Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:41:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Camila Campanha.pdf: 2524288 bytes, checksum: 55de5a887b8f719667a31b6b080b9b55 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-06-16 / Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa / Because we live in society, constantly choices are relate not only our personal interest. Recent study (CAMPANHÃ et a, 2011) was verify that he participants realize your friends as more fair than an unknown, showing a unreleased information in the social decision making studies. Preview studies demonstrated the relation between an event-related potential, the Medial Frontal Negativity (MFN), in the unfair offers to unknown proposers, however not by friends. Beside this, the sLORETA analysis revealed a significant difference in the medial prefrontal cortex region - related to empathy and metallization - in the unknown condition when compared the unfair offers with the fair offers, however, not in the friend condition. The difference in the unfair perception related to the proposer introduces a new question about the widely accept altruistic punishment concept. Therefore, the present study aimed (i) to investigate the empathy and gender impact as modulators factors in the Ultimatum Game (UG) when the interaction is with a trustworthy person (friend) and an unknown; (ii) to investigate the behavior characterized as altruistic punishment in the adapted UG in two different interaction context. Thus, was realized two experiments. The first one, similar the anterior one, the participants played the UG with a friend and an unknown. Therefore, we controlled the empathy level (low and high) and gender. In the second experiment, beside the gender and empathy level control, the participants had to decide whether accept or reject the share proposals the R$120,00 reias between three persons: the proposer, the participant and a third person ( dummy ), that was a friend and a unknown in the first part of the game. In the second part of the game, the participants only decide whether accept or reject in the place of the friend and an unknown and don´t had any earnings and any loss involved. As results, was observed large rate of rejection the unfair offers proposed by an unknown than by the friend. The friend was judged as more fair. Also, was observed that the men reject more offers made by an unknown. The participants with high level of empathy rejected more unfair offers that was made by an unknown and presented the MFN amplitude more negative for unknown proposer and more positive for friend proposer. The men with high level of empathy presented the MFN amplitude more negative for the unknown. In the second experiment, the participants rejected more unfair proposals for both kind of third part. The MFN amplitude was more negative when the proposals were unfair for both (the participant and the third part). As well as women and for high empathy level participants. In the second part of the experiment two, the participants benefited more the friend. The MFN amplitude was more negative for the men in the interaction unknown proposing to the friend. The women presented more large P3 amplitude in the interaction unknown proposing to the friend. Taken together, the results suggest that the empathy and gender impact when a friend is involved. Beside this, the personal gains and losses involvement also was an important factor in the fairness perception. The present study corroborates with preview studies that showed the fairness perception modulated the trust and that he empathy and gender are factors with more or less impact in different context. / Por vivermos em sociedade, constantes escolhas estão relacionadas não somente aos nossos interesses pessoais. A diferença na percepção de injustiça em função da Amizade em estudos utilizando o jogo Ultimatum Game (UG) introduz uma nova questão com relação ao conceito amplamente aceito de punição altruística. Dessa forma, a punição altruísta e o impacto dos fatores gênero e nível de empatia como moduladores da percepção de injustiça precisam ser investigadas nas relações interpessoais. Nesse sentido, o presente estudo teve como objetivo (i) investigar o impacto da empatia e do gênero como fatores moduladores do comportamento na tarefa Ultimatum Game (UG) na interação com uma pessoa de confiança (um amigo) e um desconhecido; (ii) investigar o comportamento caracterizado como punição altruísta no UG adaptado em dois contextos diferentes de interação (com ou sem custos pessoais envolvidos). Para isso, foi realizado 2 experimentos. O experimento 1, semelhante ao estudo anterior, os participantes jogaram o UG com o amigo e um desconhecido como os propositores. Mas com o controle de nível de empatia (alto e baixo) e gênero. No experimento 2, além do controle