Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of mania and depression and serious suicidal risks. Recent studies reported high mental imagery susceptibility (general use of imagery in daily life and emotional impact of prospective imagery) in euthymic bipolar patients. This thesis aims to: a) replicate these findings in patients at different phases of bipolar disorder and with varying degrees of bipolarity, and b) explore how mental imagery susceptibility, ruminative processing, and behavioural approach system (BAS) sensitivity interact to amplify mood symptoms. Chapter 1 provides an overview of current theories of mood amplification and recurrence in bipolar disorders. Chapter 2 details the local validation of scales used in the thesis. Chapter 3 (Study 1) investigated whether mental imagery susceptibility, positive rumination and BAS sensitivity were elevated in remitted bipolar I disorder compared with major depressive disorder and non-psychiatric controls. Results suggested that these cognitive variables were elevated in remitted bipolar I disorder. Positive rumination also interacted with positive prospective images to predict bipolarity. Chapter 4 (Study 2) found that these cognitive variables were elevated in bipolar I disorder during manic and euthymic phases, compared to major depression. Further, the number of positive prospective images predicted recovery status and manic symptom severity. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 report that, compared with people without bipolar spectrum conditions, these cognitive characteristics were elevated in sub-threshold bipolar disorder (Study 3), individuals with high bipolar risks based on a behavioural paradigm (Study 4), and individuals with high familial risk (Study 5). Studies 3-5 confirmed that positive and negative prospective images interacted with rumination to amplify hypomanic and depressive symptoms respectively. Chapter 8 (Study 6) showed that suicidal flash-forwards function as a psychological escape from perceived entrapment and defeat in suicidality. Based on these findings, Chapter 9 proposes novel imagery-based techniques for targeting problematic imagery in bipolar disorders.

The medical model has been criticised for its failure to attend to individuals' experience of illness and the meaning they attribute to illness. HIV / AIDS has challenged its adequacy and brought the question of meaning in illness into sharp focus. This study aimed to understand what it means to live with HIV by exploring the fantasies, images and metaphors that make up the depth of such an experience. Phenomenology was deemed the appropriate approach, as it assigns epistemological significance to metaphor and ontological primacy to the lifeworld. An interview guide was fashioned from existing phenomenological literature and in-depth interviews were conducted with eight HIV -infected individuals. Five protocols were selected to constitute the study. In addition, an audio tape recording of one individual's metaphorical dialogue with HIV was obtained and transcribed. The three protocols with the richest content of imagery and metaphor were subjected to phenomenological explication. The remaining two protocols were used to support and clarify emergent meaning. A phenomenological explication of the data revealed a number of salient metaphors and themes. Upon being diagnosed with HIV, individuals were confronted with a socially and institutionally prescribed understanding of the disease; HIV as synonymous with AIDS and immediate death, HIV as sexual deviance, and HIV as myth. These metaphors influenced their conceptualisation and handling of HIV. Individual embodied metaphors included: embodying a heart of stone to live with HIV and perceiving HIV as a punishment from God, a demon from the Devil, a death sentence and a torture. Affectively, the experience of HIV was constituted as fear of physical disfigurement and exposure, anxiety, vulnerability, anger, betrayal, injustice and isolation. In a process of resolution and transformation, individuals imbibed positive metaphors with which to continue living with HIV. In order to cope with HIV, individuals seemed to negotiate a metaphorical space in which to dwell with their virus. This entailed establishing some form of dialogue with HIV or a Higher Power. This study revealed that metaphorical thinking about HIV /AIDS has a powerful impact on individuals' embodiment of their world. Metaphor is also an effective means Clf conveying and eliciting meaning in the experience of illness. Based upon these findings, it was suggested that metaphor be a prime focus for future research endeavours.

M.A. / Each of Virginia Woolf’s novels provides a unique text dense with insight. This study explicates, with specific attention to detail, Woolf’s portrayal of the awareness of her characters through the content and form of the novel itself. Awareness and the development of awareness create a vision (or acute perspective) in the individual who possesses the highest level of sensitivity. This vision is the awareness of different perspectives through a sensitivity to sensory experience. The characters in Mrs Dalloway and the characters in The Waves, albeit to differing degrees, from total non-action to different attempts of action to interaction, create a perspective for their individual selves respectively. Perspective mediates every part of the life: community, relationships and/or the internal consciousness of any one character. In turn the perspective of any one character is influenced by those external factors: community and/or other people. The dynamic between perspective, the individual and internal and external influences is the central part of this study. Woolf explores this dynamic through sensory imagery. The character that consciously chooses to create and participates in the action of creation becomes more aware. There is a responsibility that comes with that conscious choice and interaction as a result of self-awareness. The responsibility is that in any attempt to create there exists the potential to bring about change. This change can be constructive and positive, or destructive and negative. Active awareness takes place in the community, in relationships among characters or within the individual. A positive change allows unique expression while a negative change advocates a system that condemns individual vision. This study does not favour one result over another but intends to portray the different versions of perspective, vision, choice and creativity through the functioning of individual characters at different levels of awareness in Mrs Dalloway and in The Waves at the level of community, relationship and the individual.

