Bering and colleagues (2004, 2005) reported that the expectation that conscious mental states cease with the onset of death (discontinuity reasoning) emerges developmentally, and discontinuity reasoning for some states (emotions, desire, epistemic) remains lower than for others (psychobiological, perceptual). Cormier (2005) reported very similar findings for the context of sleep and proposed a modular explanation of these effects (“intentional persistence”) and suggested that intentional persistence represents an evolved adaptation designed to maintain vigilance and behavioral preparedness while in the presence of animals of ambiguous agency status (e.g., death, sleep, hibernation, feigned death). The current study extended this line of research to realistic animal characters. Although results revealed patterns of discontinuity reasoning and intentional persistence that were consistent with those of previous studies, the prediction that intentional persistence would be more pronounced for predators was not fulfilled. A newly proposed evolutionary product, “Cooptation,” was introduced to further explain the results. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Parents’ capacity to represent and sensitively respond to their children as individuals, is a particularly pertinent ability during infancy. This thesis contributes to theoretical understanding of the nature of parental sensitivity during infancy. In particular, it examined whether parental mind-mindedness and coherence, dimensions theoretically related to sensitivity, are (i) measurable during pregnancy, (ii) conceptually distinct, and (iii) meaningfully associated with observed sensitivity. Results from two studies are presented. The first, a prospective longitudinal study, involved interviews with and observations of 201 first-time parents during late pregnancy and at 4 and 14 months postpartum. Drawing on this data, I established that both expectant mothers and fathers can construct mind-minded and coherent descriptions of their unborn infants during pregnancy. However, there was no evidence that these prenatal constructs had a direct or indirect effect on parents’ sensitivity during infancy. These results were added to the second meta-analytic study that showed expectant mothers’ (but not fathers’) thoughts and feelings about their unborn infant were related to their observed parenting in the postnatal period. In line with the gendered meta-analytic results, further differences emerged between mothers’ and fathers’ talk and behaviour within the prospective longitudinal study. Specifically, mind-mindedness was more stable than sensitivity for mothers whilst the reverse was evident for fathers. Compared with mothers, fathers’ talk and behaviour was more susceptible to influence from other members of the family system. Couple relationship quality influenced both fathers’ prenatal coherence and gains in their mind-mindedness over time. Infant affective responses were also important for fathers’ mind-mindedness, whilst maternal parental efficacy alongside infants’ receptive vocabulary were associated with fathers’ sensitivity. Unexpectedly, infant gender was an important influence on parents’ behaviour: mothers’ sensitivity at 4 months appeared to stimulate fathers’ sensitivity towards their daughters at 14 months. By following both mothers and fathers and in line with family systems theory, assessing whether partners contribute to the emergence of their co-parents’ sensitivity, this thesis provides a rich portrayal of the transition to parenthood in the 21st century.

Shame is a complex emotion and often discussed with reluctance; these feelings are usually incapacitating and unbearable. In this thesis, four studies explored aspects of shame vulnerability and shame management. First, a cross-sectional study (n = 240) was carried out to assess factors contributing to the experience of shame. This study demonstrated that negative self-judgment and submissive coping strategies accounted for a significant variance in shame above and beyond the effects of recall of adverse childhood experiences, and that negative self-judgment fully mediated the relationship between recall of childhood experiences and shame. The second study (n = 140 and n = 415) examined the underlying factor structure of a new measure: the Acceptance of Shame and Embarrassment Scale (ASES). Factor analysis in both samples revealed that the ASES had good internal consistency and construct validity. Thirdly, a cross sectional study (n = 159) considered self-compassion and mindfulness as methods of shame management and demonstrated that mindful and self-compassionate were significantly and negatively correlated with the experience of shame. In addition, this study showed that self-compassion fully mediated the mindfulness-shame relationship. The final experimental study (n = 120) assessed the effect of shame on mind wandering. Participants were assigned to shame, pride, or control conditions, and mind wandering during a subsequent reading task was measured using retrospective and behavioural methods. Inducing feelings of shame did not have a significant effect on mind wandering. Overall, these studies suggested that (a) adverse childhood experiences were significantly associated with negative self-judgment and shame, (b) adopting submissive coping strategies is likely to increase the chance of shame vulnerability, (c) the Acceptance of Shame and Embarrassment Scale had promising psychometric properties for assessing acceptance of shame and embarrassment experiences, (d) self-compassion mediated the relationship between mindfulness and shame, and (e) inducing feelings of shame did not have a significant effect on mind wandering.