do gênero e do nível de empatia, os participantes tinham que decidir se aceitavam ou rejeitavam propostas de divisão de R$120,00 entre três pessoas: o propositor, o participante e um terceiro ( dummy ) que parte do jogo foi o amigo e outra parte do jogo um desconhecido, na primeira parte do jogo. Na segunda parte, os participantes apenas decidiam se aceitavam ou rejeitavam no lugar do amigo ou de desconhecidos não tendo ganhos e nem perdas envolvidos. Como resultados, foi observado maior taxa de rejeite de propostas injustas realizadas pelo desconhecido do que pelo amigo e estes foram julgados como mais justos. Também foi observado que homens rejeitaram mais propostas realizadas por um desconhecido e os participantes com alto nível de empatia rejeitaram mais propostas realizadas por um desconhecido. Em relação aos potenciais cognitivos, os participantes com alto nível de empatia apresentaram a amplitude do MFN mais negativa para o desconhecido e amplitude positiva para o amigo. Homens com alto nível de empatia apresentaram amplitude mais negativa do MFN para o desconhecido. Já no segundo experimento os participantes rejeitaram mais propostas injustas para ambos. A amplitude do MFN foi mais negativa quando as propostas foram injustas para ambos, assim como para as Mulheres e para as pessoas com alto nível de empatia. Na segunda parte do experimento 2 os participantes beneficiaram mais o amigo. A amplitude do MFN foi mais negativa para homens na interação desconhecido propondo para o amigo. As mulheres apresentaram maior amplitude do P300 na interação desconhecido propondo para o amigo. Tais resultados apontam para o impacto da empatia e do gênero quando o amigo está envolvido. Além disso, o envolvimento pessoal de ganhos e perdas também foi um fator importante na percepção de justiça. O presente estudo corrobora com estudos prévios de que a confiança modula a percepção de justiça e que a empatia e o gênero são fatores com maior ou menor impacto dependendo do contexto e do grau de confiança para com o outro.

Tendo em vista que os textos jornalísticos de vulgarização científica são predominantemente argumentativos, o estudo da argumentação presente neles permite elucidar algumas características de seu funcionamento textual. A análise proposta aqui privilegia o exame de dois de seus componentes centrais, considerados fundadores de sua configuração argumentativa típica: os lugares-comuns e os percursos argumentativos. Os primeiros referem-se a idéias ou modos de raciocínio socialmente aceitos e tidos como válidos independentemente de comprovação, constituindo objetos de acordo primários, com base nos quais a arguimentação se torna possível. Os segundos dizem respeito à forma como os lugares se encadeiam e sucedem no interior de um quadro argumentativo, dando forma à macroestrutura argumentativa dos textos de vulgarização científica. A análise procura demonstrar que a formulação da questão argumentativa e a escolha dos lugares-comuns determinam a forma assumida pelos percursos geradores da estrutura argumentativa e que, nos textos jornalísticos de vulgarização científica, essa estrutura tem configuração em forma de labirinto. Para tanto, o estudo se divide em três partes: na primeira, analisa-se a noção de vulgarização científica e se procura entender como pode os chamados textos de vulgarização podem se constituir como objetos analisáveis. Na segunda, busca-se um modelo analítico capaz de levar à compreensão do funcionamento dos textos de vulgarização. Na terceira, discute-se o papel dos lugares-comuns nos percursos argumentativos analisados. / The study of argumentation in popular scientific texts allows one to identify certain characteristics concerning their textual operation. An analysis of the argumentative structure of texts, in particular of those found in specialist scientific publications, shows two components essential to this type of text: the topoi (both commonplace and specialist) and the sequence of arguments. The topoi, be they true, plausible or generally accepted ideas, are at the heart of any argumentation, and it is on the basis of the topoi that the proponent constructs his persuasive reasoning. The sequence of arguments constitutes the manner in which the topoï are connected and follow one another within the argumentative structure. It brings together the discursive competence (which can be sometimes linguistic, rhetorical, logical or encyclopaedic) as well as the emotions of the advocate. In this way, the topoi give form to the micro/macrostructures arguments of the aforesaid published texts. The analysis is made starting from the components of enunciation theory, pragmatism and rhetoric and makes it possible to show that the choice of the topoi by the proponent or presenter determines the configuration or labyrintic of the arguments as presented in the text.

