No description available.

No description available.

The localization of function in terms of music processing in the brain has fascinated researchers in many disciplines for well over one hundred years. Is there a central location for this specialized and complex process or does it involve many different areas of the brain? Some researchers have thought that the processing of language and music are analogous, but does the processing of music occur in the same way as language (Damasio and Damasio, 1977), (Zatorre, 1984)? In recent years the use of non-invasive imaging techniques such as the PET scan (Positron Emission Tomography) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) have proven to be most accurate in the demonstration of brain activity (Vollmer-Haase et aI., 1998) and have led researchers to agree that there is not a specific anatomical centre for music in the brain (Baeck, 2002), (Peretz, 2002). This thesis will examine in what way and to what degree various types of Traumatic Brain Injury in musicians affect music memory. A pilot study was conducted with musicians who have not experienced brain trauma. These musicians were asked to complete a questionnaire and then were interviewed in order to understand the process with which they utilize their musical memory. Six brain-injured musicians were also interviewed in the same manner. When possible, medical records were solicited and reviewed as a means of ascertaining specifics regarding the trauma. Using then, a qualitative framework in a case study format, the questionnaire and the focused interviews will provide the data (London, 1982), (Psathas, 1972). This format will provide a perspective that has been neglected in many studies in Neuromusicology, that of allowing the musicians to speak for themselves. The interviews are a study of the personal reflections of the musicians who are commenting on their understanding of their own experiences of musical memory. While my interest does lie in the clinical evidence provided by researchers in the field of Neuromusicology and their insights into musical memory, there has not been any extensive work written which concerns itself with the personal experiences of musicians and their subjective interpretation of these memorization processes. The balance between the clinical evidence needs to be contrasted with the subjective elements of a person's self-perception and understanding. It is my aim in this study to explore these perceptions in the context of real life situations. It should also be noted that the observations made are a reflection of the subject's personal experiences and their subjective view of these experiences.

No description available.

Gudjonsson developed two scales to measure interrogative suggestibility: Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales I and 2 (GSS I and GSS 2; Gudjonsson, 1984a; 1987c). The aims of the present thesis were to examine issues related to the reliability and validity of these scales. Three studies are presented. Study I assessed the effects of two interviewer styles on measures obtained on the GSS 1. The hypothesis was that a generally abrupt demeanour adopted by the interviewer would lead to higher scores than a friendly demeanour. Results showed that participants tested in the Abrupt condition gained higher scores on two of the post-feedback GSS measures than those tested in the Friendly condition. It was concluded that post-feedback scores may be more sensitive to social aspects of suggestibility than responses to leading questions. Study 2 assessed the effect of the same interviewer demeanours on a sample of adolescents, a more vulnerable population (e. g. Richardson, Gudjonsson, & Kelly, 1995). It was hypothesised that the abrupt demeanour would produce higher GSS I scores, than a friendly demeanour and that this difference would be more marked than that found for normal adults. Results did not support the hypothesis. Scores were lower in the Abrupt condition; this difference was significant for post-feedback responses to leading questions. It was concluded that results provided further evidence that GSS scores are not readily predictable. Study 3 aimed to investigate indicators of "faking bad" on the GSS. It was hypothesised that participants instructed to fake suggestibility would demonstrate a unique scoring pattern. Results supported the hypothesis. It was concluded that an elevated pre-feedback score in the absence of any other raised scores may indicate malingering on the GSS. Issues related to the reliability and validity of the scales are discussed.

An evaluation of Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance (1957) reveals deficiencies in its basic definition and the explanatory power of the "consistency-motivational" postulate. A radically different approach to attitude dynamics is proposed which focussed attention on the processes of appraisal and reappraisal, and on the psychological matrix within which these processes operate. An alternative explanation of dissonance reduction is linked with the postulated operation of processes that both conserve the organisation of the psychological matrix and, when transactions with the environment occur, enable a controlled modification of it to occur. The basic explanatory postulate, which is one of the efficient operation of these processes allows dissonance theory to be extended to pre-decision appraisal and to the prediction of decisions. Experimental evidence supports the derived decision theory. Three modes of appraisal are postulated, each of which may result in the arousal of dissonance. One mode is considered to be appraisal with respect to the status quo configurations of experimental evaluations and another to he appraisal with respect to the future orientation of current intentions and identifications; dissonances that become arroused in theme modes are regarded as emotive. The throd mode is regarded as involving the recognition of discrepancies between beliefs or expectations and corresponding actualities, or between the individual's opinions and those advocated by another; dissonance aroused in this mode is held to be cognitive. A replication of an experiment by Rosenberg and Abelson (1960) provides strong evidence of the interaction between modes of dissonance under the simultaneous operation of the three modes, but only partial support for the "balance" model. The present formulation integrates and relates features of the "social judgement" (Sherif et el, 1965), the "balance" (Rosenberg and Abelson, 1960) and the "congruity" (Osgood and Tannenbaum, 1955) approaches. New definitions allow quantitative estimates of dissonance to be ascertained.

