Este estudo apresenta uma investigação de como o uso das técnicas de Visualização Computacional (VC) podem servir no apoio à identificação do interesse do aluno em ambientes de Educação a Distância (EaD). Esta pesquisa se fundamenta nas premissas de que grande parte da comunicação ocorre através da Comunicação Não-Verbal e o estado afetivo de interesse pode ser reconhecido através da visualização interpessoal. Na realização deste trabalho, foi necessária uma revisão da literatura relacionada aos temas Afetividade, especificamente, Estado Afetivo de Interesse, Comportamento Visualizável, Comunicação Não Verbal, Análise de Expressões Faciais, Análise de Gestos e Posturas, Cognição e Técnicas de Sensoriamento Visual. A teoria da Aprendizagem Significativa responde pela concepção epistemológica, metodológica e experimental. Sob sua ótica foram preparados os materiais didáticos que compuseram os experimentos e o objeto de aprendizagem SQLOA. Foram construídos artefatos de software que apoiam a captura dos vídeos dos alunos durante atividades de aprendizagem e que permitiram a realização dos experimentos. Os artefatos desenvolvidos são: um framework, uma ferramenta e um objeto de aprendizagem, assim denominados: WICFramework, QuizWebcamXML e SQLOA. Eles permitem dotar os ambientes de ensino de mecanismos de Visualização Computacional, razão pela qual foram importantes instrumentos para o alcance dos objetivos propostos. Trinta e um alunos, correspondendo a três turmas da disciplina de Administração para Banco de Dados do Curso de Sistema de Informação do Instituto Federal Fluminense, RJ, foram submetidos ao SQLOA e tiveram sua interação capturada em vídeos. A estratégia metodológica compôs-se do levantamento dos Movimentos Corporais Gestuais e Posturais (MCGPs) visualizáveis, e a associação desses aos Estados Afetivos de Interesse e Tédio, testando e definindo os indicadores teóricos que melhor se aplicam a técnicas de VC em ambientes de EaD. A partir da definição dos principais Indicadores de Interesse, construiu-se um Esquema para Identificação do Interesse e um Modelo para Inferência de Interesse, auxiliando profissionais da educação a aplicarem a técnica. / This study presents an investigation on how the use of Computational Visualization (CV) techniques can support the identification of learners’ interest in Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). The research was based on the premise that communication occurs mostly through non-verbal communication and that the affective state of interest can be identified by interpersonal visualization. For this study, it was necessary to undertake a review of the literature on topics such as Affect, in particular, Affective State of Interest, Visible Behavior, Non-Verbal Communication, Analysis of Facial Expressions, Analysis of Body Gestures and Postures, Cognition, and Visual Sensing Techniques. Principles of the Meaningful Learning Theory were used in the epistemological, methodological and experimental concept of the research theme. This theoretical framework supported the preparation of didactic materials used in the experiments, and the design of the learning object SQLOA. Software artifacts were built to conduct experiments, including video recording of students during learning activities. The following artifacts were developed: a framework (WICFramework), a tool (QuizWebcamXML), and a learning object (SQLOA). Since they can provide VLEs with computational visualization mechanisms, these artifacts were important in reaching the objectives proposed for this study. Thirty-one students, enrolled in the subject Data Bank Management in the Information Systems Course at the Instituto Federal Fluminense, RJ, used SQLOA, and their interaction was captured in videos. The methodological strategy included the observation of Body Gesture and Postural Movements (BGPM), and their association with the Affective States of Interest and Boredom, as well as testing and definition of the theoretical indicators that best support CV techniques in VLEs. Following the definition of the main Indicators of Interest, guidelines were created to assist distance education professionals in the application of such technique.

