The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of music and imagery versus imagery only interventions on inducing relaxation and reducing nausea and emesis in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Specifically, this study explored an adaptation of the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM). Approximately 280 patients were interviewed, 43 began data collection procedures, and 20 of these individuals completed the study. Three dependent measures (heart rate, nausea, and emesis) were collected both before and after each of six intervention sessions. Experimental treatment conditions were guided imagery with music (MI) or without music (IO), alternated across the sessions. As part of the experimental treatment, participants were also encouraged to listen to music at home, i.e., to listen twice daily to CD recordings for relaxation. One recording contained a script for relaxation with music in the background, and the other contained only a script for relaxation. Moreover, after the fourth and sixth week of being in the study, the participants responded to a satisfaction survey on their perception on the benefits of MI and IO intervention. A follow-up telephone interview was conducted with each participant nine days after completion of the study. Regression analysis was used to examine factors relating to the frequency of nausea and emesis as well as heart rate. A Pearson correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between the extent to which patients utilized the CD for relaxation at home and the amount of improvement experienced. Descriptive analyses were employed to examine participants' responses to their perceptions of the benefits of imagery only and music with imagery interventions (i.e., to the Participant Satisfaction Survey). Results indicated a statistically significant decrease on post-heart rate for MI as well as for IO interventions. There were no statistically significant differences in heart rate, nausea, or emesis between the two experimental interventions. However, there was a significant decrease in the frequency of nausea and emesis over time, i.e., across the six-weeks of treatment. The Pearson correlation indicated no significant relationship between the times participants listened to the CD and the outcomes of nausea and emesis. Self-reports from the participants indicated that the guided imagery with music, both within the experimental intervention sessions as well as at home, seemed to be very beneficial in inducing relaxation for these particular cancer patients.

Internal consistency reliability and validity were established for a new 31 item Imagery Manipulation Scale. Previous attempts to correlate subjectively rated control of visual imagery with tests of spatial ability have been unsuccessful. However, no attempt to construct a subjectively rated control of imagery scale was located which tried to establish internal consistency reliability and both content and construct validity. Further, no research was located in which subjects were requested to rate their imagery ability utilized during the performance of the actual spatial tasks used to try to establish validity. A new scale of subjectively rated control of imagery was devised in which subjects were requested to rate their imagery while solving spatial tasks which involved visualizing the manipulation of geometric forms. Content validity was established by analyzing the transformation involved while solving the spatial problems. Internal consistency reliability for the 31 item scale was established across two samples. Validity was established with the second sample (100 university students: 26 male and 74 female). The task utilized to provide validity could be objectively scored, and was made up of four spatial subtests, which were adapted from the Vandenberg and Kuse Mental Rotations Test, the Kosslyn Directions Test, performed in both the forward and backward direction, and a block task utilized by Snyder. A convergent and discriminant validity analysis established construct validity. Further, the hypotheses of three investigators, Kosslyn, Shepard and his colleagues, and Snyder, were supported by the results of the present investigation, thus substantiating the conclusion that reported control of imagery processing can be operationalized with performance scores on spatial ability tasks.

The aim of this study was to critically examine the role and function of emotions in primary school children's meaningful learning. Emotions that are commonly experienced by primary school children were identified and an indication was given of how they relate to meaningful learning. Factors that affect both emotions and meaningful learning were also discussed. In an empirical investigation that was undertaken, it was found that emotions influence meaningful learning of primary school children either positively or negatively. The following emotions pointed to both positive and negative significant correlations with regard to meaningful learning: anger, aggression, anxiety, fear, love, joy and affection. Factors like family size, gender and the environment (life world of primary school children) also influence meaningful learning. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed.(Psychology of Education)

Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Faculty of Science, Dept. of Computing, 2009. / Bibliography: p. [265]-280. / Introduction -- Literature review -- Method -- Experiments -- Conclusion. / Video games are becoming increasingly popular and their level of sophistication comes close to that of professional movie productions. Educational institutions and corporations are beginning to use video games for teaching purposes, however, not much is known about the use and effectiveness of video games for such purposes. One even less explored factor in video games is the music that is played throughout the course of the games. Little is known about the role that this music plays in cognitive processes and what effect background music has on players' memory. It is this question that the present thesis explores by asking which effect background music has on participants' memory for facts that are learned from a virtual environment. -- To answer the research question, a computer-animated history lesson, called VirSchool, was created which used the history of the Macquarie Lighthouse in Sydney as a basis for two experiments. Different musical stimuli accompanied the audio-visual presentation of the history topic. These stimuli were tested for their effectiveness to support participants' memory. The VirSchool history lesson was first presented in a Reality Center (a highly immersive, semi-cylindrical 3 projector display system) and one soundtrack was identified which showed a statistically significant improvement in the number of facts that participants remembered correctly from the VirSchool history lesson. Furthermore, Experiment 1 investigated how variations of tempo and pitch of the musical stimuli affected memory performance. It was found that slow tempo and low pitch were beneficial for remembrance of facts from the VirSchool history lesson. -- The beneficial soundtrack that was identified in Experiment 1 was reduced in tempo and lowered in pitch and was subsequently used as the sole musical stimulus in Experiment 2. Furthermore, because of equipment failure, Experiment 2 offered the opportunity to compare memory performance of participants in the Reality Center and a 3-monitor display system, which was used as a replacement for the defect Reality Center. Results showed that, against expectation, the memory for facts from the VirSchool history lesson was significantly better in the less immersive 3-monitor display system. Moreover, manipulated background music played in the second five and a half minutes of the VirSchool history lesson in the Reality Center resulted in a statistically significant improvement of participants' remembrance of facts from the second five and a half minutes of the VirSchool history lesson. The opposite effect was observed in the 3-monitor display system where participants remembered less information from the second five and a half minutes of the VirSchool history lesson if music was played in the second five and a half minutes of the VirSchool history lesson. -- The results from the present study reveal that in some circumstances music has a significant influence on memory in a virtual environment and in others it does not. These findings contribute towards and encourage further investigation of our understanding of the role that music plays in virtual learning environments so that they may be utilised to advance learning of future generations of students. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / 280 p. ill. (some col.)

The aim of this study was to critically examine the role and function of emotions in primary school children's meaningful learning. Emotions that are commonly experienced by primary school children were identified and an indication was given of how they relate to meaningful learning. Factors that affect both emotions and meaningful learning were also discussed. In an empirical investigation that was undertaken, it was found that emotions influence meaningful learning of primary school children either positively or negatively. The following emotions pointed to both positive and negative significant correlations with regard to meaningful learning: anger, aggression, anxiety, fear, love, joy and affection. Factors like family size, gender and the environment (life world of primary school children) also influence meaningful learning. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed.(Psychology of Education)

The purpose of the current study was to examine the Psychological Intervention Strategies (PIS) that are used by coaches for male soccer teams in South Africa to enhance the performance of the national soccer teams. National soccer coaches for male teams (n = 4) completed a questionnaire and attended in-depth interview. Results from both the questionnaire and in-depth interview revealed a lack of knowledge of PIS which was further supported by the data from the analysis. While some of the coaches did not utilise goal setting and relaxation in their coaching responsibilities, the current results further show that these soccer coaches do not utilise mental imagery as well. These results suggest that the SAFA soccer coaches could not integrate PIS in the coaching. Although the results cannot be generalised there is evidence that the SAFA trained soccer coaches demonstrate inadequacy in using PIS in their soccer coaching. The study finds that soccer coaches are psychologically under-prepared for their arduous task of soccer coaching. By implication the players are also mentally under-prepared that they cannot face their peers competitively. Current studies point to this psychological preparedness as the psychological momentum.

