Browsing Psychology Theses and Dissertations by Issue Date

Oh, Sei-Hwan 2011-05-10T00:01:32Z 2011-05-10T00:01:32Z 2010-09 http://hdl.handle.net/1794/11161 xii, 55 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. Selective attention refers to perceptual selection and working memory refers to the active maintenance of mental representations. Selective attention and working memory are believed to be two of the most important functions in human cognition and have been intensively investigated in cognitive psychology. However, it is quite recent that the link between attention and working memory has been systematically researched. One question that remains controversial is the effect of working memory on attentional control with inconsistent results reported in the human psychophysical literature, despite clear and strong evidence from physiological studies with nonhuman primates that working memory is the main source of top-down attentional control. The main goal of the current study is to provide a plausible solution to the puzzle of attentional control by introducing the concept of goal-specificity and competition between working memory representations. I hypothesized that the strength of the biasing effect of working memory on attention depends on the specificity of representations in working memory, and developed an experimental paradigm (the goal-specificity paradigm) to test this hypothesis using psychophysical and neuroimaging methods. One of the most important manipulations in the goal-specificity paradigm is how specifically targets in different tasks are defined. The results demonstrate that there is competition between items in working memory for attentional control that is influenced by the specificity of each representation as well as task relevancy. Also, it is shown that the effect of goal-specificity is present in both spatial and temporal domains as revealed by visual search and rapid serial visual presentation tasks. The results suggest the possibility that the negligible effect of working memory in some previous studies may be due to insufficient specificity of the objects in working memory or to the presence of other specifically-defined information in working memory. Furthermore, based on the implication from the current study that goal-specificity has a significant influence on attentional control, I expect that the experimental paradigm introduced in the current study can be utilized as an objective psychophysical measure of attentional control. Committee in charge: Margaret Sereno, Chairperson, Psychology; Scott Frey, Member, Psychology; Michael Wehr, Member, Psychology; Richard Taylor, Outside Member, Physics en_US University of Oregon University of Oregon theses, Dept. of Psychology, Ph. D., 2010; Selective attention Biased competition model Working memory Specificity Visual perception Task relevancy Cognitive psychology Effects of attention and working memory on perception Thesis

Kramer, Adam D. I. 2011-05-09T21:14:44Z 2011-05-09T21:14:44Z 2010-09 http://hdl.handle.net/1794/11157 xiii, 154 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. This dissertation explores two basic hypotheses about how humans make decisions when presented with a sequential series of options: 1) people have a desire to learn about or experience qualities of the set of options available to them and will delay choice to gain such knowledge; and 2) delaying decision-making in order to better understand the set of options available will lead to better knowledge of the distribution of potential options and better decision outcomes. Three studies, conducted on a total of 302 college student participants, used an "optimal stopping" paradigm, in which participants viewed a series of options (in Studies I and 2, the options determined how their time would he spent in the latter part of the study: in Study 3, the options represented qualities of a hypothetical potential housemate). Participants had to choose or reject each in turn. I show consistent support for two hypothesis: Decision-makers continue to view and review options in order to gain a better understanding of the distribution of potential options, and decision-makers who have a better understanding of the option space end up with higher-quality decisions, using objective, subjective, and revealed-preference measures of quality. These results were consistent for multi-attribute decisions, single-attribute decisions. hypothetical decisions, and non-hypothetical decisions using both within-subjects and between-subjects designs. Individual differences among decision-makers did not show any consistent individual difference results, though decision-makers higher in numeracy appear to make better use of the cues available to them. In sum, decision-making appears to he aided by understanding the distribution of options, suggesting that it is occasionally wise to delay or "procrastinate" choice in order to gain an understanding of potential options when choosing. Committee in charge: Sara Hodges, Chairperson, Psychology; Sanjay Srivastava, Member, Psychology; Paul Slovic, Member, Psychology; Lynn Kahle, Outside Member, Marketing en_US University of Oregon University of Oregon theses, Dept. of Psychology, Ph. D., 2010; Decision making Decision delay Procrastination Option potential Social psychology Experimental psychology Cognitive psychology Delaying decisions in order to learn the distribution of options Thesis

