Matching Items (36)
Filtering by
- All Subjects: psychology
- Creators: School of Life Sciences
Description
Humans use emotions to communicate social cues to our peers on a daily basis. Are we able to identify context from facial expressions and match them to specific scenarios? This experiment found that people can effectively distinguish negative and positive emotions from each other from a short description. However, further research is needed to find out whether humans can learn to perceive emotions only from contextual explanations.
ContributorsCulbert, Bailie (Author) / Hartwell, Leland (Thesis director) / McAvoy, Mary (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
Frequency effects favoring high print-frequency words have been observed in frequency judgment memory tasks. Healthy young adults performed frequency judgment tasks; one group performed a single task while another group did the same task while alternating their attention to a secondary task (mathematical equations). Performance was assessed by correct and error responses, reaction times, and accuracy. Accuracy and reaction times were analyzed in terms of memory load (task condition), number of repetitions, effect of high vs. low print-frequency, and correlations with working memory span. Multinomial tree analyses were also completed to investigate source vs. item memory and revealed a mirror effect in episodic memory experiments (source memory), but a frequency advantage in span tasks (item memory). Interestingly enough, we did not observe an advantage for high working memory span individuals in frequency judgments, even when participants split their attention during the dual task (similar to a complex span task). However, we concluded that both the amount of attentional resources allocated and prior experience with an item affect how it is stored in memory.
ContributorsPeterson, Megan Paige (Author) / Azuma, Tamiko (Thesis advisor) / Gray, Shelley (Committee member) / Liss, Julie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
When people look for things in their environment they use a target template - a mental representation of the object they are attempting to locate - to guide their attention around a scene and to assess incoming visual input to determine if they have found that for which they are searching. However, unlike laboratory experiments, searchers in the real-world rarely have perfect knowledge regarding the appearance of their target. In five experiments (with nearly 1,000 participants), we examined how the precision of the observer's template affects their ability to conduct visual search. Specifically, we simulated template imprecision in two ways: First, by contaminating our searchers' templates with inaccurate features, and second, by introducing extraneous features to the template that were unhelpful. In those experiments we recorded the eye movements of our searchers in order to make inferences regarding the extent to which attentional guidance and decision-making are hindered by template imprecision. We also examined a third way in which templates may become imprecise; namely, that they may deteriorate over time. Overall, our findings support a dual-function theory of the target template, and highlight the importance of examining template precision in future research.
ContributorsHout, Michael C (Author) / Goldinger, Stephen D (Thesis advisor) / Azuma, Tamiko (Committee member) / Homa, Donald (Committee member) / Reichle, Erik (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) are soft sounds generated by the inner ear and can be recorded within the ear canal. Since OAEs can reflect the functional status of the inner ear, OAE measurements have been widely used for hearing loss screening in the clinic. However, there are limitations in current clinical OAE measurements, such as the restricted frequency range, low efficiency and inaccurate calibration. In this dissertation project, a new method of OAE measurement which used a swept tone to evoke the stimulus frequency OAEs (SFOAEs) was developed to overcome the limitations of current methods. In addition, an in-situ calibration was applied to equalize the spectral level of the swept-tone stimulus at the tympanic membrane (TM). With this method, SFOAEs could be recorded with high resolution over a wide frequency range within one or two minutes. Two experiments were conducted to verify the accuracy of the in-situ calibration and to test the performance of the swept-tone SFOAEs. In experiment I, the calibration of the TM sound pressure was verified in both acoustic cavities and real ears by using a second probe microphone. In addition, the benefits of the in-situ calibration were investigated by measuring OAEs under different calibration conditions. Results showed that the TM pressure could be predicted correctly, and the in-situ calibration provided the most reliable results in OAE measurements. In experiment II, a three-interval paradigm with a tracking-filter technique was used to record the swept-tone SFOAEs in 20 normal-hearing subjects. The test-retest reliability of the swept-tone SFOAEs was examined using a repeated-measure design under various stimulus levels and durations. The accuracy of the swept-tone method was evaluated by comparisons with a standard method using discrete pure tones. Results showed that SFOAEs could be reliably and accurately measured with the swept-tone method. Comparing with the pure-tone approach, the swept-tone method showed significantly improved efficiency. The swept-tone SFOAEs with in-situ calibration may be an alternative of current clinical OAE measurements for more detailed evaluation of inner ear function and accurate diagnosis.
ContributorsChen, Shixiong (Author) / Bian, Lin (Thesis advisor) / Yost, William (Committee member) / Azuma, Tamiko (Committee member) / Dorman, Michael (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
The relationship of attachment style to both the selection and efficacy of emotion management strategies in adult dyadic contexts is not well elucidated. In non-romantic contexts, the interplay between emotion management and individual attachment style may provide a better understanding of how affect can be mitigated in daily life. The present study investigated these interactions by studying 56 pairs of college age women who were close friends. Participants were asked to have a conversation about a current source of concern/distress to one partner, while seated in the laboratory. After the conversation, participants were asked to report their subjective experience of several emotions during the conversation, such as ‘sadness,’ ‘joy,’ and ‘fear.’ Participants were also asked to complete a questionnaire assessing adult attachment style, specifically attachment anxiety and avoidance. Behavior during the conversation was coded for co-rumination and co-cognitive reappraisal by the “listener.” Listener attachment insecurity showed a trending association with increased use of co-detached reappraisal, for both avoidance (p=0.14) and anxiety (p=0.14). Listener attachment insecurity also predicted lower use of co-rumination, for both anxiety (p=0.10) and avoidance (p=0.02). Speaker attachment insecurity moderated the relationship between co-detached reappraisal and speaker emotion. Greater co-detached reappraisal predicted higher reports of non-fear negative and positive emotions, but only for high-avoidance speakers. Greater co-detached reappraisal also predicted greater non-fear negative emotions among speakers high, but not low, on attachment anxiety. Greater listener use of co-positive reappraisal was associated with higher reports of speaker fear; this effect was not moderated by speaker attachment style. These findings are discussed in relation to theoretical conceptions of attachment style, and in terms of the impact of context on emotion.
