Matching Items (18)
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- All Subjects: Cognitive Psychology
- All Subjects: Psychology, Experimental
- Genre: Masters Thesis
- Creators: Branaghan, Russell
- Member of: ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Description
ABSTRACT This thesis proposes that a focus on the bodily level of analysis can unify explanation of behavior in cognitive, social, and cultural psychology. To examine this unifying proposal, a sensorimotor mechanism with reliable explanatory power in cognitive and social psychology was used to predict a novel pattern of behavior in cultural context, and these predictions were examined in three experiments. Specifically, the finding that people judge objects that require more motor effort to interact with as farther in visual space was adapted to predict that people with interdependent self-construal(SC) , relative to those with independent SC, would visually perceive their cultural outgroups as farther relative to their cultural in-groups. Justifying this cultural extension of what is primarily a cognitive mechanism is the assumption that, unlike independents, Interdependents interact almost exclusively with in-group members, and hence there sensorimotor system is less tuned to cross-cultural interactions. Thus, interdependents, more so than independents, expect looming cross-cultural interactions to be effortful, which may inflate their judgment of distance to the out-groups. Two experiments confirmed these predictions: a) interdependent Americans, compared to independent Americans, perceived American confederates (in-group) as visually closer; b) interdependent Arabs, compared to independent Arabs, perceived Arab confederates (in-group) as closer; and c) interdependent Americans, relative to independent Americans, perceived Arab confederates (out-group) as farther. A third study directly established the proposed relation between motor effort and distance to human targets: American men perceived other American men as closer after an easy interaction than after a more difficult interaction. Together, these results demonstrate that one and the same sensorimotor mechanism can explain/predict homologous behavioral patterns across the subdisciplines of psychology.
ContributorsSoliman, Tamer (Author) / Glenberg, Arthur M. (Committee member) / Kwan, Sau (Committee member) / Cohen, Adam (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
Multimodal presentations have been found to facilitate learning, however, may be a disadvantage for low spatial ability students if they require spatial visualization. This disadvantage stems from their limited capacity to spatially visualize and retain information from both text and diagrams for integration. Similarly, working memory capacity (WMC) likely plays a key role in a learner's ability to retain information presented to them via both modalities. The present study investigated whether or not the act of self-explaining helps resolve deficits in learning caused by individual differences in spatial ability, working memory capacity, and prior knowledge when learning with text, or text and diagrams. No interactions were found, but prior knowledge consistently predicted performance on like posttests. The author presents methodological and theoretical explanations as to the null results of the present study.
ContributorsGutierrez, Pedro J (Author) / Craig, Scotty D. (Thesis advisor) / Branaghan, Russell (Committee member) / Sanchez, Cristopher (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Research on priming has shown that a stimulus can cause people to behave according to the stereotype held about the stimulus. Two experiments were conducted in which the effects of elderly priming were tested by use of a driving simulator. In both experiments, participants drove through a simulated world guided by either an elderly or a younger female voice. The voices told the participants where to make each of six turns. Both experiments yielded slower driving speeds in the elderly voice condition. The effect was universal regardless of implicit and explicit attitudes towards elderly people.
ContributorsFoster, L Bryant (Author) / Branaghan, Russell (Thesis advisor) / Becker, David (Committee member) / Cooke, Nancy J. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
The unpleasant bitter taste found in many nutritious vegetables may deter people from consuming a healthy diet. We investigated individual differences in taste perception and whether these differences influence the effectiveness of bitterness masking. To test whether phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) `supertasters' also taste salt and sugar with greater intensity, as suggested by Bartoshuk and colleagues (2004), we infused strips of paper with salt water or sugar water. The bitterness rating of the PTC strip had a significant positive linear relationship with ratings of both the intensity of sweet and salt, but the effect sizes were very low, suggesting that the PTC strip does not give a complete picture of tasting ability. Next we investigated whether various seasonings could mask the bitter taste of vegetables and whether this varied with tasting ability. We found that sugar decreased bitterness and lemon decreased liking for vegetables of varying degrees of bitterness. The results did not differ by ability to taste any of the flavors. Therefore, even though there are remarkable individual differences in taste perception, sugar can be used to improve the initial palatability of vegetables and increase their acceptance and consumption.
ContributorsWilkie, Lynn Melissa (Author) / Phillips, Elizabeth D. (Thesis advisor) / Cohen, Adam (Committee member) / Johnston, Carol (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
Medical errors are now estimated to be the third leading cause of death in the United States (Makary & Daniel, 2016). Look-alike, sound- alike prescription drug mix-ups contribute to this figure. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) have recommended the use of Tall Man lettering since 2008, in which dissimilar portions of confusable drug names pairs are capitalized in order to make them more distinguishable. Research on the efficacy of Tall Man lettering in differentiating confusable drug name pairs has been inconclusive and it is imperative to investigate potential efficacy further considering the clinical implications (Lambert, Schroeder & Galanter, 2015). The present study aimed to add to the body of research on Tall Man lettering while also investigating another possibility for the mechanism behind Tall Man’s efficacy, if it in fact exists. Studies indicate that the first letter in a word offers an advantage over other positions, resulting in more accurate and faster recognition (Adelman, Marquis & Sabatos-DeVito, 2010; Scaltritti & Balota, 2013). The present study used a 2x3 repeated measures design to analyze the effect of position on Tall Man lettering efficacy. Participants were shown a prime drug, followed by a brief mask, and then either the same drug name or its confusable pair and asked to identify whether they were the same or different. All participants completed both lowercase and Tall Man conditions. Overall performance measured by accuracy and reaction time revealed lowercase to be more effective than Tall Man. With regard to the position of Tall Man letters, a first position advantage was seen both in accuracy and reaction time. A first position advantage was seen in the lowercase condition as well, suggesting the location of the differing portion of the word matters more than the format used. These findings add to the body of inconclusive research on the efficacy of Tall Man lettering in drug name confusion. Considering its impact on patient safety, more research should be conducted to definitively answer the question as to whether or not Tall Man should be used in practice.