This study explored the impact of three psychological interventions over seven weeks - goal setting (GS), GS and imagery (IM), and GS and mindful self-compassion (MSC) - on 20 athletes' (Mage = 16.75 years) pain, cognitive appraisal, depression reinjury anxiety, psychological readiness to return to sport, and range of motion (ROM). IM and GS interventions have demonstrated initial effectiveness; however, no study has examined MSC in relation to post-ACL recovery. All athletes experienced significant decrease in pain (F(2) = 97.30, p = .000) from Week 1 to Week 7 and a significant increase in ROM from Week 2 to Week 7 (F(1) = 77.93, p = .000). All athletes experienced significantly higher depression at Week 1 compared to both Week 2 and Week 7 (F(2) = 9.01, p = .001), and significantly higher difficulty coping with their injury at Weeks 1 and 2 compared to Week 7 (F(2) = 6.32, p = .005). There were no statistically significant effects found between the intervention groups at Weeks 1, 2, and 7. However there were moderate effect sizes between interventions which suggest MSC and IM could help athletes cope with their injury during the first few weeks after surgery, and GS may contribute towards less depression at seven weeks post-surgery. Limitations include small sample size, low power, and use of self-report measures. Results have implications for orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, and health professionals working with athletes recovering from serious sport injury.

The present study investigated imagery and visualisation characteristics of undergraduate students’ thinking processes in learning selected concepts of mathematical analysis. The aim was to discover the nature of images evoked by these undergraduate students and the role of imagery and visualisations when students were solving some selected problems related to mathematical analysis. The study was guided by the theory of registers of semiotic representations. Psychological notions on imagery were also fused to cater for a cognitive approach to the study. A sample of 50 undergraduate mathematics students participated in the study. The researcher employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. Before the main study, a pilot study was conducted to account for the reliability and validity of the research instruments. The data were collected through use of a cognitive test that was composed of 12 tasks with items selected from mathematical analysis. These tasks were specially designed to capture the variables of imagery and visualisations. A structured interview was also conducted as a follow-up to the results of the cognitive test. The study found that visual images were noticeable in the thinking processes of undergraduate students in solving problems related to mathematical analysis. The nature of the visual images evoked by the students varied from person to person. The nature of these images was also determined by the nature of the task. The most common types of imagery were diagrams, prototypes and symbols. On rare occasions the students also evoked metaphoric images. It was also observed that these images were used for illustrative purposes and to spark the idea for a proof. It was also interesting to note that some images were used to discover the limit of a converging series. The results confirmed the need to use visualisation with caution, especially when treating concepts which involve infinity. The study recommends that instructors of mathematics should encourage visual thinking in the learning and teaching of mathematical analysis. Knowledge of the students’ concept images helped the researcher to understand the nature of the learning difficulties of the students. Further research should focus on the strengths and weaknesses of visual-mediated learning and also on the relationship between creativity and visual thinking. / Mathematics Education / D. Phil. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (Mathematics Education))