Submitted by Geandra Rodrigues (geandrar@gmail.com) on 2018-03-27T19:30:49Z No. of bitstreams: 1 alexandercangussusilva.pdf: 2669275 bytes, checksum: 659ad4dbb07cc5e37dfaffe5080d177e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2018-03-28T16:22:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 alexandercangussusilva.pdf: 2669275 bytes, checksum: 659ad4dbb07cc5e37dfaffe5080d177e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-03-28T16:22:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 alexandercangussusilva.pdf: 2669275 bytes, checksum: 659ad4dbb07cc5e37dfaffe5080d177e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-12-12 / A relevância das questões envolvendo saúde mental e bem estar dos estudantes de medicina têm sido amplamente discutida nas últimas décadas, podendo influenciar na própria empatia e na relação médico-paciente. Nesse contexto, estudos vêm mostrando que existem diferenças biológicas e comportamentais entre os gêneros para determinados comportamentos. Apesar disso, essa questão ainda é pouco discutida na área de educação médica e pouco se sabe sobre a influência do gênero na saúde mental e empatia nas diferentes fases da formação médica. Objetivos: O objetivo primário do estudo é investigar se existem diferenças em relação ao gênero quanto a empatia, burnout, tolerância, abertura a espiritualidade, bem-estar e saúde mental em estudantes de medicina e se essas diferenças são influenciadas pelas fases do curso. Como objetivo secundário, foi realizada a tradução, adaptação e validação da escala Empathy, Spirituality, and Wellness in Medicine Survey (ESWIM) para uso no Brasil. Métodos: Realizou-se estudo transversal em estudantes dos seis anos de um curso de medicina brasileiro. Foram avaliados: qualidade de vida (WHOQOL-Bref), Burnout (Oldenburg), saúde mental (DASS-21), empatia (IE e ESWIM) e tolerância, bem-estar e abertura à espiritualidade (ESWIM). A escala ESWIM foi traduzida e adaptada transculturalmente para o contexto brasileiro no presente estudo. Os desfechos foram então comparados entre os gêneros e também entre as diferentes fases do curso de medicina: pré-clínica, clínica e internato. Resultados: Um total de 776 estudantes foram incluídos. A escala ESWIM em português mostrou boas propriedades psicométricas e na análise fatorial confirmatória apresentou-se com três dimensões: empatia, bem-estar e abertura a espiritualidade. Com relação ao objetivo primário, foram observadas diferenças importantes entre os gêneros e entre as fases do curso de medicina. As mulheres apresentaram maiores níveis de empatia, flexibilidade, altruísmo, sensibilidade, burnout, tolerância, ansiedade e stress, enquanto os homens tiveram maiores níveis de bem-estar e qualidade de vida. As fases finais do curso estiveram associadas a piores níveis de empatia, altruísmo, sensibilidade e exaustão, porém com melhores níveis de bem-estar e qualidade de vida física e psíquica. Com o avançar do treinamento médico, as diferenças entre os gêneros presentes nos primeiros anos (maior empatia, pior qualidade de vida e pior saúde mental nas mulheres) tenderam a diminuir e tornar-se não significantes na fase do internato. Conclusões: Encontrou-se que as diferenças em empatia e saúde mental entre homens e mulheres diminuíram nas fases mais avançadas do curso. Estes resultados podem denotar que a condução nos processos ensino-aprendizagem no curso de medcina não tem considerado as especificidades dos gênero, reforçando características positivas importantes para o exercicio da medicina como a empatia, flexibilidade, altruismo, sensibilidades do gênero feminino e desenvolvendo ações que promovam o desenvolvimentos destas características no gênero masculino, ao contrário o currículo parece “uniformizar” os estudantes. Educadores devem considerar esses achados na reestruturação dos currículos de forma a respeitar e valorizar as peculiaridades dos gêneros favorecendo suas potencialidades. / The relevance of questions involving medical students’ mental health and well-being has been widely discussed in recent decades. It has thus been able to exert an influence on empathy itself and the doctor-patient relationship. In this context, studies have shown that there are biological and comportmental differences between genders for determined behaviors. Nevertheless, this question is still infrequently discussed in the field of medical education and little is known regarding the influence of gender on mental health and empathy during the different phases of medical training. Objectives: This study’s primary objective is to investigate whether differences exist regarding gender in terms of empathy, burnout, tolerance, openness to spirituality, well-being, and mental health in medical students, and if these differences are influenced by the course phase in which those students are enrolled. As a secondary objective, a translation, adaptation, and validation of the Empathy, Spirituality, and Wellness in Medicine Survey (ESWIM) was undertaken for use in Brazil. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using students from all six years of course work at a Brazilian medical school. The following were evaluated: quality of life (WHOQOL-Bref), burnout (Oldenburg), mental health (DASS-21), empathy (EI and ESWIM), and tolerance, well-being, and openness to spirituality (ESWIM). The ESWIM scale was translated and transculturally adapted for use in Brazil. Outcomes were then compared between the genders as well as among the preclinical, clinical, and clerkship phases of medical studies. Results: A total of 776 students were included in this study. The ESWIM scale’s Portuguese language version demonstrated good psychometric properties, and confirmatory factorial analysis was shown in three dimensions – empathy, well-being, and openness to spirituality. In relation to the primary objective, important differences were observed between the genders and among the phases of medical studies. Women showed greater levels of empathy, flexibility, altruism, sensitivity, burnout, tolerance, anxiety, and stress, while men had greater levels of well-being and quality of life. The final phases of coursework were associated with poorer levels of empathy, altruism, sensitivity, and exhaustion, but with better levels of well-being and physical and psychic quality of life. As medical training advanced, the differences between genders present during the early years (greater empathy, worse quality of life and mental health in women) tended to diminish and become insignificant during the clerkship phase. Conclusions: It was found that differences in empathy and mental health between men and women diminished during the course’s more advanced phases. These results can indicate that the approach in medical schools’ teaching-learning processes has not considered gender specificities, and thus have not reinforced important positive characteristics for the practice of medicine like empathy, flexibility, altruism, sensitivities of women, nor developed actions promoting the advancement of these characteristics in men. On the contrary, the curriculum seems to approach students as a “uniform body”. Educators should consider these findings when restructuring curriculum to respect and valorize the peculiarities of genders, thus fostering their potential.

Submitted by Biblioteca do Instituto Biomédico BIB (uffbib@gmail.com) on 2017-06-05T17:54:30Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) JULIANA RIBEIRO PAES.pdf: 6034146 bytes, checksum: 58c9838023389c0b9dc754e1a8382dcb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-05T17:54:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) JULIANA RIBEIRO PAES.pdf: 6034146 bytes, checksum: 58c9838023389c0b9dc754e1a8382dcb (MD5) / Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. / Há evidências de que profissionais de saúde apresentem menor reatividade emocional ao visualizarem cenas envolvendo dor e que o traço de empatia tenha um papel crítico na reatividade emocional. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a reatividade emocional a imagens de procedimentos cirúrgicos. No experimento 1, estudantes (52 de Enfermagem e 48 de Serviço Social, todas mulheres) avaliaram imagens de procedimentos cirúrgicos (relato avaliativo) quanto à agradabilidade e ativação. No experimento 2, estudantes de enfermagem (N= 27) visualizaram 4 blocos de 20 imagens: procedimentos cirúrgicos, mutilados e 2 blocos neutros pareados, enquanto sua atividade eletrocardiográfica era registrada. O traço de empatia foi medido nos dois experimentos. No Experimento 1, a valência média para as imagens de procedimentos cirúrgicos no grupo de Enfermagem (M = 4,57, DP = 1,02) foi maior do que no grupo de Serviço Social (M = 3,31, DP = 1,05). Além disso, a maioria das estudantes de Enfermagem (65,4%) escolheu "neutro" como a palavra que melhor descrevia o que sentiam ao ver as fotos de cirurgia. No grupo de Serviço Social, o nojo (54,2%) foi a emoção mais escolhida. No experimento 2, observou-se que a curva de resposta cardíaca (desacelerativa) para as imagens de mutilados diferiu da curva neutra pareada