ContributorsKnobloch, Ashley (Author) / Branaghan, Russell (Thesis advisor) / Cooke, Nancy J. (Committee member) / Gray, Robert (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Color as a communication medium plays an important role in conveying meaning. It has been identified as a major element in marketing and advertising, and has shown to influence consumer's emotions (Labrecque & Milne, 2012). Despite the large volume of color-centered research, the literature on the subject remains largely abstract and unreliable. Academic research on the impact of color on brand personality it is still in its early stages of investigation, and therefore fragmented and inadequate. The goal of this study is to identify and visually represent patterns of association between colors and specific brand personality traits. We hypothesized that such patterns exist, although the exact associations are difficult to predict. If such patterns are found, they can assist in creating a valuable design tool with wide range of applications in product design, manufacturing, and marketing.
ContributorsToteva, Maya (Author) / Branaghan, Russell (Thesis advisor) / Gray, Rob (Committee member) / Craig, Scotty (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
Previous research has shown that training visual attention can improve golf putting performance. A technique called the Quiet Eye focuses on increasing a player’s length of fixation between the ball and the hole. When putting, the final fixation is made on the ball before executing the stroke leaving players to rely on their memory of the hole’s distance and location. The present study aimed to test the effectiveness of Quiet Eye training for final fixation on the hole. Twelve Arizona State University (ASU) students with minimal golf experience putted while wearing eye tracking glasses under the following conditions: from three feet with final fixation on the ball, from six feet with final fixation on the ball, from three feet with final fixation on the hole and from six feet with final fixation on the hole. Participant’s performance was measured before training, following quiet eye training, and under simulated pressure conditions. Putting performance was not significantly affected by final fixation for all conditions. The number of total putts made was significantly greater when putting from three feet for all conditions. Future research should test the effects of this training with expert golfers whose processes are more automatic compared to novices and can afford to look at the hole while putting.
ContributorsGomez, Dennis (Author) / Gray, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Branaghan, Russell (Committee member) / Mara, Andrew F (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
The current study investigated the task of coloring static images with multimedia learning to determine the impact on retention and transfer scores. After watching a multimedia video on the formation of lightning participants were assigned to either a passive, active, or constructive condition based on the ICAP Framework. Participants colored static images on key concepts from the video, passive condition observed the images, active condition colored the images by applying the concepts, and the constructive condition colored the images by generating new ideas and concepts. The study did not support the hypothesis that the constructive condition would have increased retention and transfer scores over the active and passive conditions. The mental effort measures did not show significance among groups in relation to learning but perception measures did show an increase in participants enjoyment and engagement. Since the coloring craze has become more accepted for adults then could coloring be a way to increase participants learning through engagement.
ContributorsWilliams, Jennifer S (Author) / Craig, Scotty D. (Thesis advisor) / Roscoe, Rod (Committee member) / Branaghan, Russell (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
Highly automated vehicles require drivers to remain aware enough to takeover
during critical events. Driver distraction is a key factor that prevents drivers from reacting
adequately, and thus there is need for an alert to help drivers regain situational awareness
and be able to act quickly and successfully should a critical event arise. This study
examines two aspects of alerts that could help facilitate driver takeover: mode (auditory
and tactile) and direction (towards and away). Auditory alerts appear to be somewhat
more effective than tactile alerts, though both modes produce significantly faster reaction
times than no alert. Alerts moving towards the driver also appear to be more effective
than alerts moving away from the driver. Future research should examine how
multimodal alerts differ from single mode, and see if higher fidelity alerts influence
takeover times.
during critical events. Driver distraction is a key factor that prevents drivers from reacting
adequately, and thus there is need for an alert to help drivers regain situational awareness
and be able to act quickly and successfully should a critical event arise. This study
examines two aspects of alerts that could help facilitate driver takeover: mode (auditory
and tactile) and direction (towards and away). Auditory alerts appear to be somewhat
more effective than tactile alerts, though both modes produce significantly faster reaction
times than no alert. Alerts moving towards the driver also appear to be more effective
than alerts moving away from the driver. Future research should examine how
multimodal alerts differ from single mode, and see if higher fidelity alerts influence
takeover times.
ContributorsBrogdon, Michael A (Author) / Gray, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Branaghan, Russell (Committee member) / Chiou, Erin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
This research evaluates a cyber test-bed, DEXTAR (Defense Exercises for Team Awareness Research), and examines the relationship between good and bad team performance in increasingly difficult scenarios. Twenty-one computer science graduate students (seven three-person teams), with experience in cybersecurity, participated in a team-based cyber defense exercise in the context of DEXTAR, a high fidelity cybersecurity testbed. Performance measures were analyzed in addition to team process, team behavior, and workload to examine the relationship between good and bad teams. Lessons learned are reported that will inform the next generation of DEXTAR.
ContributorsBradbury, Aaron (Author) / Cooke, Nancy J. (Thesis advisor) / Branaghan, Russell (Committee member) / Roscoe, Rod (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016