The effects of a computer program (Health Imagery Technology Systems, HITS) designed to promote attitude and cognitive changes through elicitation of evoked response potentials were evaluated with chronic pain patients. A treatment and control group were used for comparison (52 patients, 22 females, 32 males, mean ages 47). Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised subtests, a Semantic Differential scale, the Health Attribution Test, an imagery protocol, the McCoy-Lawlis Pain Drawing, and the Zung Depression scale were used at admission and discharge to measure change. A pre- post-mood thermometer was used with the treatment group. The hypotheses that the treatment group would show significant changes on these measures were tested with a two group repeated measures analysis of variance design. No significant changes were noted for either group on the intellectual measures, on health attitudes, or reports of pain. The similarities subscale showed significant within group variance (F = 5.46, p < .023). One bipolar adjective pair indicated significant differences (F = 4.79, p < .035), possibly a result of chance. One of seven imagery measures suggested a significant improvement in strength of imagery for the treatment group (F = 18.2, p < .00008). Both groups showed significantly improved imagery of body defenses (F = 4.58, £ < .037) and significantly reduced depression scores (F = 15.93, p < .000021). A mood thermometer was measured for the treatment group alone and five situational mood changes were significant in predicted directions. Post hoc discriminant analysis showed significant differences only on one adjective pair (F = 9.75, p < .0029). No combination of variables added to the prediction of group membership. Overall, the effects of the HITS program did not seem strong enough to indicate its value as a treatment modality in chronic pain populations beyond current treatment. It did indicate some significant situational mood effects in positive directions.

The present research was undertaken to investigate the effects of two independent variables considered potentially important to the reduction of fear through systematic desensitization. The first independent variable investigated was the importance of making covert motor responses when instructions were given to imagine motor behavior. Electromyographic measures were obtained on subjects' covert muscular activity as they imagined themselves raising their arms. The subjects were then classified, on the basis of their average electromyographic responsiveness, as high-responders (those showing relatively high levels when imaging movement) and low-responders. A 2 X 2 analysis of covariance showed a significant difference in the posttreatment scores of the high- and low responders on performance measures, the high-responders performing better. The difference between the two instruction groups was not statistically significant. Additional analyses indicate the importance of the instruction variable is mitigated by the extent to which subjects actually follow the particular instructions given. These data imply electromyography may be used in clinical practice as an assessment tool to determine which subjects are likely to respond to systematic desensitization. They also suggest the possibility of using response measures to train self-monitoring of imagery. Concerning the imagery construct, the present study offers an empirical alternative to the traditional conceptualization. The data obtained support the utility of the analysis of imagery advanced in this paper.

The purpose of this two-phase study was to investigate the effects of rate of presentation and type of material on the use of visual imagery in learning disabled (LD) and average achieving (AA) students. In the first phase, a norming study, 15 LD and 15 AA students were instructed to generate images for a list of concrete paired associates. The amount of time required to generate an image and the particular inlage reported was recorded. Based upon processing time and an image similarity index, 18 easy-to-relate and 18 difficult-to-relate word pairs were identified. Two rates of presentation (5 seconds and 10 seconds) were also determined in the norming study. In the second phase, an experimental study, 40 LD and 40 AA students were presented with the word pairs derived from the norming study, at a 5 second and a 10 second rate. The experimental task involved learning the word paIrs under either imagery or rehearsal instructions. Students were tested for associative recall after each learning trial by being presented one member of each pair and being required to recall its pairmate. Subjects were subsequently asked to report on the strategies they implemented to learn the word pairs. Data were analyzed using a 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 (group x instruction x presentation rate x pair difficulty) ANOVA with repeated measures on the last two factors. A series of separate imagery/rehearsal planned comparisons were conducted within each group/ presentation rate/pair difficulty combination. In addition, descriptive statistics were computed on the number and types of strategies reported by the students. Both LD and AA students benefited from the imagery strategy with both types of pairs at both rates. / Ph. D.