ContributorsJakob, Nicholas (Co-author) / Tolmachoff, Georgeanne (Co-author) / Shiota, Michelle (Thesis director) / Luecken, Linda (Committee member) / Yee, Claire (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
First-semester student retention is a constant priority for undergraduate institutions. The transition to the collegiate level, and to a new scholastic program and format, is frequently challenging academically and socially—for this reason, many first-semester course schedules for incoming freshman undergraduates feature an introductory seminar to ease transition to an undergraduate lifestyle. Arizona State University features a required “Careers in the Life Sciences” course for its first-semester School of Life Sciences students, which has had tractable results in first semester student retention and academic success. Here, we evaluate a component of the seminar, the peer-mentorship program, for its efficacy in students’ first semester experience. Analysis of self-reports from 168 first-semester “mentees” and their 25 mentors indicates frequency of mentee-mentor contact was the best indicator of a higher first semester GPA, comfort with academic resources and study habits, and desire to engage in extracurricular activities and internships. These data indicate that access to a mentor who actively engages and verbally connects with their mentees is a valuable component of first-semester student academic integration and retention.
ContributorsMathews, Ian T. (Author) / Capco, David (Thesis director) / Clark-Curtiss, Josephine (Committee member) / Harrell, Carita (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
This study examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations among diurnal cortisol rhythms and sleeping patterns in adolescents. 79 participants completed the study over three days during the spring semester of their senior year in high school, and 76 of these subjects participated again over three days during the fall semester of their freshman year in college. They completed daily saliva samples and diary entries, while wearing an actigraph to obtain objective measurements of sleep duration and efficiency. Cross-sectionally, longer sleep duration was associated with a lower cortisol awakening response, a smaller area under the cortisol curve, and a steeper cortisol slope. Longitudinally, there was no significant relationship between sleep duration and these cortisol parameters. Moreover, sleep efficiency was not associated with cortisol parameters cross-sectionally nor longitudinally. Results suggest associations between concurrent sleep duration and cortisol patterns, and may have significant impact on understanding adolescents' physiological response to stress.
ContributorsLathrop, Devon Olivia (Author) / Doane, Leah (Thesis director) / Orchinik, Miles (Committee member) / Zeiders, Katherine (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
An introduction to neuroscientific thought aimed at an audience that is not educated in biology. Meant to be readable and easily understood by anyone with a high school education. The first section is completed in its entirety, with outlines for the proposed final sections to be completed over the next few years.
ContributorsNelson, Nicholas Alan (Author) / Olive, M. Foster (Thesis director) / Brewer, Gene (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
It has been suggested that directed forgetting (DF) in the item-method paradigm results from selective rehearsal of R items and passive decay of F items. However, recent evidence suggested that the passive decay explanation is insufficient. The current experiments examined two theories of DF that assume an active forgetting process: (1) attentional inhibition and (2) tagging and selective search (TSS). Across three experiments, the central tenets of these theories were evaluated. Experiment 1 included encoding manipulations in an attempt to distinguish between these competing theories, but the results were inconclusive. Experiments 2 and 3 examined the theories separately. The results from Experiment 2 supported a representation suppression account of attentional inhibition, while the evidence from Experiment 3 suggested that TSS was not a viable mechanism for DF. Overall, the results provide additional evidence that forgetting is due to an active process, and suggest this process may act to suppress the representations of F items.
ContributorsHansen, Whitney Anne (Author) / Goldinger, Stephen D. (Thesis advisor) / Azuma, Tamiko (Committee member) / Brewer, Gene (Committee member) / Homa, Donald (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common developmental disorder characterized by symptoms of impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity that interfere with development. Given the lasting academic and social deficits associated with ADHD symptoms, it is critical to study the risk factors of this disorder and possible factors that could protect against its development. Therefore, the current study investigated the potential role of social support from parents, siblings, teachers, and peers as promotive and protective factors against the development of ADHD symptoms for children at familial risk of developing ADHD symptoms. Participants included 903 twins (30.5% monozygotic twins, 35.9% same-sex dizygotic twins, 31.7% opposite-sex dizygotic twins) from the longitudinal Arizona Twin Project. Children (51.6% female) were assessed for social support and ADHD symptoms at age 8 (M = 8.42, SD = 0.68) and for ADHD symptoms at age 9 (M = 9.71, SD = 0.93). Children’s familial risk for developing ADHD symptoms was assessed as a function of their cotwin’s symptom status at age 8 and the pair’s zygosity. Mixed model regression analyses indicated that familial risk was a robust predictor of ADHD symptoms. Further, peer acceptance was found to operate as a promotive factor against the development of ADHD symptoms, with some evidence for positive parenting as a promotive factor, as well. None of the forms of social support were found to be protective factors for children at familial risk of developing ADHD symptoms. Bivariate twin analyses revealed that peer acceptance and ADHD were related for both genetic and environmental reasons, suggesting that children’s heritable behaviors influence their peer acceptance. Future directions may include examining additional factors as possible moderators of familial risk of developing ADHD symptoms.
ContributorsHawkins, Jessica Kathryn (Author) / Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn (Thesis director) / Miadich, Samantha (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12