A tecnologia, na sua evolução e transformação, influencia novos desdobramentos da técnica, dos processos e de aplicações, não somente na indústria, mas, também, em processos sociais e culturais. Salienta-se o uso de Tecnologia de Informação e Comunicação na Educação, Engenharia e de modelos da Computação Afetiva como recurso de ação mediadora para promoção do ser humano social. Neste contexto, a presente Tese desenvolveu, à luz da Teoria Sócio-Histórica, uma Plataforma Educacional Assistiva capaz de possibilitar a promoção do estado afetivo de interesse em crianças com Transtorno do Espectro Autista (TEA) dos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental. O TEA leva a uma condição de déficit no desenvolvimento, em escala de manifestação, nos domínios comportamental, comunicativo e ou cognitivo. O déficit de “atenção conjunta”, de reciprocidade emocional, de interesse, e prejuízo qualitativo na comunicação verbal e não verbal são características mencionadas largamente na literatura. Para “compensar” esse gap, o professor (assim como pais e terapeutas) precisa enfrentar o desafio de projetar estratégias de interação que possam promover cenas de atenção conjunta. Além disso, segundo dados do censo de educação básica de 2015, das quase 8 milhões de matrículas na Educação Infantil, cerca de 900 mil são para Educação Especial, sendo 700 mil no Ensino Fundamental e o preocupante afunilamento para 30 mil no 1º ano do Ensino Médio. Esses números reafirmam a importância da inclusão social e acredita-se que este decréscimo esteja relacionado à necessidade de um apoio tecnológico contextualizado nas atividades comunicativas e de atenção conjunta A metodologia de pesquisa é de natureza qualitativa, e utilizou o método de estudo de caso, de múltiplos casos. A atividade educativa foi desenvolvida por meio da contação de história infantil e uso de recurso tecnológico, dispositivo robótico, de ação mediadora, denominado de Fantoche Eletrônico, especialmente projetado para esta investigação. A práxis teve como base sociocognitiva as três etapas de intenção comunicativa da aquisição da linguagem proposta por Tomasello e de indicadores para a análise do estado afetivo de interesse. Os dados foram coletados por meio de instrumentos de entrevistas e observação sob a contação de quatro histórias infantil para quatro estudantes com autismo do 7º e 8º anos do ensino fundamental, totalizando 16 casos. Os resultados demonstraram que o uso do Fantoche Eletrônico promoveu mais de 80% de cenas de atenção conjunta, e um aumento, de três casos positivos com fantoche não eletrônico para quase 10 com o Fantoche Eletrônico, representado um ganho de mais de 200%. Além disso, 83% dos casos apresentaram indicativo positivo de estado afetivo de interesse. A Plataforma Educacional Assistiva foi denominada de Asistranto, assistência em Esperanto, e se mostrou adequada para o desenvolvimento de diferentes atividades acadêmicas com o objetivo de incluir estudantes com autismo em espaços escolares. / Technology, in its evolution and transformation, influences new developments in the techniques, processes and applications, not only in industry, but also in social and cultural processes. The use of Information Technology and Communication in Education, Engineering and Affective Computing models as a resource of mediating action to promote the social human being. In this context, the present developed, in the light of Socio-Historical Theory, an Assistive Educational Platform capable of to promote the affective state of interest in children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder(ASD) of the initial years of Elementary School. The ASD leads to a condition of development, demonstration scale, behavioral, communicative and or cognitive. The deficit of "joint attention", emotional reciprocity, of interest, and qualitative impairment in verbal and non-verbal communication verbal characteristics are widely mentioned in the literature. To "compensate" this gap, the teacher (as well as parents and therapists) must face the challenge of designing interaction strategies that can promote scenes of joint attention. Besides that, according to data from the 2015 basic education census, of the almost 8 million enrollments in the Education, about 900 thousand are for Special Education, of which 700 thousand are Elementary School and the worrying bottleneck for 30 thousand in the first year of high school. Those reaffirm the importance of social inclusion and it is believed that this related to the need for technological support contextualized in the activities communicative and joint attention. The research methodology is qualitative in nature, and used multiple cases study technique The educational activity was developed through the account of children's history and the use of technological resources, device robotic, of mediating action, denominated of Electronic Puppet, specially designed for this research. The praxis was based on sociocognitive three stages of communicative intention of language acquisition proposed by Tomasello and of indicators for the analysis of the affective state of interest. The data were collected by medium of instruments of interviews and observation under the account of four children's stories for four students with autism in the 7th and 8th years of elementary school, totaling 16 cases. The results showed that the use of the Electronic Puppet promoted more than 80% of scenes of joint attention, and an increase, of three positive cases with non-electronic puppet for almost 10 with the Electronic Puppet, represented a gain of over 200%. In addition, 83% of the cases presented positive indicative affective status of interest. The Assistive Educational Platform was denominated Asistranto, assistance in Esperanto, and proved adequate for the development of different activities with the aim of including students with autism in school settings.