Equivocal results for imagery as a beneficial adjunct to performance may be due to diverse methodologies as well as a lack of clarity about the relationship between imagery ability and imagery perspective. This study used a randomized group design with repeated measures to evaluate the effect of imagery content and perspective on strength. Subjects were 44 women, ages 19 to 34, classified as beginning weight lifters. All were pre-tested on imagery ability and knee joint strength. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three training conditions: (1) an internal imagery perspective; (2) an external imagery perspective, and (3) no imagery training. Training was conducted twice per week for eight weeks. Subjects were also asked to work out a third time. The dependent measure to assess strength at the beginning, middle, and end of the eight-weeks was the Cybex II dynamometer. The dependent measure to assess imagery vividness was the Betts questionnaire Upon Mental Imagery. Imagery perspective was measured by the Imagination Exercise. Results of a two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures using Cybex II found significant strength differences for: (1) all groups and (2) the internal imagery group. A significant linear trend was also found between groups. Additionally, a two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures, using imagery ratings found significant improvement in kinesthetic vividness for all groups. This investigation is the first experimental study using beginning athletes to demonstrate significant performance effects using mental training above and beyond significant effects due to physical training. / Master of Science

The purpose of this research was to examine children's unmanipulated self-reports of their internalized representation of numbers and the relationship of the spatio-organizational patterns that are represented by the children's drawings to children's ability to solve basic addition problems. Also of interest were possible changes that occurred in children's spatio-organizational patterns as a result of age, mathematics achievement or gender. It was hypothesized that children whose drawings demonstrated more structured spatio-organizational patterns would achieve a higher number of correct answers on a timed test of basic addition problems. It was also hypothesized that the structure of the spatio-organizational patterns that children drew would be influenced by age, gender and mathematics achievement. The results of this exploratory study of children’s unmanipulated internalized constructs of number provided some interesting results. The children were asked to image specific numbers of dots for numerals from 4 through 13 and then to draw a representation of their images. The representations were categorized according to the structure of spatio-organizational patterns. The analyses revealed that the patterns had more structure for older children. Multiple regression analyses also indicated that the correctness of the cardinality of the number of dots imaged was the most frequently occurring variable that had a significant effect on the Imagery Scores. Less than five of more than 450 students expressed any difficulty with the imagery task and then only as it related to one of the ten numerals they were asked to image. The students were asked to image at the foundational level of imagery--reproductive imagery (Piaget & Inhelder, 1971). Because the research task developed for the students did not involve anticipatory images, those requiring transformations or movement, these imaging tasks were not influenced by the children's IQ or mathematics achievement. According to Piaget and Inhelder, children's ability to use anticipatory images indicates that children are developing an operational understanding and use of imagery. The children in this study were not asked to do anticipatory imaging. This may account for the negative relationship of the Imagery Scores to the fifth-grade students’ math percentile scores and the positive relationship between Imagery scores and mathematics percentile scores for the primary level students. The imagery tasks requested of the students were not of sufficient difficulty to relate to any mathematical operations or logio-mathematical thinking for older children. The ability of children to produce reproductive images which have varying degrees of spatio-organizational patterns was demonstrated by this study. Future studies need to address the higher level of anticipatory images. If students were asked to image a specific number of dots and then to image adding another quantity of dots to the original image, would the spatio-organizational patterns used by children in this transformation process change or transform the image? Are there specific spatio-organizational patterns that more easily allow children to develop anticipatory images that use mathematical operations? Are there children who have developed static reproductive images, and as a result, have created internalized constructs that inhibit their future understanding and development of higher level mathematical concepts? / Ed. D.

The majority of adolescents diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Gauteng complained of being tired of 1'talk therapy" . This study used imagery as a technique in the treatment of two adolescents suffering from MDD. The initial identification was based on the results of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). After a number of sessions of implementing imagery techniques, the BDI was readministered. To determine the long-term effectiveness of imagery, the BDI was again administered a month-and-a-half after completion of the sessions. The results before and after indicate a reduction in the severity of depression. The results at the month-and-a-half follow-up session indicated a further reduction in the level of depression in both cases. This indicates the long-tenn effectiveness of imagery in treating depression. Further research is required, but there are significant indications that imagery may be an effective technique in the treatment of depressed adolescents under psychiatric supervision. / Educational studies / M.Ed (Guidance and Counseling)

In this study the role played by metaphor in psychotherapy is investigated. Issues discussed, included the formulation of a definition of metaphor as well as an adequate theory of metaphor. The place metaphor holds in thought and learning; as well as how it has found its expression within some psychotherapeutic traditions are also discussed. The primary aim of the dissertation is to illustrate the versatility of metaphor, enabling it to be a significant and powerful tool in the hand of the psychotherapist. The application of various forms of metaphor is illustrated through case studies which offer a discussion of how the specific type of metaphor had been applied in psychotherapy. In conclusion, some recommendations are made with regard to further research within the fields of psychotherapy and neuropsychology. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)