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In infancy, the ability to tell the difference between two faces within a category (e.g., species, race) that is infrequently experienced declines from 6 to 9 months of age (Kelly et al., 2009, 2007; Pascalis et al., 2005; Pascalis, de Haan, & Nelson, 2002; Scott & Monesson, 2009). This decline in the ability to distinguish faces is known as "perceptual narrowing" and has recently been found to be absent when infants are given experience matching a face with an individual-level proper name between 6 to 9 months of age (Scott & Monesson, 2009). Additionally, individual-level experience between 6 and 9 months of age has led to neural changes at 9 months of age (Scott & Monesson, 2010). It is currently unclear whether brief, early experience between 6 and 9 months leads to sustained behavioral advantages and lasting neural changes. In order to answer these questions, the current study recruited and tested children who previously participated in a face training study when they were infants (Scott & Monesson, 2009, 2010). Findings revealed that individual-level experience with faces during the first year of life: 1) resulted in faster reaction time for faces outside of the trained category, and 2) led to more adult-like neural representations of faces outside of the trained category 3-4 years later. These results suggest that experience with individual-level learning in the first year of life is generalized to visually similar, but environmentally relevant face categories.

Executive functions (EFs) are foundational skills that predict academic success and develop rapidly between 3-6 years of age. By kindergarten entry, low socioeconomic status (SES) children have worse EF compared to their high SES peers. However, the nature and origins of these emerging performance gaps have not been systematically assessed. Further, little is known about the neural underpinnings of behavioral EF differences. This project assessed behavioral and neural EF measures in a socioeconomically diverse sample of children aged 4.5 to 5.5 years (N=121). The aims were to examine (1) how SES relates to multiple dimensions of EF, (2) contextual factors that may buffer EF from the impact of SES, and (3) how SES relates to neural EF processing. In study 1, I hypothesized that lower SES children would have worse EF; would especially struggle on harder working memory trials; and would show a steeper decline in performance over time compared to higher SES peers. As hypothesized, lower SES related to overall poorer EF (inhibitory control and working memory tasks). Contrary to expectations, there were no SES differences on holding two items in working memory, but lower SES children had poorer accuracy than higher SES peers when asked to remember just one item. Further, all children’s accuracy declined over time, regardless of SES. Study 2 used a bioecological approach to assess factors that may buffer children from adverse consequences of SES on EF. As hypothesized, results suggest that neighborhood quality has a buffering effect, as there was no relation between SES and child EF in low chaos neighborhoods. In high chaos neighborhoods, lower SES related to poorer EF. Study 3 examined how specific aspects of SES related to electrophysiological EF processing. As hypothesized, on an inhibitory control task, higher household income related to larger P3b amplitudes, indexing inhibition and attention allocation processes. This suggests that children from higher income families may show more mature neural processing. Unexpectedly, parent education did not relate to P3b amplitudes. Taken together, results highlight the importance of using multi- method approaches at different levels of analysis to tease apart the complexity of SES-EF relations in early childhood.

Over the last 30 or more years evidence has accumulated in favour of the view that memory is not a unitary faculty; rather, it can be subdivided into a num- ber of functionally independent subsystems. Whilst dividing memory phenomena into these distinct subsystems has undoubtedly advanced our understanding of memory as a whole, the approach of studying subsystems in isolation fails to address potential interactions between them. Over the last few decades there has been a gradual increase in the number of studies attempting to move be- yond dissociation by characterising functional interactions between subsystems of memory. The main aim of this thesis was to contribute to this endeavour, by examining interactions between two specific subsystems that are positioned on opposite sides of the declarative and non-declarative divide in long-term mem- ory: priming and episodic recognition. Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) were employed to monitor neural markers of repetition priming and episodic memory during recognition tests with masked priming of test cues. In the standard pro- cedure, half of the studied and unstudied test trials began with a brief (48ms) masked repetition of the to-be-recognized word prior to the onset of test items; the remaining unprimed trials were preceded by the word “blank”. The pattern of priming effects across experiments was reasonably consistent, with differences between experiments directly related to the intended manipulations. In contrast to priming effects, the pattern of memory effects was variable across experiments, demonstrating that the engagement of explicit recognition signals is influenced by the outcome of implicit processing, and suggesting that interactions between priming and explicit retrieval processes do occur. Taken together, results from experiments reported in this thesis indicate (1) that under certain circumstances, priming is sufficient to support accurate recognition and does not necessitate changes in memory performance, (2) that mid-frontal old/new effects indexing familiarity are not merely driven by repeated access to semantic information, and (3) that priming influences neural correlates of recollection by speeding their onset. Overall, the data clearly demonstrate that there are multiple potentially interacting routes to recognition.