Oppenheimer, Julia Erica, 1979- 2012-02-06T17:39:31Z 2012-02-06T17:39:31Z 2011-06 http://hdl.handle.net/1794/11930 xix, 176 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. Self-efficacy, a proposed vulnerability for anxiety, is thought to be rooted in repeated experiences during children's early years. Few studies have directly examined how these beliefs and behavior patterns are manifested in early childhood despite the importance of infancy and toddlerhood as times of major cognitive, behavioral, and regulatory developments that may play a role in the etiology of psychopathology. Thus a primary goal of this dissertation was describing early self-efficacy, measured as a child's behavioral responses and coping capacity during an impossible task. Factor analyses identified a latent self-efficacy construct based on children's observed task persistence, strategies used during the task, and flexible use of strategies. Through a growth model analytic framework this construct was used to examine individual differences in toddler self-efficacy. A linear growth model demonstrated excellent fit and decreasing self-efficacy over time, as well as significant variability in toddlers' initial responses and behavioral trajectories across an impossible task. An additional aim of this dissertation was to identify important predictors and concomitants of toddler self-efficacy at 17 months. Using a structural equation model, paths between self-efficacy and maternal psychopathology, maternal behavior, infant temperament and social-emotional correlates were examined. Analysis of theorized predictors revealed greater maternal anxiety at 17 months was predictive of lower self-efficacy and increased social-emotional problems. Greater maternal acceptance, responsiveness, and non-intrusiveness during infancy were associated with greater self-efficacy and lower symptoms at 17 months, demonstrating a longitudinal impact of maternal behavior a year later. However, early self-efficacy demonstrated limited associations with toddlers, social-emotional problems. As such, maternal psychopathology and maternal sensitivity appeared to be important predictors of children's elevated symptoms and self-efficacy even at this early age despite nominal direct associations between children's self-efficacy and symptomatology. Results demonstrated a multi-faceted construct of self-efficacy in toddlers, encompassing both persistence and coping abilities. This early self-efficacy measurement expanded definitions of efficacy and measured self-efficacy in a younger population than has previously been studied. Early variations in self-efficacy linked to maternal sensitivity during infancy and maternal anxiety indicate the importance of longitudinal associations between risk factors and toddler outcomes for understanding self-efficacy. Clinical implications for assessment and prevention are considered. Committee in charge: Jeffrey Measelle, Chairperson, Psychology; Jennifer Ablow, Member, Psychology; Dare Baldwin, Member, Psychology; Jane Squires, Outside Member, Special Education and Clinical Sciences en_US University of Oregon University of Oregon theses, Dept. of Psychology, Ph. D., 2011; rights_reserved Developmental psychology Clinical psychology Psychology Self-efficacy Toddlers Anxiety in children Understanding Early Vulnerabilities for Anxiety: Predictors of Self-Efficacy in Toddlers Thesis