A tecnologia, na sua evolução e transformação, influencia novos desdobramentos da técnica, dos processos e de aplicações, não somente na indústria, mas, também, em processos sociais e culturais. Salienta-se o uso de Tecnologia de Informação e Comunicação na Educação, Engenharia e de modelos da Computação Afetiva como recurso de ação mediadora para promoção do ser humano social. Neste contexto, a presente Tese desenvolveu, à luz da Teoria Sócio-Histórica, uma Plataforma Educacional Assistiva capaz de possibilitar a promoção do estado afetivo de interesse em crianças com Transtorno do Espectro Autista (TEA) dos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental. O TEA leva a uma condição de déficit no desenvolvimento, em escala de manifestação, nos domínios comportamental, comunicativo e ou cognitivo. O déficit de “atenção conjunta”, de reciprocidade emocional, de interesse, e prejuízo qualitativo na comunicação verbal e não verbal são características mencionadas largamente na literatura. Para “compensar” esse gap, o professor (assim como pais e terapeutas) precisa enfrentar o desafio de projetar estratégias de interação que possam promover cenas de atenção conjunta. Além disso, segundo dados do censo de educação básica de 2015, das quase 8 milhões de matrículas na Educação Infantil, cerca de 900 mil são para Educação Especial, sendo 700 mil no Ensino Fundamental e o preocupante afunilamento para 30 mil no 1º ano do Ensino Médio. Esses números reafirmam a importância da inclusão social e acredita-se que este decréscimo esteja relacionado à necessidade de um apoio tecnológico contextualizado nas atividades comunicativas e de atenção conjunta A metodologia de pesquisa é de natureza qualitativa, e utilizou o método de estudo de caso, de múltiplos casos. A atividade educativa foi desenvolvida por meio da contação de história infantil e uso de recurso tecnológico, dispositivo robótico, de ação mediadora, denominado de Fantoche Eletrônico, especialmente projetado para esta investigação. A práxis teve como base sociocognitiva as três etapas de intenção comunicativa da aquisição da linguagem proposta por Tomasello e de indicadores para a análise do estado afetivo de interesse. Os dados foram coletados por meio de instrumentos de entrevistas e observação sob a contação de quatro histórias infantil para quatro estudantes com autismo do 7º e 8º anos do ensino fundamental, totalizando 16 casos. Os resultados demonstraram que o uso do Fantoche Eletrônico promoveu mais de 80% de cenas de atenção conjunta, e um aumento, de três casos positivos com fantoche não eletrônico para quase 10 com o Fantoche Eletrônico, representado um ganho de mais de 200%. Além disso, 83% dos casos apresentaram indicativo positivo de estado afetivo de interesse. A Plataforma Educacional Assistiva foi denominada de Asistranto, assistência em Esperanto, e se mostrou adequada para o desenvolvimento de diferentes atividades acadêmicas com o objetivo de incluir estudantes com autismo em espaços escolares. / Technology, in its evolution and transformation, influences new developments in the techniques, processes and applications, not only in industry, but also in social and cultural processes. The use of Information Technology and Communication in Education, Engineering and Affective Computing models as a resource of mediating action to promote the social human being. In this context, the present developed, in the light of Socio-Historical Theory, an Assistive Educational Platform capable of to promote the affective state of interest in children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder(ASD) of the initial years of Elementary School. The ASD leads to a condition of development, demonstration scale, behavioral, communicative and or cognitive. The deficit of "joint attention", emotional reciprocity, of interest, and qualitative impairment in verbal and non-verbal communication verbal characteristics are widely mentioned in the literature. To "compensate" this gap, the teacher (as well as parents and therapists) must face the challenge of designing interaction strategies that can promote scenes of joint attention. Besides that, according to data from the 2015 basic education census, of the almost 8 million enrollments in the Education, about 900 thousand are for Special Education, of which 700 thousand are Elementary School and the worrying bottleneck for 30 thousand in the first year of high school. Those reaffirm the importance of social inclusion and it is believed that this related to the need for technological support contextualized in the activities communicative and joint attention. The research methodology is qualitative in nature, and used multiple cases study technique The educational activity was developed through the account of children's history and the use of technological resources, device robotic, of mediating action, denominated of Electronic Puppet, specially designed for this research. The praxis was based on sociocognitive three stages of communicative intention of language acquisition proposed by Tomasello and of indicators for the analysis of the affective state of interest. The data were collected by medium of instruments of interviews and observation under the account of four children's stories for four students with autism in the 7th and 8th years of elementary school, totaling 16 cases. The results showed that the use of the Electronic Puppet promoted more than 80% of scenes of joint attention, and an increase, of three positive cases with non-electronic puppet for almost 10 with the Electronic Puppet, represented a gain of over 200%. In addition, 83% of the cases presented positive indicative affective status of interest. The Assistive Educational Platform was denominated Asistranto, assistance in Esperanto, and proved adequate for the development of different activities with the aim of including students with autism in school settings.