Two investigations were carried out to examine variations in cognitive and psychomotor performance, mood and state, during the menstrual cycle. In the first, ten normally cycling subjects were tested on four computerised cognitive and psychomotor tasks, eight times during one menstrual cycle. Measures of state were taken, using self-report, heart rate and time to basal skin potential. Subjects completed daily mood ratings and a retrospective mood questionnaire. At each testing session, subjects recorded the events of the last four days. The data were examined for the relationship between state and performance, state and mood, state and cycle phase, and between performance and phase. Self-reported arousal significantly increased in the premenstrual phase, and heart rate increased in the luteal phase of the cycle. There were few significant relations between state and performance, or performance and phase: those obtained could be explained aschance. Self-reported stress was greater with negative mood, yet overall there were few significant patterns between mood and state. Mood was found to be more strongly related to event than to cycle phase. A cyclical variation in mood was recorded on retrospective questionnaires much more frequently than on daily questionnaires. A second study investigated the differences between self diagnosed Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) sufferers and non sufferers, (both oral contraceptive users and normally cycling subjects), on mood, performance, state, and reaction to mild stress, at premenstrual or intermenstrual stages of the cycle. There were no differences between the subject groups on performance during the cycle, or reaction to stress. Self-reported stress and arousal increased premenstrually for all subjects. A few differences were found between the pill and non pill subjects, and between the PMS and non PMS subjects on mood ratings. PMS subjects scored significantly higher on the Neuroticism scale of the EPI than Non PMS subjects, and were more 'A type' in personality, on a Framingham A/B personality scale. Results were discussed in terms of compensatory effort and coping strategies.

Subclinical psychotic experiences (SPEs) are non-clinical, transient and benign but can become severe along the psychosis continuum pathways. The SPEs pathway is precipitated by bio-psychosocial underpinnings (stress, peer and family functioning, bullying, depression and anxiety), fundamentally during adolescence. Therefore, this research aimed to understand the association between stress and SPEs, how this association is moderated by peer and family functioning, possible subtypes of SPEs in this population and their prevalence and association with bullying. Common psychopathologies in adolescence, such as depression and anxiety, were also investigated in Britain and Trinidad. The research found elevated levels of stress to be associated with higher levels of SPEs and bullying was associated with specific types of SPEs, particularly, perceptual abnormalities-delusional ideas (PADI), persecutory ideation (PI) and magical thinking (MT). Adolescents with high levels of depression and anxiety are at an increased risk of decline in peer relations and reduce academic achievement both in Trinidad and Britain. The findings of this research informs that stress and bullying are possible risk factors in the onset of SPEs and the dysfunctional impact of depression and anxiety symptoms on peer relations and school life. This signals the need to reconstitute the cognitive and behavioural aspects of adolescence by early intervention of cognitive and behavioural therapy.

A meaningful social life relies on understanding others’ minds and behaviours. Theory of mind (ToM) is the ability to reason about an individual’s mental states such as beliefs and desires, and to understand and predict how these mental states shape an individual’s behaviour. This thesis aims to develop a systematic approach for understanding the underlying processes of a simple theory of mind and to evaluate the performance of theory of mind ability in a social context. For this purpose, two case studies using agent-based modelling methodology has been conducted. An original set of basic processes underpinning ToM ability, termed Belief Representation Systematic Approach (BRSA) has been explored through these two models. BRSA reconstructs ToM processes into four main phases: Perception, Memory, Reasoning beliefs and desires, and Action. BRSA clarifies that there is a difference between having ToM and ‘using’ it. The reasoning involved in the third and fourth phases of BRSA influences the agents’ performances. BRSA shows that false belief tasks require two preconditions, resources and reasoning, to be considered as an acid test for ToM competence. Both models demonstrate that developing agents’ understanding of others’ mental states on the micro level will lead to significant improvements in their social performances on the macro level.

Environmental food-associated stimuli potentiate feeding in non-human animals and humans. However, there has been no investigation of this phenomena in human adults using novel stimuli which are then selectively associated with food through different learning processes. The aims of this thesis were twofold; firstly, to investigate whether Pavlovian cues (those that signal what and when an outcome will occur) and discriminative stimuli (those that signal whether an outcome will occur) which are associated with food will increase subsequent intake. Secondly, to investigate neural activity in response to these stimuli. The first set of studies examined Pavlovian cue-food associations. Study one utilised a new methodology to associate stimuli with specific tastes and demonstrated evidence for cue-potentiated feeding: people ate more in the presence of cues associated with a sweet taste (CS+). This potentiation was greater for foods which were sweet and so constonant with the trained taste. Study two utilised the same methodology but now contrasted sweet likers and sweet-dislikers. However, the cue-potentiation finding failed to replicate. The second set of studies examined cues associated with the chance to obtain food-rewards, interpreted as discriminative stimuli (DS). Study three trained participants to associate stimuli with obtaining food-rewards if the correct response was produced. The findings displayed a suppression of intake in the presence of a stimulus associated with not obtaining rewards compared to a stimulus associated with obtaining chocolate rewards. Study four extended Study three however sated half the participants prior to the intake test. However the previous cue-suppression finding did not replicate. Study five examined how these two different cue-food associations are encoded in the brain using fMRI. Analysis revealed that the stimuli modified activity in neural regions associated with reward, although whereas the DS enhanced striatal activation, the CS+ deactivated the striatum. The evidence for the lack of contingency awareness to affect behaviour throughout the thesis is discussed.