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The usage of wireless technology has in the past decade vastly increased and it continues to do so as well. Because of this, we become more and more reliant on this considerably fragile technology. Wireless technology, which uses radio waves to transmit data from one point to another can easily be interfered by radio jammers. This thesis work is about the detection and classification of the interference that is produced by jammers over the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) air interface. A typical GSM jammer that can be found on the Internet is analyzed but also more advanced GSM jammers are analyzed. The GSM standard is analyzed to find vulnerabilities that a jammer can take advantage of. The result is an interference detector that can be used to detect and classify interference over the GSM networks. The detector is constructed with an Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) but is also portable to other software-defined radio (SDR) platforms.

The purpose of the educational system is to provide an appropriate general education which serves to increase the cognitive and intellectual abilities of those enrolled. Over the past several decades, the number of individuals that receive an education from the public school system has increased significantly, along with an increase in equal access regardless of disability or socioeconomic status. Additionally, the amount of resources afforded to the public education system has increased as well. Despite the increased access and amount of resources afforded to the educational system, a corresponding increase in academic performance and cognitive or intellectual ability has not been observed. Therefore, an empirically validated method for increasing intellectual and cognitive performance is necessary. Relational Frame Theory (RFT), a contemporary behavior-analytic account to complex human language and cognition, offers a behavior-oriented interpretation of intelligence. Such an interpretation of intelligence may allow for the development of interventions designed to strengthen behaviors conventionally regarded as intelligent. This series of three studies aims to add to the understanding of human intelligence and cognition by examining the relationship between derived relational responding and intelligence, and evaluating the effect a set of interventions derived from RFT have on intelligence, academic performance and impulsivity. Study 1 examined the relationship between derived relational responding and intelligence. Experimenters administered the PEAK-Transformation Pre-assessment, which provides a measure of relational responding, and the WISC-V, which provides a measure of IQ, and conducted a Pearson correlation between the two measures. The results from this study showed a strong, positive correlation (r = .659, p < .05) between total scores for the PEAK-T Pre-assessment and the WISC-V, which suggest relationship between derived relational responding and intelligence. Additional correlations were conducted between each subtest of the PEAK-T Pre-assessment and the WISC-V. The results showed a moderate correlation between the PEAK-T Receptive subtest and the WISC-V (r = .568, p < .05) and a strong, positive correlation between the PEAK-T Expressive subtest and the WISC-V (r = .666, p < .05). Finally, correlations were conducted with each relational frame within the PEAK-T assessment and the WISC-V, which showed significant correlations between each relational frame and IQ scores. Study 2 sought to evaluate the effect relational training procedures had on intelligence, academic performance, and impulsivity using a Multiple Baseline research design. Experimenters adminsitered pre-training and post-training probes for each of the dependent measures to determine the extent to which relational training procedures influenced scores on each measure. The results showed that the intervention was effective in increasing score on the PEAK-T-PA and the WISC-V. The average increase in PEAK-T-PA scores was 32.4, and the average increase in WISC-V scores was 6.6. CBM scores also showed a improvement, however, the difference between pre-training and post-training was minimal. The average change score for CBM assessments was 8.27. Finally, MAI scores on the BART showed no change in the post-training phase compared to that of the pre-training phase. The average change score in MAI was -2.29, which indicates a decrease in impulsivity. Although a decrease was observed, there was overlap between scores in the post-training phase and pre-training phase, which suggests no effect from the intervention. Overall, the data show that relational training was effective in increasing derived relational responding behavior and intelligence, and had some effect on academic performance. Additionally, the data show the intervention had no effect on impulsivity. Taken together, the results add to a growing body of literature supporting the use of RFT-based interventions to strengthen intelligence and other relevant behaviors, however, further research is necessary to identify the specific variables underying these behaviors.

