With podcasts being a fast growing audio-only form of media, an effective way of promoting different podcast shows becomes more and more vital to all the stakeholders concerned, including the podcast creators, the podcast streaming platforms, and the podcast listeners. This thesis investigates the relatively little studied topic of automatic podcast trailer generation, with the purpose of en- hancing the overall visibility and publicity of different podcast contents and gen- erating more user engagement in podcast listening. This thesis takes a hotspot- based approach, by specifically defining the vague concept of “hotspot” and designing different appropriate methods for hotspot detection. Different meth- ods are analyzed and compared, and the best methods are selected. The selected methods are then used to construct an automatic podcast trailer generation sys- tem, which consists of four major components and one schema to coordinate the components. The system can take a random podcast episode audio as input and generate an around 1 minute long trailer for it. This thesis also proposes two human-based podcast trailer evaluation approaches, and the evaluation results show that the proposed system outperforms the baseline with a large margin and achieves promising results in terms of both aesthetics and functionality.

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The current study takes an initial step toward deriving a method for empirically based, theory-driven treatment matching in a military population suffering from PTSD. Along with the more overt symptoms of PTSD (e.g., persistent hyperarousal), secondary cognitive symptoms have also been shown to be significantly associated with avoidance and intrusive symptoms, as well as contribute to functional impairment. Based on the factor analytic and treatment literature for PTSD, it appears that there are two central mechanisms associated with beneficial therapeutic change that underlies both CPT and PE treatments (i.e., habituation, changes in cognitions). Additionally, different traumatic events and peritraumatic responses may be associated with unique symptom profiles and may necessitate targeted treatment. The present study proposes a novel approach to treatment matching based on the factor structure of PTSD and underlying mechanisms of treatment response. More broadly, this paper provides evidence for a broader understanding of peritraumatic responses and the potential implications of these responses for symptom profiles and illness trajectories.

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Il lavoro di tesi si è focalizzato sullo studio dell’arousal come indice psicofisiologico di attivazione e sull’applicazione della metodica di stimolazione elettrica transcranica (tES) non invasiva con lo scopo di modulare tale indice. L’obiettivo è stato quello di indagare se, applicando la tES, fosse possibile migliorare la performance di soggetti giovani sani in compiti di tipo cognitivo. Il progetto di ricerca si è sviluppato in 2 studi principali per un totale di 4 esperimenti. Tali studi hanno previsto l’acquisizione e la successiva analisi sia di dati comportamentali (tempi di reazione, accuratezza), che di indici psicofisiologici (conduttanza cutanea, diametro pupillare). I risultati hanno evidenziato che è possibile modulare l’arousal con dei “bursts” di stimolazione elettrica transcranica, somministrati in concomitanza di stimoli salienti per il soggetto. Tale modulazione si è manifestata con una riduzione dei tempi di reazione ed un contemporaneo aumento della risposta di conduttanza cutanea. Questi dati supportano la possibilità di utilizzare questo protocollo in pazienti con difficoltà di attenzione o altri problemi cognitivi per aumentare l’efficacia di interventi di riabilitazione. / The thesis analyzed the role of the arousal as a psychophysiological index of activation, and the application of non-invasive transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) technique with the aim to modulate this index. In this work we investigated if the application of tES could increase the performance of healthy young subjects during cognitive tasks. The thesis is based on 2 main studies for a total of 4 experiments with the recording of behavioural (reaction times, accuracy) and psychophysiological (skin conductance, pupil diameter) indeces. The results showed that it is possible to modulate arousal with bursts of tES, administered during the presentation of salient stimuli for the subject. This modulation resulted in a reduction of reaction times and an increase of the skin conductance response. These data support the possibility to use this protocol of stimulation with patients with attentional and other cognitive deficits in a rehabilitative context.

Proper neuronal function requires the preservation of appropriate neural excitability. An adaptive increase in neural excitability after exposure to agents that depress neuronal signaling blunts the sedative drug effects upon subsequent drug exposure. This adaptive response to drug exposure leads to changes in drug induced behaviors such as tolerance, withdrawal and addiction. Here I use Drosophila melanogaster to study the cellular and neuronal components which mediate behavioral tolerance to the anesthetic benzyl alcohol. I demonstrate that rapid tolerance to benzyl alcohol is a pharmacodynamic mechanism independent of drug metabolism. Furthermore, tolerance is a cell autonomous response which occurs in the absence of neural signaling. Using genetic and pharmacological manipulations I find the synapse to play an important role in the development of tolerance. In addition, the neural circuits that regulate arousal and sleep also alter benzyl alcohol sensitivity. Beyond previously described transcriptional mechanisms I find a post-translational role of the Ca2+-activated K+-channel, slowpoke in the development of tolerance. Finally, I explore a form of juvenile onset tolerance, which may have origins that differ from rapid tolerance. The implications of this study go beyond tolerance in Drosophila melanogaster to benzyl alcohol and can shed light on human drug tolerance, withdrawal and addiction. / text