Τα τελευταία χρόνια, το πρόβλημα της απόκτησης και χρήσης ενός συστήματος ηλεκτροεγκεφαλογραφίας λόγω του υψηλού κόστους του έχει υπερπηδηθεί με την κυκλοφορία πολλών εναλλακτικών συστημάτων λιγότερων δαπανηρών. Το πιο εξελιγμένο από αυτά του μικρού κόστους συστήματα είναι το Emotiv Epoc. Ένα επιπλέον πλεονέκτημα του Emotiv Epoc έναντι των συμβατικών συστημάτων ηλεκτροεγκεφαλογραφίας αποτελεί το γεγονός ότι είναι ασύρματο. Το γεγονός αυτό ανοίγει καινοτόμες οδούς στο πεδίο το νευροεπιστημών αφού δύναται η εκτέλεση πειραμάτων ευρέων εφαρμογών όπως π.χ. λήψη ηλεκτροεγκεφαλικών μετρήσεων εν κινήσει. Μια τέτοια εφαρμογή μπορεί επίσης να αποτελεί και η εκτέλεση πειραμάτων σε μικρά παιδιά στα οποία η καλωδίωση μπορεί να καταστεί πολύ δύσκολη. Με βάση λοιπόν τα παραπάνω, ένα τέτοιο σύστημα θα μπορούσε να χρησιμοποιηθεί με επιτυχία σε παιδία για έγκαιρη διάγνωση της δυσλεξίας η οποία κρίνεται επιβεβλημένη σε πολύ μικρές ηλικίες .Μειονέκτημα όμως ενός τέτοιου ασύρματου συστήματος θα μπορούσε να υποθέσει κανείς ότι είναι η αυξημένη παρουσία θορύβου. Ο θόρυβος αυτός θα μπορούσε να πηγάζει τόσο κατασκευαστικά ( αφού η πληροφορία καταγράφεται ασύρματα ) όσο και λόγω του γεγονότος ότι τέτοιου είδους πειράματα δεν λαμβάνουν χώρα σε μονωμένο ηλεκτρομαγνητικά περιβάλλον. Επιπρόσθετα, οι ηλεκτρονικοί υπολογιστές είναι απαραίτητοι προκειμένου να σχεδιαστεί και να εκτελεστεί ένα οποιοδήποτε πείραμα προκλητών δυναμικών και η αξιοπιστία τους ως ένα μεγάλο βαθμό εξαρτάται από αυτούς. Παρόλα αυτά, η πλειοψηφία των ηλεκτρονικών υπολογιστών λόγω του ότι η χρήση τους βρίσκει εφαρμογή σε μια πληθώρα εφαρμογών δεν καθίσταται δυνατό να παρέχει την χρονική ακρίβεια η οποία είναι απαραίτητη σε τέτοιου είδους πειράματα. Σκοπός της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι η διερεύνηση του κατά πόσο ένα τέτοιο σύστημα ασύρματης ηλεκτροεγκεφαλογραφίας όπως το Emotiv Epoc σε συνδυασμό με τους ηλεκτρονικούς υπολογιστές τους οποίους έχουμε στην διάθεση μας, μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί σε πειράματα προκλητών δυναμικών σε άτομα με δυσλεξία για την ανάκτηση μετρήσεων μεγάλης ακρίβειας. / In recent years, the low-cost wireless EEG systems have become available, spurred by applications in the game industry. These systems offer a wider and more innovative range of options, for example EEG recordings while in motion and are easier to use so they are suitable for children and special populations. For example such systems can in principle be used for mass screening for early diagnosis of dyslexia, an application of tremendous importance for the individual and society. One of the most advanced such systems is the Emotiv Epoc. The wider and more innovative range of options that EEG systems like the Emotiv Epoc provide cannot however be applied to neuroscience experiments, before some technical limitations are overcome. One such drawback is the higher noise levels compared to clinical devices. The source of the noise could be a manufacturing issue (since the data are recorded wirelessly) or the fact that such experiments do not take place in an environment properly insulated from electromagnetic noise. Moreover, computers are necessary in order to design and execute a protocol for evoked response potentials (ERPs) experiments and the precision of the measurements and specifically issues of timing control depend critically on the computer hardware and software. In clinical and research systems specialized software and hardware for this purpose are available and they are the product of decades of highly specialized work. Very few such software exist today for research and clinical applications with wireless EEG systems in general although some simple tools are beginning to appear. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether a wireless EEG system like the Emotiv Epoc can be used with general-purpose computers to retrieve and record precise measurements in order to successfully conduct ERP experiments in general, focusing for the sake of an explicit example to an application for dyslexia, that is of interest to the host laboratory today.