Este estudo apresenta uma investigação de como o uso das técnicas de Visualização Computacional (VC) podem servir no apoio à identificação do interesse do aluno em ambientes de Educação a Distância (EaD). Esta pesquisa se fundamenta nas premissas de que grande parte da comunicação ocorre através da Comunicação Não-Verbal e o estado afetivo de interesse pode ser reconhecido através da visualização interpessoal. Na realização deste trabalho, foi necessária uma revisão da literatura relacionada aos temas Afetividade, especificamente, Estado Afetivo de Interesse, Comportamento Visualizável, Comunicação Não Verbal, Análise de Expressões Faciais, Análise de Gestos e Posturas, Cognição e Técnicas de Sensoriamento Visual. A teoria da Aprendizagem Significativa responde pela concepção epistemológica, metodológica e experimental. Sob sua ótica foram preparados os materiais didáticos que compuseram os experimentos e o objeto de aprendizagem SQLOA. Foram construídos artefatos de software que apoiam a captura dos vídeos dos alunos durante atividades de aprendizagem e que permitiram a realização dos experimentos. Os artefatos desenvolvidos são: um framework, uma ferramenta e um objeto de aprendizagem, assim denominados: WICFramework, QuizWebcamXML e SQLOA. Eles permitem dotar os ambientes de ensino de mecanismos de Visualização Computacional, razão pela qual foram importantes instrumentos para o alcance dos objetivos propostos. Trinta e um alunos, correspondendo a três turmas da disciplina de Administração para Banco de Dados do Curso de Sistema de Informação do Instituto Federal Fluminense, RJ, foram submetidos ao SQLOA e tiveram sua interação capturada em vídeos. A estratégia metodológica compôs-se do levantamento dos Movimentos Corporais Gestuais e Posturais (MCGPs) visualizáveis, e a associação desses aos Estados Afetivos de Interesse e Tédio, testando e definindo os indicadores teóricos que melhor se aplicam a técnicas de VC em ambientes de EaD. A partir da definição dos principais Indicadores de Interesse, construiu-se um Esquema para Identificação do Interesse e um Modelo para Inferência de Interesse, auxiliando profissionais da educação a aplicarem a técnica. / This study presents an investigation on how the use of Computational Visualization (CV) techniques can support the identification of learners’ interest in Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). The research was based on the premise that communication occurs mostly through non-verbal communication and that the affective state of interest can be identified by interpersonal visualization. For this study, it was necessary to undertake a review of the literature on topics such as Affect, in particular, Affective State of Interest, Visible Behavior, Non-Verbal Communication, Analysis of Facial Expressions, Analysis of Body Gestures and Postures, Cognition, and Visual Sensing Techniques. Principles of the Meaningful Learning Theory were used in the epistemological, methodological and experimental concept of the research theme. This theoretical framework supported the preparation of didactic materials used in the experiments, and the design of the learning object SQLOA. Software artifacts were built to conduct experiments, including video recording of students during learning activities. The following artifacts were developed: a framework (WICFramework), a tool (QuizWebcamXML), and a learning object (SQLOA). Since they can provide VLEs with computational visualization mechanisms, these artifacts were important in reaching the objectives proposed for this study. Thirty-one students, enrolled in the subject Data Bank Management in the Information Systems Course at the Instituto Federal Fluminense, RJ, used SQLOA, and their interaction was captured in videos. The methodological strategy included the observation of Body Gesture and Postural Movements (BGPM), and their association with the Affective States of Interest and Boredom, as well as testing and definition of the theoretical indicators that best support CV techniques in VLEs. Following the definition of the main Indicators of Interest, guidelines were created to assist distance education professionals in the application of such technique.