Det outtalade – What is not uttered. The purpose of this study is to observe and analyze interaction between young children and between them and their educators focusing on power relations shown by non verbal communication. The study argues that such expressions can often lead to violations that can be more difficult to address than those outspoken. In our intents as educators to remediate unequal relationships between children and between them and their educators and create a positive social atmosphere in the school context, we need to pay attention to nonverbal interaction. We also need to develop an adequate set of vocabulary in order to be able to discuss what happens and our practice; how we ourselves as educators interact, dealing with it. The study suggests how to – by using a palette of definitions and concepts, collected from different theories. I have performed observations in an Elementary School class, year one and at their After-school programme and furthermore interviewed the educators and pupils participating in the study. The theoretical framework used in the analysis is a combination of positioning and social dramaturgical theory. I present and discuss the negative nonverbal communication that I identified in my observations using four theoretical perspectives, all contributing to shed light on different aspects of power relations and relational creating interaction. These four are: 1. Johnstone’s positioning theory regarding how all human beings engage in High/Low swings in interpersonal relationships (1985).  2. The non vocal aspects of Eile’s theory of The Master Suppression Techniques and their Counter-strategies (2015) based on Ås’ theory (1989). 3. The Sociological theory of Goffman’s The presentation of the Self in Everyday life, an interactionist/dramaturgical perspective (1959). 4. The Low Arousal Approach as presented by Heljskov Elfvén &amp; Wiman (2015). Among the results I found several occurrences of negative non verbal interaction in this First Grade Elementary class between pupils and educators and that the vocabulary of the used perspectives were applicable. The study’s result implies that awareness of non verbal communication can increase both children’s and educator’s available positions and repertoire of actions. / Studien syftar till att undersöka, lyfta fram och belysa tyst maktspel på lågstadiet. Studiens huvudsakliga syfte är att observera negativ icke verbal interaktion mellan barn sinsemellan och mellan pedagoger och barn med fokus på maktförhållanden. Ett andra syfte är att samla begrepp från olika teorier som belyser detta på olika sätt och på så vis presentera en vokabulär för att sätta ord på det outtalade, som kan vara användbar för pedagoger i förebyggande arbete mot kränkningar i skola och på fritidshem. Detta då det implicit uttryckta outtalade kan leda till kränkningar som ofta kan vara svårare att komma åt än sådana som bygger på det explicit uttalade. Jag har gjort observationer av en klass ett och deras tre pedagoger i olika situationer i skolan och på fritidshemmet. Observationer har oftast direkt följts upp med samtal om vad som hände. Empirin har så analyserats med utgångspunkt i positioneringsteori och det social-dramaturgiska perspektivet utifrån begrepp hämtade från fyra teorier av Eile (2015 – utifrån Ås, 1989), Goffman (1959), Johnstone (1985) samt Wiman &amp; Hejlskov Elfvén (2015) som alla på olika vis belyser kroppsspråk ur ett relationellt maktperspektiv. Två längre intervjuer har genomförts: inledningsvis med Eile, doktorand i pedagogik specialiserad på ickeverbal interaktion och avslutningsvis med två av klassens pedagoger som reflekterat kring de observationer som gjorts och hur de tolkas. Uppsatsens resultat visar att bruk av ickeverbala negativa signaler förekommer som maktspel redan på lågstadiet och implikerar att pedagogernas kunskaper om kroppsspråk och maktspel i form av hög- och lågstatusspel och Härskartekniker samt kännedom om strategier för att motverka negativa effekter av detta – som till exempel genom Motstrategier, Bekräftartekniker och Lågaffektivt bemötande – kan ha inverkan på hur dessa signaler påverkar klassen. Jag förordar därför vidare forskning på området och att pedagoger, i sitt arbete för jämbördiga relationer och för att skapa en positiv psykosocial skolmiljö, även bör uppmärksamma det outtalade. Mer kunskaper om de negativa ickeverbala signalerna och de metoder och den vokabulär som här lyfts fram för hur det kan motverkas tycks kunna användas som ett sätt att motverka mobbing i det tysta. Medvetenhet om dylikt ger fler möjliga sätt för barn och vuxna att förhålla sig till sin egen position i mötet med andra och därmed en större handlingsrepertoar. / <p>Examinator blev samma person; Adrian Ratkic, som var den första handledaren för denna uppsats, men då det var redan 2016 och uppsatsen sedan dess skrivits om och givits ny form osv så ansåg kursansvarige, Frans Hagerman, att det var i sin ordning. Efter att uppsatsen ventilerats första gången 2018 med examinatorn Liza Haglund som berömde intentionerna men saknade den stringens som bör känneteckna ett dylikt arbete, fick jag så värdefull handledning av henne som möjiggjorde presentationen av denna reviderade version 2019.</p>