Il presente lavoro di tesi intende approfondire lo studio di fenomeni comunicativi complessi all’interno del paradigma neuropragmatico. Attraverso l’integrazione di misure psicometriche, comportamentali, neuropsicologiche e psicofisiologiche, sono indagati i processi cognitivi ed emotivi alla base della comprensione della comunicazione ironica. Tre studi ERPs sono stati condotti focalizzando di volta in volta sulla dimensione linguistica (studio 1) e sullo script del fenomeno ironico, con particolare riferimento alla dimensione mimica e prosodica (studio 2) e alle modalità comunicative, visiva e uditiva (studio 3). I processi emotivi implicati nell'elaborazione di enunciati ironici sono ulteriormente esplorati in due studi comportamentali miranti ad esplorare le reazioni emotive in situazioni ironiche (studio 4) e la comprensione dell’ironia in un campione clinico (alcolisti cronici), con particolare riferimento ai deficit di teoria della mente ed empatia (studio 5). / The present dissertation aims to investigate complex communicative phenomena within the frame of neuropragmatics. Through the integration of psychometric, behavioural, neuropsychological and psychophysiological measures, cognitive and emotional processes underlying irony comprehension are examined. In three ERPs studies, ironic decoding has been investigated with particular reference to its linguistic dimension (Experiment 1), to ironic scripts, focusing specifically on mimic and prosodic components (Experiment 2), and to communicative modalities (visual vs. auditory) (Experiment 3). Emotional processes involved in ironic sentences comprehension have been further explored in two behavioural studies, which focused specifically on emotional reactions to verbal irony (Experiment 4) and irony comprehension in a clinical sample (chronic alcoholics), with particular reference to theory of mind and empathy deficits (Experiment 5).

Cette thèse examine les indices comportementaux et neurophysiologiques reflétant le traitement des visages émotionnels. L’étude de ces indices chez l’adulte et l’enfant ayant bénéficié d’un développement ordinaire conduit à l’élaboration d’un modèle proposant l’intervention séquentielle de différents traitements (analytique, holistique, configural) selon un décours temporel particulier (100ms, 170ms, 220ms). La N170 semble dépendante des capacités émotionnelles des sujets, et son développement serait lié à la maturation de l’exploration visuelle des visages, en lien avec le développement d’une expertise. Les dysfonctionnements de ces indices sont ensuite appréhendés chez des enfants atteints d’autisme. Les résultats suggèrent que les troubles de la perception des émotions faciales puissent trouver leur origine dans un dysfonctionnement majeur des premières étapes sensorielles, limitant l’expérience et donc l’expertise pour les visages. L’observation longitudinale de ces indices au cours d’une Thérapie d’Echange et de Développement confirme l’efficacité des soins non seulement d’un point de vue clinique mais aussi neurophysiologique. / This work investigates the behavioral and neurophysiological indices involved in emotional face processing.The study of these indices in healthy adults and typically developing children allows to elaborate a model proposing that different mechanisms (analytic, holistic and configural) succeed one another in a specific timing (100ms, 170ms, 220ms). The N170 seems to be sensitive to the subject’s emotional skills, and its development is linked to the maturation of visual face exploration, related to the acquisition of expertise.The dysfunctions of these indices are then investigated in children with autism. The results suggest that the default of the emotional faces perception could start from atypicalities in visual perceptual processes, affecting the experience and then the expertise for faces. The longitudinal observation of these indices during Exchange and Developmental Therapy confirms both clinical and neurophysiological efficiency of the care.