desde o ponto 4 (2s de visualização) até o ponto 12 (6s). Já a curva para as imagens de procedimentos cirúrgicos diferiu da curva neutra pareada somente do ponto 6 (3s) até o ponto 9 (4500 ms), sugerindo uma resposta cardíaca atenuada e/ou recuperação da bradicardia. Observou-se uma correlação entre o traço de empatia e a magnitude da desaceleração cardíaca, com níveis mais altos de empatia associados à maior amplitude da desaceleração no bloco de procedimentos cirúrgicos. Em conjunto, os dados mostram a importância da relevância ocupacional das imagens em sua avaliação subjetiva e impacto cardiovascular. / There is evidence that health professionals are less emotionally reactive when viewing scenes involving pain and that the empathy trait plays a critical role in emotional reactivity. The objective of this study was to investigate the emotional reactivity to images of surgical procedures. In the experiment 1, students (52 Nursing and 48 Social Work students, all women) evaluated images of surgical procedures (self-report) regarding the pleasantness and arousal. In the experiment 2, nursing students (N = 27) visualized 4 blocks of 20 images: surgical procedures, mutilated and 2 paired neutral blocks, while their electrocardiographic activity was recorded. The empathy trait was measured in both experiments. In Experiment 1, the mean valence for surgical procedures images in the Nursing group (M = 4.57, SD = 1.02) was higher than in the Social Work group (M = 3.31, SD = 1, 05). In addition, the majority of Nursing students (65.4%) chose "neutral" as the word that best described what they felt when they saw the surgery photos. In the Social Work group, disgust (54.2%) was the most chosen emotion. In experiment 2, it was observed that the cardiac (decelerating) response curve for the mutilated images differed from the paired neutral curve from point 4 (visualization in 2s) to point 12 (6s). The curve for the images of surgical procedures differed from the neutral paired curve only from point 6 (3s) to point 9 (4500 ms), suggesting an attenuated cardiac response and/or bradycardia recovery. A correlation was observed between the empathy trait and the magnitude of the cardiac deceleration, with higher levels of empathy associated with the greater amplitude of the deceleration in the surgical procedures block. Together, the data shows the importance of the occupational relevance of the images in their subjective evaluation and cardiovascular impact.

This thesis forms a valuable tool of analysis, as well as an important reference guide to anyone interested in communicating, expressing, representing, simulating and or imagining what it is like to experience psychotic phenomena. Understanding what it is like to experience psychotic phenomena is difficult. Those who have experience with it find it hard to describe, and those who do not have that experience find it hard to envision. Yet, the ability to understand is crucial to the interaction with a person struggling with psychotic experiences, and for this help is needed. In recent years, the psychosis simulation projects Mindstorm, Paved with Fear, Virtual Hallucinations and Living With Schizophrenia have been developed as teaching and awareness tools for mental health workers, police, students and family members, so that they can better understand psychotic phenomena. These multimedia projects aim to improve understanding of what a person in psychosis is going through. This thesis represents a journey into taking a closer look at their designs and comparing them to biographical and professional literature. In doing so, throughout the chapters, a set of considerations and design challenges have been created that need to be taken into account when simulating psychosis. After a series of artistic case study labyrinths, Suicide Pigeon, Intruder, and Intruder 2.0, two final ‘do-it-yourself-psychosis’ projects have been created that have taken the aspects collected into account: The Labyrinth and The Wearable. Together these two projects form experiences that may be considered analogous to psychotic experiences. My original contribution to knowledge lies, on the one hand, within the function that both The Labyrinth and The Wearable have on a person’s ability to gain a better understanding of what it feels like to be in psychosis, and on the other hand within the background information provided on the context and urgency of psychosis simulation, how the existing simulations may be improved, and how labyrinthine installation art may contribute to these improvements.