Lewis, Cara C., 1981- 2012-02-03T23:53:58Z 2012-02-03T23:53:58Z 2011-06 http://hdl.handle.net/1794/11928 xvi, 90 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. Empirical support for the efficacy of CBT in treating depression suggests that the majority of clients will respond to this intervention. However, the more nuanced, and clinically relevant, question of "Which clients will respond to CBT for depression?" has been difficult to answer. Research efforts have focused on two different approaches to this question. One approach focuses on trajectories of symptom change within the first weeks of treatment to identify clients who are most likely to achieve response. A second approach looks to pretreatment client variables such as hopelessness and dysfunctional attitudes to identify clients who are more likely to respond. The current study is the first to simultaneously compare these two approaches to the prediction of treatment outcome. The sample consists of 222 clients (65.32% female, 92.79% Caucasian), ages 18 through 64 (M =27.85, SD = 11.28), receiving treatment for mood and anxiety disorders (59% met criteria for comorhid disorders) in a CBT oriented psychology training clinic. Results suggest that the rate of change in depressive symptoms over the first five treatment sessions significantly and consistently predicted outcome over and above the majority of pretreatment variables, except for precontemplation stages of change scores and initial severity of depression and anxiety symptoms. Similarly, rate of change in anxiety symptoms significantly predicted outcome on two of the three measures over and above the majority of pretreatment variables, except for hopelessness and initial severity of anxiety symptoms. Post hoc analyses revealed different predictors of outcome when trajectories of change and pretreatment variables were examined separately. Both rates of change and a number of pretreatment variables predicted outcome. Finally, pretreatment predictors of rate of early symptom change such as a contemplative orientation to change and therapist experience, were identified which may suggest that therapists should target these factors to potentially maximize rapid early symptom change, and in turn outcome. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications regarding methodological approaches to treatment outcome research and treatment planning for adults with comorbidities. Committee in charge: Anne Simons, Chairperson, Psychology; Philip Fisher, Member, Psychology; Hyoun Kim, Member, Not from U of O; Jane Mendle, Member, Psychology; Jeff Todahl, Outside Member, Counseling; Psychology and Human Services en_US University of Oregon University of Oregon theses, Dept. of Psychology, Ph. D., 2011; rights_reserved Clinical psychology Psychology Cognitive-behavioral therapy Treatment outcomes Depression, Mental Understanding Patterns of Change: Predictors of Response Profiles for Clients Treated in a CBT Training Clinic Predictors of Response Profiles for Clients Treated in a CBT Training Clinic Thesis

McCollough, Andrew Willis, 1974- 2011-09-09T01:11:21Z 2011-09-09T01:11:21Z 2011-06 http://hdl.handle.net/1794/11555 xiii, 143 p. : ill. (some col.) The cognitive ability to group information into chunks is a well known phenomenon, however, the effects of chunking on visual representations is not well understood. Here we investigate the effects of visual chunking using Gestalt grouping principles in two tasks: visual working memory change detection and multiple object tracking. Though both these tasks have been used to study cognitive functions in the past, including object-based attention, attentional control and working memory capacity, the effect of grouping on mental representations in these tasks has not been well characterized. That is, while researches have measured effects of grouping on behavioral output in similar tasks, there are few studies of the effects of grouping on neurophysiological indices of object representations. Indeed, these current studies are the first to use event-related potentials (ERPs) to elucidate the effect of grouping on active mental representations of visual stimuli. In the visual working memory task, observers remembered either the color or orientation of pacman stimuli across a delay. We manipulated the collinearity of these objects, whether or not they formed a Kanizsa triangle figure, and measured the behavioral and electrophysiological effects. In the multiple object tracking task, a subset of identical stimuli were briefly cued as targets and then their motion was tracked by participants. We manipulated whether and which Gestalt heuristics were used to bind targets together during their motion and measured the effects on behavior and electrophysiology. In both tasks we compared the grouped to ungrouped conditions. We found that across experiments and tasks behavioral performance was enhanced in grouping conditions compared to ungrouped conditions. Furthermore, the waveforms evoked by grouped stimuli were reduced compared to waveforms produced in response to locally identical but ungrouped stimuli. These data suggest that the mental representation of visual objects may be reshaped moment-by-moment by grouping cues or task demand, giving rise to a flexible, active and dynamic yet parsimonious representation of the visual world. Committee in charge: Edward K. Vogel, Chair; Edward Awh, Member; Ulrich Mayr, Member; Paul van Donkelaar, Outside Member en_US University of Oregon University of Oregon theses, Dept. of Psychology, Ph. D., 2011; Psychology Neurosciences Attention Electrophysiology ERP Gestalt Kanizsa Visual Working Memory The Influence of Gestalt Grouping Principles on Active Visual Representations: Neurophysiological Evidence Thesis