O presente trabalho consistiu em identificar a imagem do Shopping Center Iguatemi Caxias, sob a ótica dos consumidores locais. Entende-se que as imagens estão organizadas como uma rede de significados ou esquemas associados e organizados em torno de alguns elementos centrais, que são socialmente aceitos e compartilhados. A identificação das imagens mentais que os consumidores têm a respeito do shopping center é relevante para direcionar estratégias e ações de marketing. A partir de uma pesquisa exploratória, foi utilizado o Método de Configuração da Imagem (MCI), um instrumento de pesquisa testado e validado na identificação das imagens de organizações, produtos, serviços e marcas, procurou-se identificar, em uma amostra de 400 consumidores, qual a imagem coletiva dos consumidores relativa ao shopping center em estudo. Com base na Teoria do Núcleo Central, foram identificados os atributos e as dimensões (cognitiva, emocional, funcional e simbólica) relacionadas às imagens formadas pelos consumidores. Os resultados foram dispostos no Gráfico de Configuração da Imagem (GCI), que apresenta os atributos que compõem as imagens do shopping center, a proximidade destes atributos com a Imagem Central e a dimensão a que pertencem. Por meio dos resultados, entende-se que a imagem do shopping center está mais ligada a elementos funcionais, ou seja, as características físicas que o mesmo oferece e aos elementos simbólicos, ou seja, o significado que o shopping transmite e representa para os consumidores. / Submitted by Marcelo Teixeira (mvteixeira@ucs.br) on 2014-06-04T16:24:40Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Francieli Montanari Gasparin.pdf: 992716 bytes, checksum: 1731f706ecd03d031fab657ce33d2110 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-04T16:24:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Francieli Montanari Gasparin.pdf: 992716 bytes, checksum: 1731f706ecd03d031fab657ce33d2110 (MD5) / The present work consists in identifying the image of Shopping Center Iguatemi Caxias, in the perspective of local consumers. Images are understood as a being organized as a net of meanings or schemes, which are arranged around a few central elements, socially accepted and shared. Identifying the mental image that consumers have regarding mall is relevant to direct marketing strategies and actions. Starting from exploratory research was used Method of Imagem Configuration (MCI), an already tested and validated research instrument for identification of images in organizations, products, services and brands, we tried to identify, within a sample of 400 consumers, to identify which is the collective image of consumers on the mall under study. With base on the Central Nucleus Theory, was identified the attributes and dimensions (cognitive, emotional, functional and symbolic) related to images formed by the consumers. The results were displayed in the Graphic of Image Configuration (GCI), which presents the attributes that make up the images of the mall, the proximity of these attributes with the Central Image and the size they belong. Based on the results, it is understood that the image of the mall is more closely linked to functional elements, that means, the physical features it offers and symbolic elements, that is, the meaning that the mall represents and conveys to consumers.

O presente trabalho consistiu em identificar a imagem do Shopping Center Iguatemi Caxias, sob a ótica dos consumidores locais. Entende-se que as imagens estão organizadas como uma rede de significados ou esquemas associados e organizados em torno de alguns elementos centrais, que são socialmente aceitos e compartilhados. A identificação das imagens mentais que os consumidores têm a respeito do shopping center é relevante para direcionar estratégias e ações de marketing. A partir de uma pesquisa exploratória, foi utilizado o Método de Configuração da Imagem (MCI), um instrumento de pesquisa testado e validado na identificação das imagens de organizações, produtos, serviços e marcas, procurou-se identificar, em uma amostra de 400 consumidores, qual a imagem coletiva dos consumidores relativa ao shopping center em estudo. Com base na Teoria do Núcleo Central, foram identificados os atributos e as dimensões (cognitiva, emocional, funcional e simbólica) relacionadas às imagens formadas pelos consumidores. Os resultados foram dispostos no Gráfico de Configuração da Imagem (GCI), que apresenta os atributos que compõem as imagens do shopping center, a proximidade destes atributos com a Imagem Central e a dimensão a que pertencem. Por meio dos resultados, entende-se que a imagem do shopping center está mais ligada a elementos funcionais, ou seja, as características físicas que o mesmo oferece e aos elementos simbólicos, ou seja, o significado que o shopping transmite e representa para os consumidores. / The present work consists in identifying the image of Shopping Center Iguatemi Caxias, in the perspective of local consumers. Images are understood as a being organized as a net of meanings or schemes, which are arranged around a few central elements, socially accepted and shared. Identifying the mental image that consumers have regarding mall is relevant to direct marketing strategies and actions. Starting from exploratory research was used Method of Imagem Configuration (MCI), an already tested and validated research instrument for identification of images in organizations, products, services and brands, we tried to identify, within a sample of 400 consumers, to identify which is the collective image of consumers on the mall under study. With base on the Central Nucleus Theory, was identified the attributes and dimensions (cognitive, emotional, functional and symbolic) related to images formed by the consumers. The results were displayed in the Graphic of Image Configuration (GCI), which presents the attributes that make up the images of the mall, the proximity of these attributes with the Central Image and the size they belong. Based on the results, it is understood that the image of the mall is more closely linked to functional elements, that means, the physical features it offers and symbolic elements, that is, the meaning that the mall represents and conveys to consumers.