El presente estudio busca indagar por la incidencia de indicadores asociados al maltrato infantil en el Test Proyectivo de la Figura Humana de Machover en un grupo de jóvenes y adultos, y de contrastar los resultados según las variables de edad, condición socioeconómica y tipo de maltrato experimentado para observar en qué medida permanecen los rasgos del maltrato infantil a través del tiempo. Se utilizó una muestra de 60 participantes, 30 procedentes del distrito de Los Olivos y 30 del distrito de Miraflores de la Cuidad de Lima-Perú Se trata de una investigación no experimental, transversal y descriptiva que del Test de la Figura Humana, selecciónò 17 ítems asociados a los rasgos de impulsividad y agresividad y 5 que mostraban baja autoestima e inseguridad emocional, creando dos grupos de Indicadores emocionales. A.I. (Agresividad e impulsividad) y B.I. (Baja Autoestima e inseguridad emocional). El Tipo de Maltrato que se encontró con mayor incidencia en los resultados fue el Maltrato Emocional, en segundo lugar el Maltrato físico y por último el Maltrato Sexual. Con respecto al indicador A.I. la presencia del ítem dedos en punta aparece en forma creciente desde los 18 años hacia los 38 años, situación que demuestra que la transición de la juventud a la edad adulta lleva en aumento estrés y ansiedad por las exigencias sociales; y, dentro de los ítems del Indicador Emocional B.I. se observa una mayor incidencia de los trazos finos y débiles, así como del trazo descontinuado. La investigación es útil para ayudar a contar con un recurso básico en el área clínica, para detectar la permanencia de rasgos de agresividad en adultos que en su infancia han sido maltratados y poderles brindar ayuda a ellos y a sus familias, como mecanismo para la prevención del ciclo del maltrato y para mejorar su autoconcepto, así como la calidad de sus relaciones interpersonales en la adultez. The purpose of this research is to find out the effect of child abuse through time: in a group of youth and adults. This according to the variables of age, socioeconomic status and type of abuse experienced, observing to what extent the characteristics of child abuse has affected the personality traits and has persisted over time. The statistic sample was of 60 participants- 30 from the district of Los Olivos and 30 from the district of Miraflores of the City of Lima-Peru. It´s a brief experimental, transversal and descriptive research, that selects 17 items associated with the impulsivity and aggressiveness traits, and 5 regarding low self-esteem and emotional insecurity, creating two groups of Emotional Indicators. AI: (Aggressiveness and impulsivity) and BI: (Low self-esteem and emotional insecurity). The type of maltreatment that was found with the most incidence in the results was the Emotional Abuse. Secondly was the Physical Abuse and finally the Sexual Abuse. In regard to the indicator AI. The presence of the item named pointed fingers appears increasingly from the age of 18 to the age of 38. This is a situation that shows that the transition from youth to adulthood leads to increased stress and anxiety due to social demands; with respect to the Emotional Indicator BI it shows a higher incidence of fine and weak lines as well as the discontinuous lines. This research is useful to help to have a basic resource in the clinical area, to detect the persistence of aggressive traits in adults who have been abused in their childhood so as to be able to help them and their families, also as a mechanism for the prevention of the Cycle of abuse, and to improve their self-concept, as well as the quality of their interpersonal relationships in adulthood.

The contributions of impulsive and risk-taking behaviour in depressive and bipolar disorders, motivational and motor behaviours in anhedonic and substance addictive states, and the factors, particularly distress and trauma, underlying the development of neuropathology in affective status are described from clinical, epidemiological and laboratory perspectives. In order to distinguish one case factor for biopsychological substrates of health, an array of self-reported characteristics, e.g., positive or negative affect, stress or energy, optimism, etc., that may be predictive or counterpredictive for the propensity for physical exercise and activity were analysed using a linear regression in twelve different studies. Several individual characteristics were found to be markedly and significantly predictive of the exercise propensity, i.e., positive affect, energy, health-seeking behaviour and character, while optimism was of lesser, though significant, importance. Several individual characteristics were found to be significantly counterpredictive: expression of BDI- and HAD-depression, major sleep problems and lack/negligence of healthseeking behaviour. The consequences of physical activity and exercise for both affective well-being, cognitive mobility and neurogenesis is noted, particularly with regard to developmental assets for younger individuals. Affective disorder states may be studied through analyses of personal characteristics that unfold predispositions for symptom-profiles and biomarkers derived from properties of dysfunction, such as impulsiveness, temperament dimensions, anhedonia and 'over-sensitivity', whether interpersonal or to reward.

<p>The research studies presented as this dissertation constitute a methodologically diverse and conceptually integrative approach to understanding impulsiveness in the context of cognitive control and decision making. Broadly, these findings address the validity of current conceptions of trait impulsiveness, relationships between those traits and brain or laboratory measures of cognitive control, and links between impulsive traits and economic decisions under conditions of delay or uncertainty. The findings presented in this thesis affirm the multidimensional nature of impulsiveness as a construct, and link individual differences in specific impulsive types to behavioral and neurobiological measures of control function. The nature of motor, attentional, and nonplanning impulsive types are contextualized by reference to evidence supporting a broad theory of behavioral control based on hierarchical organization of action, ranging from concrete acts to abstract plans and strategies. We provide evidence linking concrete forms of urgent/motor impulsiveness to behavior and brain activation during response-related control, and more abstract and future-oriented premedititative/nonplanning impulsiveness to strategic control signals in more rostral PFC. Finally, these findings are complemented by causal evidence from a neurostimulation study linking a contextual control network to risky decision making and attentional impulsiveness.</p> / Dissertation