Schumacher, William Miller 2012-04-19T00:40:43Z 2012-04-19T00:40:43Z 2011-12 http://hdl.handle.net/1794/12167 xi, 56 p. : ill. (some col.) To investigate resilience against combat stress, 175 interviews from the Veterans' History Project were coded using the Deployment Risk and Resiliency Inventory and analyzed using the Linguistic Inventory and Word Count. Contrary to hypotheses, higher levels of social support did not predict psychological outcomes, nor did social support differ between wars. Low variance in the social support measure likely contributed to the null results. The amount of combat experiences the veteran discussed did significantly predict psychological outcomes, replicating previous findings. This indicates that the LIWC measures are good indicators of psychological outcome. Committee in charge: Holly Arrow, Chairperson; Jennifer Freyd, Member; Phil Fisher, Member en_US University of Oregon University of Oregon theses, Dept. of Psychology, M.S., 2011; rights_reserved Clinical psychology Psychology Combat stress Linguistic Inventory and Word Count Social support Veterans -- Mental health Resilience Among Veterans: An Archival Study Thesis

Saucier, Gerard Akers, Laura Akers, Laura 2012-12-07T23:12:00Z 2012-12-07T23:12:00Z 2012 http://hdl.handle.net/1794/12522 Culturally shared beliefs about societies and humanity play a prominent part in world events, from beliefs about the histories and destinies of nations to beliefs about the appropriate relationship between humanity and the natural world. Many of these beliefs are "metanarratives," simplified representations of past and future societal trends, which often have narrative elements, such as goals, dramatic features, a sense of suspense for group members, and affective judgments about the passage of events over time. In this exploratory study, lifelong residents of the United States (N = 299 undergraduate students and 88 members of a web sample of older adults) indicated their degree of agreement with 73 metanarrative statements. Factor analysis of the students' personal belief scores for the 73 metanarratives revealed a pattern of clustering into six factors, indicating that people tend to believe in families of metanarratives. The six factors were Traditional Religion, American Secular Values, International Cooperation, Eco-Romanticism, Anti-Government Cynicism, and Rational Progress. The web sample largely replicated this structure, but with only four factors. The factors were highly correlated with political party affiliation and other psychosocial and demographic variables, including religiousness, Saucier "isms" factors, and MFQ moral foundations. Participants were also asked about the extent to which some of their strongest beliefs were reflected in their personal activities: career choice, leisure time, spending money, voting, joining groups, reading and viewing, and discussion. The 73 metanarratives were coded for several narrative features: evaluative schema (such as Progress or Looming Catastrophe), presence of standard story elements (context, problem, outcome), presence of goals, and presence of references to cognitively exceptional elements (circumstances beyond the ordinary), such as the sacred, transcendental, unique, or extreme. For both samples, metanarratives with an evaluative schema indicating two possible paths were more motivating than those with only one outcome (e.g., stability or a cycle of recurring ups-and-downs). Further, those with goals were more motivating than those without, and for the web sample, those with cognitively exceptional elements were more motivating than those without. Further study of metanarratives should help to better illuminate the factors leading to individuals' decisions to participate in their larger societies. en_US University of Oregon All Rights Reserved. beliefs cultural psychology metanarratives motivation narratives political psychology Patterns in Individual Endorsement of Societal Metanarratives Electronic Thesis or Dissertation

Srivastava, Sanjay Livingstone, Kimberly Livingstone, Kimberly 2012-12-07T23:11:05Z 2012 http://hdl.handle.net/1794/12512 This dissertation examined the effects of implicit theories of emotion (beliefs about the malleability of emotion) on emotion regulation and experience. Incremental theories involve beliefs that emotions are controllable; entity theories involve beliefs that emotions are uncontrollable. I hypothesized that an incremental theory would be associated with better well-being, more adaptive emotion regulation, and mastery-oriented patterns of response to emotion regulation difficulty, compared to an entity theory. Study 1 developed a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess trait implicit theories of emotion and examined correlations with self-reports of personality, emotional experience, emotion regulation, and well-being. A trait incremental theory was associated with greater positive emotion and less negative emotion, an effect that was mediated by the tendency of incremental theorists to use more active coping and adaptive emotion regulation strategies, compared to entity theorists. Incremental theories were also associated with greater overall well-being, lower depression, and less stress. Studies 2-5 manipulated implicit theories of emotion and examined their causal effects on emotion and emotion regulation. Although entity and incremental participants did not report differences in emotional experience when experiencing emotions naturally (Study 2), participants in the incremental group were more likely to regulate their emotions when explicitly asked to do so (Study 3). Specifically, only incremental participants responded to instructions to remain objective while rating emotionally evocative images. Studies 4 and 5 examined differences in reactions to emotion regulation difficulty. After completing an emotional interference task, all (Study 4) or a random half (Study 5) of participants were told that they had done poorly and rated attributions for their performance, affect, and motivation to remain engaged versus withdrawing. Although hypothesized patterns did not emerge as a whole, participants in the incremental condition were more likely to attribute their performance (failure or success) to strategy use. This research has implications for the study of emotion regulation, in particular, patterns of helplessness and mastery within the domain of emotions. en_US University of Oregon All Rights Reserved. emotion emotion regulation implicit theories personality well-being The Effects of Implicit Theories of Emotion on Emotion Regulation and Experience Electronic Thesis or Dissertation 2013-12-07