La mémoire prospective (MP) est la capacité de se souvenir d’exécuter une action dans le futur. La MP se distingue de la mémoire rétrospective (MR) notamment par le fait que la récupération du souvenir doit être auto-initiée alors qu’on est occupé par une autre tâche. L’objectif principal de cette thèse est de mieux comprendre la communauté et la spécificité des processus mnésiques et de contrôle impliqués dans les situations de MP par rapport aux situations de MR comme une tâche de reconnaissance. La démarche est d’imbriquer une action planifiée dans des tâches dont la demande mnésique et la difficulté sont contrôlées. Nous étudions ainsi l’interférence réciproque entre la MP et la MR. Nous étudions également les stratégies de maintien en fonction de la présence ou non d’un indice d’exécution. Les données comportementales montrent que l’action est exécutée plus rapidement sans indice d’exécution qu’avec indice, ce qui suggère un maintien actif sans indice. La MR interfère avec les performances de MP. Les mesures du modèle DPSD de la MR montrent qu’imbriquer une action planifiée dans une tâche de reconnaissance module le contrôle de la décision de reconnaissance et que le maintien actif interfère avec la familiarité. Enfin les résultats électrophysiologiques montrent une positivité pariétale modulée à la fois par la récupération d’une action planifiée et par une tâche classique de reconnaissance. Ces résultats suggèrent 1) une communauté des processus mnésiques en MP et en MR, mais 2) qu’être dans un mode de fonctionnement plus contrôlé est une spécificité de la MP, et que 3) le maintien actif est une caractéristique importante de la MP. / Prospective memory (PM) refers to the ability to remember to perform an action at some point in the future. Prospective memory is distinct from retrospective memory (RM) particularly because retrieval of the memory must be self-initiated while being engaged in an ongoing task. The main goal of this thesis was to better understand shared and specific memory and control processes involved in PM situations compared to RM situations (e.g., a recognition task). Our approach was to use tasks whose memory demand and difficulty were controlled and in which an intended action was embodied. This allows to study the mutual interference between PM and RM. We also studied maintenance strategies while manipulating the presence of an execution cue. Behavioural data showed that execution of the intended action was faster without than with a cue: this suggests active maintenance without an execution cue. RM interferes with PM performance. Measurements of the DPSD model showed that the embodiment of an intended action in a recognition task influences the control of the recognition decision, and that active maintenance interferes with familiarity. Finally, electrophysiological data show a parietal positivity modulated by the retrieval of an intended action and by a recognition task. These results support the idea that 1) PM and RM share common memory processes, but 2) that PM specifically forces a more controlled operating mode, and that 3) active maintenance is an important characteristic of PM.

Plannings systems which can be considered as modules of an Enterprise Resource Planning system play a vital role in different types of organizations. The effects of the planning systems towards the Management Control Systems and organizational performance are less investigated in the context of not-for-profit/service providing organizations. This study sheds light on the effects of the planning systems on informal management controls and non-financial organizational performance by investigating the Swedish university sector through a case study performed at the Royal Institute of technology where the data were gathered using semi-structured interviews from different administrators using the planning systems. The study presents the effects of ten planning systems towards personnel controls, cultural controls and planning & decision making controls. It further examines how the planning systems affect the personnel development, workplace relationships, employee satisfaction and other type of organizational performance measures. In this endeavour, the results of this study shows how the personnel controls affects the personnel development, cultural controls affects the workplace relationships and planning & decision making controls affects the employee satisfaction, all in the light of different planning systems. Furthermore, it was also found out how different planning systems affect different organizational performance measures, namely, quality and efficiency of processes, quality of staff, employee health & safety, gender equality, premises and infrastructure, student attractiveness, quality assurance, research & education and external professional relationships. Finally this study generalizes the results found through investigating each planning system, which can be applied to the university sector/not-for-profit organizational sector in Sweden. / ME200X

Dyslexic and control first-grade school children were compared in a Symbol-to-Sound matching test based on a non-linguistic audiovisual training which is known to have a remediating effect on dyslexia. Visual symbol patterns had to be matched with predicted sound patterns. Sounds incongruent with the corresponding visual symbol (thus not matching the prediction) elicited the N2b and P3a event-related potential (ERP) components relative to congruent sounds in control children. Their ERPs resembled the ERP effects previously reported for healthy adults with this paradigm. In dyslexic children, N2b onset latency was delayed and its amplitude significantly reduced over left hemisphere whereas P3a was absent. Moreover, N2b amplitudes significantly correlated with the reading skills. ERPs to sound changes in a control condition were unaffected. In addition, correctly predicted sounds, that is, sounds that are congruent with the visual symbol, elicited an early induced auditory gamma band response (GBR) reflecting synchronization of brain activity in normal-reading children as previously observed in healthy adults. However, dyslexic children showed no GBR. This indicates that visual symbolic and auditory sensory information are not integrated into a unitary audiovisual object representation in them. Finally, incongruent sounds were followed by a later desynchronization of brain activity in the gamma band in both groups. This desynchronization was significantly larger in dyslexic children. Although both groups accomplished the task successfully remarkable group differences in brain responses suggest that normal-reading children and dyslexic children recruit (partly) different brain mechanisms when solving the task. We propose that abnormal ERPs and GBRs in dyslexic readers indicate a deficit resulting in a widespread impairment in processing and integrating auditory and visual information and contributing to the reading impairment in dyslexia.