Este estudo apresenta uma investigação de como o uso das técnicas de Visualização Computacional (VC) podem servir no apoio à identificação do interesse do aluno em ambientes de Educação a Distância (EaD). Esta pesquisa se fundamenta nas premissas de que grande parte da comunicação ocorre através da Comunicação Não-Verbal e o estado afetivo de interesse pode ser reconhecido através da visualização interpessoal. Na realização deste trabalho, foi necessária uma revisão da literatura relacionada aos temas Afetividade, especificamente, Estado Afetivo de Interesse, Comportamento Visualizável, Comunicação Não Verbal, Análise de Expressões Faciais, Análise de Gestos e Posturas, Cognição e Técnicas de Sensoriamento Visual. A teoria da Aprendizagem Significativa responde pela concepção epistemológica, metodológica e experimental. Sob sua ótica foram preparados os materiais didáticos que compuseram os experimentos e o objeto de aprendizagem SQLOA. Foram construídos artefatos de software que apoiam a captura dos vídeos dos alunos durante atividades de aprendizagem e que permitiram a realização dos experimentos. Os artefatos desenvolvidos são: um framework, uma ferramenta e um objeto de aprendizagem, assim denominados: WICFramework, QuizWebcamXML e SQLOA. Eles permitem dotar os ambientes de ensino de mecanismos de Visualização Computacional, razão pela qual foram importantes instrumentos para o alcance dos objetivos propostos. Trinta e um alunos, correspondendo a três turmas da disciplina de Administração para Banco de Dados do Curso de Sistema de Informação do Instituto Federal Fluminense, RJ, foram submetidos ao SQLOA e tiveram sua interação capturada em vídeos. A estratégia metodológica compôs-se do levantamento dos Movimentos Corporais Gestuais e Posturais (MCGPs) visualizáveis, e a associação desses aos Estados Afetivos de Interesse e Tédio, testando e definindo os indicadores teóricos que melhor se aplicam a técnicas de VC em ambientes de EaD. A partir da definição dos principais Indicadores de Interesse, construiu-se um Esquema para Identificação do Interesse e um Modelo para Inferência de Interesse, auxiliando profissionais da educação a aplicarem a técnica. / This study presents an investigation on how the use of Computational Visualization (CV) techniques can support the identification of learners’ interest in Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). The research was based on the premise that communication occurs mostly through non-verbal communication and that the affective state of interest can be identified by interpersonal visualization. For this study, it was necessary to undertake a review of the literature on topics such as Affect, in particular, Affective State of Interest, Visible Behavior, Non-Verbal Communication, Analysis of Facial Expressions, Analysis of Body Gestures and Postures, Cognition, and Visual Sensing Techniques. Principles of the Meaningful Learning Theory were used in the epistemological, methodological and experimental concept of the research theme. This theoretical framework supported the preparation of didactic materials used in the experiments, and the design of the learning object SQLOA. Software artifacts were built to conduct experiments, including video recording of students during learning activities. The following artifacts were developed: a framework (WICFramework), a tool (QuizWebcamXML), and a learning object (SQLOA). Since they can provide VLEs with computational visualization mechanisms, these artifacts were important in reaching the objectives proposed for this study. Thirty-one students, enrolled in the subject Data Bank Management in the Information Systems Course at the Instituto Federal Fluminense, RJ, used SQLOA, and their interaction was captured in videos. The methodological strategy included the observation of Body Gesture and Postural Movements (BGPM), and their association with the Affective States of Interest and Boredom, as well as testing and definition of the theoretical indicators that best support CV techniques in VLEs. Following the definition of the main Indicators of Interest, guidelines were created to assist distance education professionals in the application of such technique.

Affective states of animals are emotions with positive or negative valance. Positive and negative affective states affect animal welfare, and can bias interpretation of information positively or negatively, respectively. Judgement bias tests measure affective states based on responses to ambiguous cues, intermediate to cues with learnt positive and negative outcomes. Responses closer to those of positive cues indicate positive affective state. However, animals need extensive training to learn initial associations to reference cues. Therefore, I here aimed to validate an alternative affective state test based on instinctive avoidance of patterns resembling eyespots. Responses to ambiguous eyespot cues similar to responses to full eyespot cues could indicate negative affective state. To test this, behavioural responses of red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) chicks to ambiguous cues from a validated judgement bias test were compared to responses to cues resembling eyespots. In a second cohort of birds, I developed simplified tests with only one ambiguous cue in each tests. I predicted that responses in both tests would correlate positively. In the original tests, shorter distance and latency to approach ambiguous cues correlated positively with latency to approach one of the eyespot cues, a full eyespot cue. This pattern was only observed in females. In the simplified tests, at 4 weeks of age, shortest latency to approach cues correlated among tests. This pattern was not observed when chicks were tested at 2 weeks of age. Overall, the eyespot test is a promising alternative affective state test, but further studies exploring sex- and age-effects, are needed.