Vogel, Edward Fukuda, Keisuke Fukuda, Keisuke 2012-10-26T04:00:42Z 2012 http://hdl.handle.net/1794/12391 Visual long term memory (VLTM) research has shown that we are capable of learning a virtually infinite amount of visual information. At the same time, visual short term memory (VSTM) research has shown that there is a severe limitation in the amount of information we can simultaneously apprehend at a given time. How does the severe capacity limitation in the initial uptake of information influence the encoding of information into VLTM? To this date, there has been no direct test of such influence, and the effect of such limitation has been unclear. Here, we demonstrate that, across wide varieties of conditions, the severe-capacity limitation in VSTM dictates the encoding of information into VLTM by determining the "bandwidth" of information transfer. This finding has a substantial implication for the understanding of the role of severely-capacity limited VSTM in forming many types of VLTM representations. en_US University of Oregon All Rights Reserved. Individual Differences Visual Long Term Memory Visual Short Term Memory The Capacity of Visual Short Term Memory Determines the Bandwidth of Information Transfer into Visual Long Term Memory Electronic Thesis or Dissertation 2014-10-25

Baldwin, Dare Sage, Kara Sage, Kara 2012-12-07T23:12:06Z 2012-12-07T23:12:06Z 2012 http://hdl.handle.net/1794/12523 Past research has established that children typically learn better from live demonstrations than from 2-dimensional sources of information like video. The current dissertation investigated the efficacy of a new form of 2-dimensional learning medium, specifically the self-paced slideshow, where children advance through slides of an unfolding action sequence at their own pace. The primary purpose of this dissertation was to test whether the "video deficit effect" extends to the self-paced slideshow. In Experiment 1, children saw demonstrations of novel event sequences either live, via a video, or by advancing through a self-paced slideshow. They were then tested on their ability to perform the sequences, as well as their verbal memory for the action. Individual difference measures were also collected to provide some insight into how children's inhibitory control, theory of mind skills, and verbal ability related to their performance. Findings suggest that all children showed learning, in that children across the three learning media outperformed their peers in a no demonstration control group. In line with past work, children in the live condition outperformed those in the video and self-paced slideshow conditions at reproducing the target actions. However, children's memory did not differ across conditions. To further explore the self-paced slideshow, Experiment 2 directly compared learning from the self-paced slideshow to learning from a video. Two alterations were made to the slideshow: the method of extracting slides was altered to create a more natural flow of action, and the content of the slides was altered to help children focus more on the object than the person. Children's performance differed little between conditions, with the exception of children reproducing fewer actions in the slideshow condition on two (of four) toys. Ultimately, this dissertation documented that the video deficit effect extends to the self-paced slideshow: live demonstration produces superior learning for children. Future work should investigate at what age the self-paced slideshow might become a useful learning medium as well as how to enhance children's learning from 2D sources given the increasing role that they play in daily life. en_US University of Oregon All Rights Reserved. childhood learning media social Attending to Action at Your Own Pace: Benefits for Knowledge Acquisition? Electronic Thesis or Dissertation