Chez les patients souffrants d’épilepsie du lobe temporal (ELT), des troubles cognitifs sont fréquemment décrits. Toutefois, certaines capacités cognitives restent à ce jour peu explorées dans le domaine de la recherche en épileptologie et non évaluées en pratique clinique, telles que les capacités de cognition sociale. Pourtant, des difficultés psychosociales et psychocomportementales ainsi qu’une altération de la qualité de vie (notamment dans sa dimension sociale) sont relevées chez les patients ELT et elles pourraient être en relation avec des perturbations de la cognition sociale. Par ailleurs, les anomalies cérébrales retrouvées chez ces patients, situées à proximité mais également plus à distance du foyer épileptique, comprenent des structures sous-tendant les capacités de cognition sociale. Dans ce contexte, l’objectif général de cette thèse était la caractérisation des capacités de cognition sociale des patients ELT d’un point de vue comportemental et en neuroimagerie. Les études comportementales menées ont permis de préciser l’impact d’une ELT unilatérale sur les capacités de cognition sociale. Il est notamment mis en évidence chez les patients ELT : (i) des troubles de reconnaissance émotionnelle en modalité visuelle et auditive associés à la présence de biais émotionnels, (ii) une modification de l’expérience émotionnelle, et (iii) des déficits de théorie de l’esprit (TdE) plus particulièrement prononcés sur le versant affectif de cette capacité. Certaines caractéristiques cliniques (âge de début, durée, latéralité de l’épilepsie, présence d’une sclérose hippocampique) peuvent moduler la sévérité de ces troubles. Par ailleurs, ces troubles sont associés à certaines perturbations psychocomportementales (anhédonie, apathie, modifications de l’affectivité et de l’empathie) et à une altération de la qualité de vie des patients. Sur base de ces études comportementales, nous avons identifié que les troubles de TdE apparaissent fréquents, affectant plus de 80% des patients ELT. Une étude en neuroimagerie fonctionnelle et l’analyse de données d’imagerie structurelle préliminaires ont permis de préciser l’impact d’une ELT sur le réseau cérébral sous-tendant les capacités de TdE. Nous relevons notamment que chez les patients ELT mésial avec sclérose hippocampique, les troubles de TdE semblent liées à des anomalies cérébrales situées principalement à distance du foyer épileptique, dépendantes de la latéralité de l’ELT et modulées par l’âge de début et la durée de l’épilepsie. En conclusion, dans une perspective de compréhension et de prise en charge globale des patients ELT, il convient de ne pas négliger l’étude des troubles de cognition sociale chez ces patients, et leur évaluation en pratique clinique devrait être plus systématique. / In patients suffering from temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), cognitive disorders are frequently described. However, until now some cognitive capacities remain poorly explored in the field of epileptology research and not evaluated in clinical practice, such as social cognition capacities. However, psychosocial and psychobehavioral difficulties and an impaired quality of life (particularly in its social dimension) are raised in TLE patients and could be related to social cognition disorders. Furthermore, the cerebral abnormalities found in TLE patients, located close to the epileptic focus and also in more distant regions, include structures that support social cognition capacities. In this context, the general objective of this thesis was the characterization of social cognition capacities in TLE patients from a behavioral and neuroimaging point of view. Behavioral studies have allowed to specify the impact of unilateral TLE on social cognition capacities. It is notably identified in TLE patients: (i) emotion recognition disorders in both visual and auditory modality associated with emotional biases, (ii) changes in emotional experience, and (iii) theory of mind (ToM) disorders especially affecting the affective dimension of this capacity. Some clinical characteristics (age at onset, duration, laterality of epilepsy and presence of hippocampal sclerosis) can modulate the severity of these disorders. Furthermore, these disorders are associated with several psychobehavioral disorders (anhedonia, apathy, modified affectivity and empathy) and a worse quality of life for patients. On the basis of behavioral studies, it is identified that ToM impairments appear common, affecting more than 80% of TLE patients. A functional neuroimaging study and preliminary structural imaging data analysis have allowed to specify the TLE impact on the cerebral network underlying the ToM capacities. It is notably identified that in mesial TLE patients with hippocampal sclerosis, ToM disorders mainly reflect cerebral abnormalities located in distant cerebral regions from the epileptic focus, dependent of the laterality of epilepsy and modulated by the age at onset and the duration of epilepsy. In conclusion, in order to improve the understanding and the overall care of TLE patients, the investigation of social cognition disorders in these patients should not be neglected, and their assessment in clinical practice should be more regular.