本研究探討訓練情境中的情緒激發與知覺訓練難度對訓練成效之影響。本研究使用實驗法，採3（情緒激發：正向、負向、無激發）×2（知覺訓練難度：簡單與困難）完全受試者間設計，依變項為受訓者的自我效能、學習動機、訓練有用性與訓練學習結果。受試者為國立政治大學的127名大學生，受試者隨機分派到六種實驗情境之一，在實驗室中依序進行情緒激發作業、訓練作業，最後填寫研究問卷。本研究以變異數分析（ANOVA）與共變數分析（ANCOVA）（控制性別之影響）來檢驗情緒激發與知覺訓練難度對各依變項之影響。研究結果顯示情緒激發與知覺訓練難度之交互作用會影響受訓者的自我效能與學習動機。最後，本研究針對研究結果進行討論、並對研究限制、未來研究方向、理論與實務意涵加以闡述。 / This study focuses on the effect of emotional arousal and perceived training difficulty on training outcomes. A 3 (emotional arousal: positive, negative, control) x 2 (perceived training difficulty: easy, difficult) between-subject experimental design is used. The dependent variables are trainees’ self-efficacy, motivation to learn, utility judgment and learning outcome. Subjects (N=127) were randomly assigned to one of the six experimental situations and completed the emotional arousal task, training task, and research questionnaire in order. The researcher uses ANOVA and ANCOVA (controlling the gender effect) to examine the influence of emotional arousal and perceived training difficulty on each dependent variable separately. The results of the present study indicate that trainees’ self-efficacy and motivation to learn can be influenced by the interaction of emotion arousal and perceived training difficulty. At last, the results, limitation, further research directions and implications are discussed.

研究目的：在現今高壓力與忙碌的社會中，失眠是很常見的問題。在國外的失眠的相關調查結果顯示，失眠的盛行率會受對於失眠定義之嚴謹程度影響，而有大範圍的變異，其範圍約落在6~48%。當定義符合臨床上之診斷標準時，失眠盛行率約降至6~15%。因此，受失眠之苦的個體中，有一大部分可能未達診斷標準，而為暫時性或急性失眠之患者。然而過去的研究大多將重點聚焦在符合失眠疾患診斷的失眠族群上，針對剩下雖未符合失眠疾患診斷標準，但又飽受失眠症狀困擾之群體，卻是缺乏探討。此外，失眠的縱貫研究中也發現，暫時性失眠個體到最後會有一部份會發展成為慢性失眠。因此，針對這群為數不少，且容易經歷暫時性失眠之個體，若能更加了解其暫時性失眠發生的成因與相關機制，便能及早介入，協助個體不落入慢性失眠的惡性循環中。過去研究發現，暫時性失眠的發生，最常見的促發因素為壓力事件。Drake、Richardson、Roehrs、Scofield與Roth（2004）便發展出福特壓力失眠反應量表（Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test, FIRST）來測量個體特質上遭遇壓力情境的睡眠脆弱程度；且研究結果也發現個體身心激發程度是和睡眠脆弱特質息息相關的因素之一。由於過去在失眠的相關研究中，少有研究探討暫時性失眠的相關機制，因此，本研究從和暫時性失眠相關的壓力下睡眠脆弱特質出發，探討此脆弱特質與過度激發的關聯性，並欲探討其他會提升激發程度的相關認知與情緒因子，如：失功能信念、情緒反應性、反芻特質、情緒遲惰特質和此特質間的關係。本研究假設個體對於睡眠的失功能信念與對負向事件的情緒反應性可能會透過提高睡前身心的激發程度，而使個體容易經歷壓力下的急性失眠，增加睡眠的脆弱性；即睡前身心激發程度在睡眠的失功能信念與情緒反應性對睡眠脆弱性的關係間扮演一中介作用之角色。另外，也假設睡眠的失功能信念與情緒反應性與睡前身心激發程度間的關係，會分別受反芻特質與情緒遲惰特質調節，即具有高反芻特質與高情緒遲惰特質者，其睡眠的失功能信念與情緒反應性與睡前身心激發程度間的關係更強烈，因此在壓力下，其有較高的睡眠脆弱性，容易經歷暫時性失眠。 研究方法：本研究於大學中招募60位20~35歲之受試者（男：22位；女：38位），經晤談以確認受試者符合收案標準後，將請受試者填寫研究相關問卷（包含：壓力下失眠反應量表、反芻型反應風格短版量表、睡前激發程度量表、睡眠失功能信念及態度簡式量表、情緒反應量表、失眠嚴重度量表、貝克憂鬱量表第二版與貝克焦慮量表）；並在詳細解釋情緒經驗取樣流程後，請受試者回到日常生活環境中進行連續三天的情緒遲惰經驗取樣紀錄。 研究結果：根據執行檢驗中介效果步驟的階層迴歸與Sobel test的分析結果，睡前認知激發程度對擔憂的失功能信念與情緒持續性和睡眠脆弱性間的關係具中介的作用；即對睡眠有過度擔憂的失功能信念、情緒持續性較久皆可能會提高睡前認知激發程度而增加壓力下的睡眠脆弱性。其他失功能信念之向度，如：知覺失眠造成的影響、對睡眠的期待、藥物使用，以及情緒反應性之其他向度，如：情緒敏感度與情緒激發度對睡前認知過度激發狀態無顯著的預測力。另外，根據執行檢驗調節效果步驟的階層迴歸分析結果，反芻特質與情緒遲惰特質分別在失功能信念與情緒反應性對認知激發程度的關係上，皆未有顯著的調節效果。 研究結論：研究結果部分支持身心激發程度為對睡眠的失功能信念與情緒反應性影響壓力下睡眠脆弱性的中介因子之假設。本研究發現過度擔憂睡眠的信念以及情緒持續度較久這兩個因子會分別獨立地提高睡前認知激發程度，顯示睡前認知激發程度分別受認知與情緒因素影響；且相較與睡前的生理激發狀態，睡前的認知激發對於壓力下的失眠反應之影響具有顯著的預測力，顯示認知激發在失眠的前置因子中可能扮演較重要的角色。另外，反芻特質與情緒遲惰特質分別在失功能信念與情緒反應性對認知激發程度的關係上，皆未有顯著的調節效果，此部份不符合研究預期。基於本研究結果，在臨床上對於容易經歷失眠之個體，若能及早調整對於睡眠的擔憂相關的信念，並學習有效調節情緒的方式，皆可有效降低個體睡前的認知激發活動，減少失眠的發生率與改善失眠症狀，避免使其落入失眠慢性化的惡性循環中。