This thesis deals with the differences in time preferences, individual discount rates, among non-Romany (Czechs) and Romany ethnic group in the Czech Republic. Subjects of almost homogenous ethnic groups -- low income, low education, currently unemployed -- were subjected to experiments based on an in-depth questionnaire (Romany N = 35, N = 25 non-Romany). In addition to time preferences, their relationship with the socio-economic and demographic characteristics was inspected. The sub-tests showed a difference across ethnic groups in regard to the discounting models. Romany ethnic group is better characterized by an inconsistent model compared to the non-Romany using an more consistent model. Participants from both groups, however, appear to be very impatient, with discount rates closer to the values of individuals dependent on addictive substances. Probably because of insufficient sample size, no statistically significant correlation was found between the discount rates and socio-economic and demographic factors. Financial (il)literacy among Romany proved to be an important factor affecting the formation of savings. Finally, the recorded signal effect of expenditures on signal goods among the Romany ethnic group is briefly analyzed.

Dangerous driving behaviors are influenced by multiple factors including cognitive processes such as impulse inhibition and attentiveness. Impulsiveness, inattention, and cognitive failures have been linked to other risky behaviors, but a comprehensive evaluation using multiple methods of measurement of these has never been conducted to analyze their impact on dangerous driving. The purpose of this study was to examine influences of attentional abilities, impulsiveness, and cognitive failures on reported and demonstrated dangerous driving behaviors. Seventy-five participants completed a self-report dangerous driving measure, a self-report ADHD measure, a self-report impulsiveness measure, a continuous performance task to measure behavioral impulsivity and inattention, a measure of cognitive failures, and a driving simulator task. Two hierarchical linear regressions with simultaneous entry into blocks were used to analyze contributions of impulsiveness, inattention, and cognitive failures assessments in predicting dangerous driving behavior. Results indicated these assessments accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in Dula Dangerous Driving Index (3DI) scores above and beyond the effects of age and sex, Adjusted R▓ = .20, F(6, 59) = 2.51, p < .05, but no significant individual predictors emerged. Scores on these measures were also found to account for a significant amount of the variance in risky driving as measured by the driving simulator, above and beyond the effects of age and sex, Adjusted R▓ = .15, F(6, 60) = 2.91, p < .05, and identified BIS-11 scores and ADHD-RS impulsiveness scores as significant individual predictors. It seems that despite multiple methods of assessment, it is still difficult to capture the assumed relationships between each of these factors and driving. Though each assessment measures different aspects of constructs related to dangerous driving, the lack of relationships and predictive abilities may indicate that impulsiveness, inattention, cognitive failures, and dangerous driving may be more complex and multifaceted than previously understood.

In light of collated research linking temperament traits and executive performance, the aim of this study is to explore, in a large non-clinical sample, the differences in executive performance profiles among participants with different intensities of the trait Novelty Seeking (NS). A further aim is to establish which facets of NS contribute to these differences. The NS temperament dimension and its subscales were operationalised as scores on the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), which is based on the psychobiological theory of personality. The University of Pennsylvania Computerised Neuropsychological Test Battery (PennCNP) of executive functioning (EF) and abstract reasoning was used to measure participants’ neuropsychological EF. The total sample of participants (n= 461) was divided into high NS (n= 216) and low NS (n= 245) groups to investigate any significant differences between them. Further analysis was then conducted in order to analyse the relationship between the NS scale, the four subscales (Exploratory Excitability, Impulsiveness, Extravagance, and Disorderliness), and performance in executive tasks. The findings of this study indicated significant differences between groups with different intensities of NS, with the high NS group functioning notably better in performance and reaction time. Furthermore, this study showed that facets of NS, such as impulsiveness was a significant contributor to EF performance outcomes. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Psychology / unrestricted

Symptoms and syndromes in neuropathology, whether expressed in conscious or nonconscious behaviour, remain imbedded in often complex diagnostic categories. Symptom-based strategies for studying brain disease states are driven by assessments of presenting symptoms, signs, assay results, neuroimages and biomarkers. In the present account, symptom-based strategies are contrasted with existing diagnostic classifications. Topics include brain areas and regional circuitry underlying decision-making and impulsiveness, and motor and learned expressions of explicit and implicit processes. In three self-report studies on young adult and adolescent healthy individuals, it was observed that linear regression analyses between positive and negative affect, self-esteem, four different types of situational motivation: intrinsic, identified regulation, extrinsic regulation and amotivation, and impulsiveness predicted significant associations between impulsiveness with negative affect and lack of motivation (i.e., amotivation) and internal locus of control, on the one hand, and non-impulsiveness with positive affect, self-esteem, and high motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation and identified regulation), on the other. Although presymptomatic, these cognitive- affective characterizations illustrate individuals' choice behaviour in appraisals of situations, events and proclivities essentially of distal perspective. Neuropathological expressions provide the proximal realities of symptoms and syndromes with underlying dysfunctionality of brain regions, circuits and molecular mechanisms.