Research in younger adults dissociates cognitive from affective facets of social information processing, rather than promoting a monolithic view of social intelligence. An influential theory on adult development suggests differential effects of aging on cognitive and affective functions. However, this dissociation has not been directly tested in the social domain. Employing a newly developed naturalistic paradigm that disentangles facets of the social mind within an individual, we show multi-directionality of age-related differences. Specifically, components of the socio-cognitive route – Theory of Mind and metacognition – are impaired in older relative to younger adults. Nevertheless, these social capacities are still less affected by aging than factual reasoning and metacognition regarding non-social content. Importantly, the socio-affective route is well-functioning, with no decline in empathy and elevated compassion in the elderly. These findings contribute to an integrated theory of age-related change in social functioning and inform interventions tailored to specifically reinstate socio-cognitive skills in old age.

Over the course of the 2007/2008 school year, I visited three classrooms to investigate the effectiveness of Augusto Boal’s drama method, Image Theatre, with elementary-aged students. In Image Theatre, the practitioners and students use their bodies to create frozen images, which in turn become the focus of collaborative meaning- making. I applied the reflective practitioner methodology in my work as it allowed me to adapt to the rapidly altering situations that arise in elementary classrooms. Through reflecting on my interactions with students, I refined a set of teaching techniques that worked best to integrate Image Theatre into the classroom and ultimately into the curriculum. My research provides a qualitative analysis of the power of Image Theatre to foster student dialogue, develop empathic learning, and introduce conflict awareness techniques. My thesis highlights some specific exercises and theoretical frameworks that guided my work and produced the most effective results. The effects of applying Image Theatre to elementary-aged classrooms has not been extensively studied in the past and my research attempts to address this academic gap. It is my hope that future researchers will adapt my activities and further demonstrate the capacities of this theatre technique. Ultimately, I hope that Image Theatre methods can find a place in standard curricula. / Education, Faculty of / Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of / Graduate

Two studies were conducted to support the dual process model of moral decision making, which states that there are two pathways to moral decisions: one emotional and the other cognitive. Decisions made in personal dilemmas are driven by emotions and intuition, while decisions made in impersonal dilemmas are driven by cognitive factors. Intuitive, emotional reactions tend to lead to non-utilitarian decisions while deliberative reasoning tends to lead to utilitarian decisions. For the current studies, undergraduate students from the University of North Florida completed working memory tests, an empathy scale, and also responded to moral dilemma scenarios. In the second study, participants were asked to respond to the moral dilemma scenarios in the following conditions: baseline, working memory condition (counting task), cold water (cold pressor task), and warm water. In Study 1, participants in the high working memory group had slower reaction times while responding to self dilemmas. In Study 2, the empathy item “I feel other people’s joy” was the best predictor of participants’ utilitarian decisions. These results are framed in terms of the dual process model and possible directions for future research.

When a child has been sexually abused, the non-offending parent and child may benefit from an intervention aimed at enhancing the parent child relationship. This mixed-methods study examined the process of child parent relationship therapy (CPRT) with non-offending parents of children who had been sexually abused. One purpose of the present study was to examine change in parent-child relationship, child behavior, and parent empathy of non-offending parents whose children have been sexually abused after participation in CPRT. A secondary purpose of this study was to explore subjective experiences of non-offending parents who participate in CPRT. Participants (N = 8) completed 11 weeks of CPRT in either Spanish speaking (n = 4) or English speaking (n = 4) groups. All participants completed pretest and posttest instruments including Child Behavior Checklist, Parenting Stress Index, and Measurement of Empathy in Adult-Child Interaction. Pretest and posttest means were reported but because of small sample size, only descriptive statistics are reported. Possible trends in pretest/posttest mean scores of the quantitative instruments are discussed. All participants also completed a post semi-structured interview to account for the experience of participants qualitatively. Analysis of the qualitative data revealed enhanced parent-child relationships, improved communication, greater acceptance, positive parental internal changes, positive behavioral changes in child, and positive changes in discipline.