<p>Experiment One: The Effect of Noise on Autonomic Arousal</p><p><br></p><p>In response to the growing demand for research that helps us understand the complex interactions between Autonomic Arousal (AA) on behavior and performance there is an increasing need for robust techniques to efficiently utilize stimuli, such as sound, to vary the level of AA within a study. The goal of this study was to look at the impact of several factors, including sound intensity, order of presentation, and direction of presentation on skin conductance level, a widely utilized technique for approximating levels of AA. To do this we had 34 young adults ages 18- 34 listen to a series of 2-minute blocks of a sound stimuli based off a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC). Blocks included 5 single intensity conditions each block differing in 10 dBA steps ranging from 35-75 dBA. We presented blocks in both rising and falling level of intensity, with half the participants hearing them in a rising order first and half in a falling order first. The evidence found by this study suggests that increasing the sound level plays an important role in increasing AA and habituation is an extremely important factor that must be accounted for as it, in the case of typical young adults, quickly dampens the response to stimuli and subsequent stimuli. These findings suggest that researchers can best efficiently maximize the range of AA they can use while keeping their participants comfortable by starting out with the most intense stimuli and proceeding to the less intense stimuli, working with habitation instead of against it.</p><p> </p><p><br></p><p> Experiment Two: The Effect of Autonomic Arousal on Visual Attention</p><p><br></p><p>The goal of this study was to better understand how various levels of autonomic arousal impact different components of attentional control and if ASD-related traits indexed by Autism Quotient scores (AQ) might relate to alterations in this relationship. This study had 41 young adult participants (23 women, 17 men, 1 prefer not to say), ages ranging from 18 to 38 years old. Participants listened to varying levels of noise to induce changes in AA, which were recorded as changes in skin conductance level (SCL). To evaluate attentional control, participants preformed pro and anti-saccade visual gap–overlap paradigm tasks as measures of attentional control. The findings of this study suggest that increased levels of autonomic arousal are helpful for improving performance on anti-saccade tasks, which are heavily dependent on top-down attentional control. Additionally, increases in AQ scores were related to having less of a benefit from increasing levels of arousal on anti-saccade tasks. Additional interactions were also found and are discussed in this paper.</p>