behaviour of 8981 female dogs spayed before 520 weeks (ten years) of life for reasons other than behavioural management, and calculated their percentage lifetime exposure to gonadal hormones (PLGH) as a proportion of their age at the time of being reported to the online Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ). We found that 23 behaviours differed between entire …

I Saw That: Being Observed Reduces Race-Based Shoot Decisions, Sarah S. Kramer, Kaitlin M. Lewin, Allison S. Romano, Brian P. Meier

Student Publications

The shooter bias effect reveals that individuals are quicker to “shoot” armed Black (vs. White) men and slower to “not shoot” unarmed Black (vs. White) men in a computer task. In three studies (N = 386), we examined whether being observed would reduce this effect because of social desirability concerns. Participants completed a “shooting” task with or without a camera/live observer supposedly recording behavior. Cameras were strapped to participants’ heads (Studies 1a/1b) and pointed at them (Study 1b). In Study 2, a researcher observed participants complete the task while “filming” them with a smartphone. We replicated the shooter bias, …