The common marmoset is the most frequently used New World primate in laboratory research and testing. In the UK, their use is strictly controlled by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, which is underpinned by the principles of humane science: Replacement, Reduction and Refinement. Despite their use, there are a number of problems associated with the breeding of marmosets, including low dam longevity and increasing litter sizes. Large litters have led to high infant mortality and the need for human intervention to improve infant survival, which involves removal from the family for substantial periods of time. Previous research in a range of primate species shows that early life family separation is associated with numerous adverse behavioural and physiological effects. This project therefore sought to systematically investigate the effects of breeding and infant rearing practices, integrating a number of measures to assess the welfare of laboratory- housed marmosets. Potential predictors of dam longevity and litter size were first identified in three captive UK colonies, over four decades. Dam longevity was found to be approximately 6 years, with heavier dams living longer, but overall there was no consistent improvement in longevity over the decades. As longevity varied widely between colonies and over time, environment may be one of the most important factors. Approximately half of all births at each colony were litters larger than two, and these larger litters had greater infant mortality. Only dam weight at conception was useful in predicting litter size, with heavier dams producing larger litters. The consequences of large litters and early separation from the family for supplementary feeding were then investigated. Although twins had lower body weight than 2stays (two infants remaining with the family after death of the other littermate/s) and supplementary fed triplets, they also had the fewest health problems. There was also some evidence that animals from larger litters were more at risk of suffering from extreme low weight. Some minor differences were found in behavioural development between litter sizes. Singleton infants received more rejective rearing, while 2stays received more protective rearing, perhaps following the loss of an infant. While twin infants gained independence earlier than singletons or 2stays, they did not appear to cope better with stress in adulthood, displaying more significant increases in stress-related behaviour following the routine stressor of capture and weighing, compared to 2stays and supplementary fed triplets. While overall cortisol unexpectedly decreased from baseline to post capture, there were only significant fluctuations in 2stay marmosets. Instead, there were some increases in positive behaviour in supplementary fed triplets following the stressor, suggesting enhanced coping ability. However, in another group of supplementary fed triplets, there were subtle increases in depressive-like symptoms, measured using cognitive bias and preference tests, suggesting a reduced expectation of and interest in rewards. There were however no differences between family-reared and supplementary fed marmosets in time to learn a visual discrimination task, or in responses to temperament tests. Therefore, while it was hypothesised that early family separation would have adverse developmental consequences, there were actually very little differences between marmosets of different litter sizes and rearing backgrounds, across the range of measures. Results suggest that the current supplementary feeding programme, along with a regular human socialisation programme, minimises any potential negative effects. However, we should always be finding ways to improve the lives of animals in our care. Possible Refinements include reducing dam weight to increase twin births and improve infant survival, and training to allow supplementary feeding on the carrier’s back, to prevent infant separation and reduce disruption to the family. These Refinements could reduce fear and allow monkeys to become more resilient to the laboratory environment.

The purpose of the study was to investigate, through an experiment, if positive mood promotes creativity and flexible thinking. Participants were a total of 93 college students. The main hypothesis was that subjects induced with positive mood would perform better than subjects induced with negative mood, at a test reflecting creativity. To further explore the implications of priming (subliminal manipulated moods), a neutral control group was included. The cognitive test used in the study was Duncker´s The Candle Problem, a test which aims to get the subjects to apply flexible and creative thinking. The priming methods applied in the study was music and video clips. To measure the participant’s subjective mood a self-report scale, Mood Adjective Check List (MACL), was included as a successful manipulation control. The result showed a clear relationship between positive and negative priming, implying that subjects induced with positive mood performed significantly better than subjects induced with negative mood. There was no significant relationship between the groups induced with neutral and negative mood. / Syftet med studien var att genom ett experiment utforska om positiv sinnesstämning främjar kreativitet och flexibelt tänkande. Deltagarna i experimentet var totalt 93 studenter. Den huvudsakliga hypotesen var att deltagare inducerade till positivt känslotillstånd skulle prestera bättre än deltagare inducerade till negativt känslotillstånd, på ett kreativitetsreflekterande test. För att närmare undersöka påverkan av priming (subliminalt manipulerade känslotillstånd) inkluderades även en neutral kontrollgrupp. Testet som användes var Dunckers The Candle Problem. Syftet med testet var att få deltagarna att tillämpa flexibelt och kreativt tänkande. Priming-metoden som användes i experimentet bestod av musik och filmklipp. För att mäta deltagarnas subjektiva känslotillstånd tillämpades formuläret Mood Adjective Check List (MACL) som en framgångsrik manipulationskontroll. Ur resultatet utlästes en tydlig relation mellan positiv och negativ priming, att deltagare som fått positiv priming klarade testet signifikant bättre än deltagare med negativ priming. Mellan grupperna som inducerats med neutral och negativ sinnesstämning upptäcktes dock ingen signifikant relation.

No description available.