The present study investigated the extent to which right and left hemisphere stroke patients, within an acute care rehabilitation unit, differ in neuropsychological symptomatology as reported on a self-report instrument.The subjects were 90 patients admitted to an acute care rehabilitation unit within a midwestern hospital. Two groups of 30 were obtained on the basis of stroke location, either right or left hemisphere. In addition, a group of 30 orthopedic patients were selected to serve as a comparison group.Data was collected using the Neuropsychological Symptom Inventory (Rattan, Dean & Rattan, 1989). A discriminant analysis revealed two discriminant functions which were used to classify group membership. Slightly more than 86% of both left hemisphere stroke patients and orthopedic patients were correctly classified. However, only 46% of right hemisphere stroke patients were accurately predicted. The results clearly support the ability to differentiate the groups and suggest a homogeneous character of the left hemisphere stroke and orthopedic groups. The right hemisphere group appears heterogeneous in make-up. Further statistical analysis revealed no significant difference (a<.05) between stroke groups when examining a factor related to emotional/depression symptoms. However, when stroke patients were compared to orthopedic patients on this factor, a high degree of significance was revealed (p<.001).These results suggest that right hemisphere patients cannot be treated as if they make up a single disorder group within the rehabilitation setting. The use of a self-report measure may prove beneficial with this group is assessing the level of neuropsychological impairment and to make modifications in treatment planning. Additionally, the existence of depression within the stroke group suggest that rehabilitation should focus more on these reactions within the first few weeks post-stroke. / Department of Educational Psychology

The present study investigated hemispheric lateralization and the use of serial versus global processing of facial stimuli in a recognition task. The subjects were 19 male and 29 female undergraduate students. Identi-Kit faces which varied on four features (hair, eyes, mouth, and chin) were tachistoscopically presented. The accuracy of the subjects' responses were recorded. Analyses of variance suggested that subjects did not differ in use of inner or outer details, but did differ in use of upper and lower details. The data suggested a top-to-bottom order of processing for stimuli presented in both visual fields, with the most accurate recognition based on the hair, eyes, mouth, and chin, in that order.

The current study utilized a priming paradigm in conjunction with a visual halffield presentation to determine if the right hemisphere contributes to pragmatic processing. Primes included conversational dialogues that either performed a speech act or did not. The targets identified the speech act and were presented to one of the two visual fields (lvf-RH or rvf-LH). It was hypothesized that the right visual field-left hemisphere (rvf-LH) would be more accurate and faster at identifying targets regardless of the script type that preceded it and the left visual field-right hemisphere (lvf-RH) would be significantly more accurate and faster at identifying targets when preceded by a script that performed the identified speech act. Results indicated that the lvf-RH was more accurate and faster at identifying a target regardless of the type of script that preceded it, while the rvf-LH was differentially affected by the type of script. / Department of Psychological Science

Previous research into everyday conception of personal relationships has been sparse and fragmented, and the various specialisms fail to deal with the broader issue of interpersonal understanding. Following review of the research and theoretical background, with particular reference to changing paradigms, a holistic approach is proposed for an exploration linking the content of explanation and reflection about relationships with the incidence of conceptualising. The methodology, employing content analysis, illustrative studies and a musical analogue, is outlined. Initially focusing on verbalised conception in the form of accounts, a procedure of 'simulated correspondence with a confidant' was employed to facilitate unrestricted disclosures in general descriptions of relationships. Three coding schemes were devised for content analysis of accounts (and for independent use in subsequent research). These pertained to: (1) specific concepts and themes; (2) explanation of interpersonal effect and significance; and (3) intersubjectivity in accounts. Overall indications from the content analyses are that accounts are characterised by superficiality of detail and insight, and concentrate more on basic viability, and on social and visible aspects of personal relationships than on intimate and psychological aspects. The limitations of content analysis, and the deficiencies disclosed, suggest attention should be given to omission in content as much as inclusion, and also to the prior issues of motivation and the extent of relationship "mindfulness". A musical analogy (with particular reference to representation, knowledge and appreciation) is employed to advance the exploration beyond the linguistic aspects of conception to a more general model of relationship awareness. A second set of studies turn to (1) the frequency and occasioning of reflection on relationships; (2) reappraisal over time; (3) interest in relationships compared with other subjects of general interest; and (4) factors which disincline conscious relationship deliberation and analysis. There are indications throughout of a sex difference, with men as less reflective, less inclined to participate in providing accounts, and less interested in personal relationships. Disincentives are suggested, and a theory of 'relationship mindlessness' is discussed, connecting impoverishment of content and incidence with the late emergence of 'personal relationships' as a subject of formal scholarly enquiry in psychology. It is proposed that such mindlessness, and associated disincentives, are implicated in relationship problems, and that extension of relationship education, knowledge and interest are indicated. The practicalities and possible form of learning about relationships and consciousness-raising were explored in a trial relationship understanding course. Counter-indicat ions for such consciousness-raising were evaluated by analogy with music appreciation.

This doctoral work consists of several studies that investigated the relationship between language lateralization and structural asymmetries found in auditory and language-related regions of the human brain. Language lateralization was determined via the intracarotid Sodium Amytal procedure in epilepsy patients. In study 1, three groups of patients were investigated: a left speech group (LSG); a right speech group (RSG); and a bilateral speech group (BSG). Two auditory cortex regions: Heschl's gyrus (HG) and the planum temporale (PT) were labelled on the magnetic resonance imaging scan of each subject. Additionally, an automatic voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis was performed. The overall findings suggested that the structural asymmetries found in the auditory regions did not clearly and directly relate to language lateralization. The VBM analysis, however, revealed a grey matter concentration difference in the region of Broca's area favoring the left hemisphere (LH) in the LSG, and the right hemisphere (RH) in the RSG. That structural difference did relate to language lateralization and was further investigated in studies 2 and 3. Previously collected positron emission tomography data were examined in these two studies. Three regions of interest (ROI) analyses and one group average analysis were performed. Activation related to various speech tasks was examined. The ROI analyses revealed a significant activation difference favoring the LH for two targeted speech-task subtractions but only for the LSG. The group analysis, in contrast, revealed that the LSG showed a functional asymmetry favoring the LH, and that the RSG showed a functional asymmetry favoring the RH. Overall, the present results provided only partial evidence for a relationship existing between structural asymmetry in Broca's area and language lateralization. The structural asymmetries found in HG and the PT, in contrast, did not clearly and directly relate to language

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Melbourne, 1997. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 533-565).

Thesis (PhD) - Swinburne University of Technology, Brain Sciences Institute, 2006. / Typescript. [A thesis submitted for requirements of the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy, Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, Brain Sciences Institute, Swinburne University of Technology - 2006]. Includes bibliographical references (p. 234-270).

Thesis (doctoral)--Lund University, 1998. / Added t.p. with thesis statement inserted. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, and San Diego State University, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 149-164).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1975. / Title from title page screen, viewed Nov. 16, 2004. Dissertation Committee: Max R. Rennels (chair), Frances Anderson, Richard Salome, Macon Williams, Eugene Fitzpatrick. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-67) and abstract. Also available in print.