Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-162). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-162). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.) in Psychology--University of Maine, 2001. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-123).

Psychopathy and alexithymia are disorders with many conceptual similarities. For example, Factor 1 of the Psychopathy Checklist - Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 1991) contains items like shallow affect and lack of empathy, which seem to map on to the construct of alexithymia. Additionally, both psychopaths and alexithymics display striking differences from others in their use of language, especially affective language. The two areas of interest in the present study were (a) occurrence and co—occurrence of psychopathy and alexithymia in a sample of female inmates, and (b) the relationship between affective language and these two disorders. Psychopathy and alexithymia were assessed in 37 women offenders incarcerated in a Burnaby Correctional Centre, using the PCL-R and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale ( TAS; Taylor, Ryan & Bagby, 1985). Each subject was presented with a short written scenario designed to elicit an emotional response, and asked to describe the feelings of the characters in the story. Their taped responses were analyzed for measures of affect. Base rates of both disorders were comparable to those in similar samples, ( 30% of the inmates were diagnosed as psychopathic; 33% as alexithymic) but the coxnorbidity rate was only 8%. There was a significant correlation between alexithymia scores and PCL—R Factor 2 scores — the factor assessing antisocial behaviour. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the TAS and PCL-R were both predictive of violence. This relationship between the PCL-R and violence is well substantiated; that the TAS also predicts violence is a newer finding. Alexithymics spoke more slowly, used fewer total words overall and fewer affective words, and displayed less emotion in their voices than did nonalexithymics. Psychopaths could not be identified by any vocal measures except a slight tendency to speak faster than nonpsychopaths. Although both disorders are characterized’ by affective impoverishment, the verbal expressions of affect were very different in psychopaths and alexithymics. The psychopaths were adept at convincing raters of an emotional investment they did not feel; alexithymics could not disguise their lack of appropriate emotional response.

This thesis examined the involvement of the lateral, central and basolateral nuclei of the amygdala in both appetitive and aversive affective behavior. In Experiment I, using electrolytic lesions, it was found that damage to the lateral but not central or basolateral nuclei blocked a Conditioned Cue Preference (CCP) to food (Froot Loops) in rats that were not deprived of food. In Experiment II, also using electrolytic lesions, it was found that damage to the basolateral but not central or lateral nuclei blocked a Conditioned Cue Aversion (CCA) produced by a lithium chloride injection (42 mg/kg). In Experiment III results similar to those in Experiments I and II were obtained using axon-sparing NMDA lesions. The results of Experiments I-III demonstrate a double dissociation of affective memory with respect to the amygdala. The lateral nucleus of the amygdala mediated the memory of an appetitive affective experience and the basolateral nucleus mediated memory for an aversive affective experience. / In Experiment IV the contributions of appetitive and aversive affective states to a food CCP were examined. Lesions of the lateral but not the basolateral nucleus were found to attenuate but not completely eliminate a food CCP when the rats were food deprived in the Paired compartment and sated in the Unpaired compartment. Food deprivation alone produced a CCA and lesions of the basolateral but not the lateral nucleus blocked this effect. The possibility that both the appetitive and aversive behaviours are mediated through connections from the dopamine-reward centres in the ventral striatum is discussed.

Until recently, research into the social consequences of affect has focused almost exclusively on conscious judgments and behaviours. The present research investigates the impact of positive and negative affective states on automatic behavioural priming, a nonconscious social process that enables us to efficiently and effortlessly assimilate or contrast our behaviour with contextual cues. Based on previous research into factors moderating the outcome of behavioural priming, it is hypothesized that positive affect will increase the magnitude of assimilation effects, while negative affect will induce contrast effects. The results of seven experiments conducted both in the laboratory and in the field provide support for this hypothesis, and suggest that the impact of affect on behavioural priming is mediated by the way in which primed mental content is used to guide behaviour. The theoretical and clinical implications of this research as well as future research directions are discussed.

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College Graduate School, 2004. / Abstract. "In an attempt to bolster active family interaction, the Big Idea Foundation ... designed a set of activities based on the principles of experiential education"--Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 33-38).

Dissertation (Ph. D.)--University of Akron, Dept. of Public Affairs and Urban Studies, 2007. / "August, 2007." Title from electronic dissertation title page (viewed 04/23/2008) Advisor, Raymond W. Cox III; Committee members, RaJade M. Berry-James, Lucinda M. Deason, Dena Hanley, Lawrence F. Keller; Department Chair, Sonia Alemagno; Dean of the College, Ronald F. Levant; Dean of the Graduate School, George R. Newkome. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2007. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 189-197). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed February 13, 2009). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Embargoed until 2/1/2011. Includes bibliographical references (p. 317-336).