Nas últimas décadas diversos produtos oriundos do desenvolvimento científico têm se tornado cada vez mais presentes na vida das pessoas e em razão disso os estudantes, atualmente, têm seu acesso à informação facilitado. No entanto, o contexto escolar é visivelmente menos afetado que o restante da sociedade pelos recentes avanços tecnológicos. O modelo de escola atual brasileiro em pouco difere do modelo de escola de décadas atrás. Por outro lado, não é difícil perceber que a instituição que poderíamos nomear educação básica, de modo geral, assume um papel importante nesta mesma sociedade em relação à qual se vê descontextualizada. Neste trabalho foi investigado como o conhecimento sobre Astronomia se estabelece dentro da sociedade, supondo que diferentes grupos sociais apresentariam diferentes representações de conhecimentos relacionados tanto com Astronomia quanto com qualquer outro assunto científico. A teoria das Representações Sociais é tomada como marco teórico para uma investigação acerca desta temática, procurando estabelecer como o conhecimento de Astronomia é influenciado pelo contexto social dos indivíduos. Uma Representação Social é construída essencialmente por influência do meio social em que os sujeitos se encontram inseridos, na tentativa de transformar algo desconhecido em familiar e, nesse sentido, destaca-se o papel da mídia na abordagem de conceitos emprestados da Ciência, exercendo pressão para que os indivíduos cristalizem representações sobre tais conceitos. As representações sociais de um determinado assunto podem não ser consonantes com os conhecimentos cientificamente aceitos, pertencendo apenas ao universo consensual. Nesse sentido, foi conduzido um estudo piloto sobre Representações Sociais em um grupo de estudantes do 6º ano do Ensino Fundamental do interior de um município da região metropolitana de uma capital brasileira, utilizando-se a técnica dos mapas mentais. Adicionalmente foi desenvolvida e aplicada com os estudantes, que tinham entre 11 e 12 anos, uma estratégia didática com duração de 8 horas-aula que se apropriou de pressupostos da teoria da Aprendizagem Significativa e que tencionava permitir a aproximação das possíveis representações sociais em Astronomia apresentadas pelos estudantes daquelas aceitas pela comunidade científica e, acima de tudo, formalizando um contato científico com a Astronomia. Verificou-se que apesar de pertencerem a um grupo social relativamente bem delimitado, os estudantes apresentam poucas regularidades no que diz respeito às relações que estabelecem entre conceitos da Astronomia e outros termos. Somada à tentativa de identificação das Representações Sociais e à atividade intervencionista foram conduzidos testes de evocação de palavras com os pais dos estudantes tencionando estudar a relação entre as ideias evidenciadas pelos estudantes e seu convívio social. Outros dois estudos foram conduzidos em igualdade de condições, envolvendo estudantes de Ensino Médio, elaboração de mapas mentais, uma sequência de 14 hora-aula de Astronomia e testes de evocação de palavras. Também aplicou-se testes de evocação de palavras com os pais dos estudantes e o resultado foi coerente com o que se observou no estudo piloto. Os estudantes apresentam noções de Astronomia rasas, porém compatíveis com o conhecimento propagado pela própria educação formal. Não houve relação explícita entre Astronomia e pseudociência ou, catastrofismos. Embora rasas, as noções iniciais dos estudantes demonstraram amadurecimento após a sequência de aulas. Os testes de evocação de palavras foram determinantes em demonstrar que há regularidade entre os grupos de estudantes abordados no primeiro e no segundo estudos. Percebeu-se que a identificação destas Representações Sociais é complexa e ainda que é difícil 7 estabelecer em que medida os conhecimentos evidenciados refletem a influência da socialização ou da formação científica pobre. Assim, a identificação de Representações Sociais constitui uma temática promissora na pesquisa em ensino de Ciências pela sua relação direta com obstáculos representacionais que possam prejudicar a aprendizagem científica de conceitos e, especialmente, pela escassez de trabalhos na área. / In the last few decades the products coming from scientific development had become continually more present in people daily lives and because of that the students, nowadays, have their access to information eased. However, the educational context is visibly less affected than the rest of the society by the recent technological advancements. The actual Brazilian school model is barely different of how it was decades ago. On the other hand, it’s not hard to perceive that the institution called basic education, commonly, takes an important place in this very same society, in relation to which is seen out of context. This work approaches an investigation about how the knowledge in Astronomy establishes within the society, supposing that social groups would have distinct representations of Astronomy as of any other scientific subject. The theory of social representations is the theoretical framework in the theme for a study of how Astronomy concepts are affected by the individuals social context. A Social Representation is built essentially by influence of the social environment in which the subjects are situated, trying to translate unknown things into familiar ones and, in this sense, it’s emphasized the role of media on addressing concepts borrowed from science and simultaneously exerting pressure to individuals set up representations of those concepts. Occurs that social representations on a certain subject may not be consonant with scientific knowledge, belonging exclusively to the consensual universe. In this sense, it was conducted a mapping regarding social representations of a 6th grade student group (middle school) in a countryside school of a city located in the metropolitan area of a principal city in Brazil , using the mind maps technique. Additionally, we developed and applied a didactical strategy which appropriated the meaningful learning assumptions with the students, whose we’re all 11and 12 years old, trying to provide an approximation between the representations students had shown and that scientifically accepted and, above all, formalizing a scientific contact among children and Astronomy. It was verified that although the students were inserted in a relatively well delimited social group they present few regularities in what concerns the relationship among Astronomy concepts and other terms. Added to the try on identifying students social representations and to the classroom activity, it was conducted an investigation with the students’ parents using word evocation tests in a way for understand relations between what students had shown in the mental maps and their social acquaintanceship. Two other studies were conducted on equal terms, involving high school students, mental mapping, a 14-hour sequence of Astronomy classes, and word recall tests. Word recall tests were also applied to the students' parents and the result was consistent with what was observed in the pilot study. The students present shallow Astronomy notions, but compatible with the knowledge propagated by the formal education itself. There is no explicit relation between Astronomy and pseudoscience or, catastrophisms. Although shallow, the initial notions of the students demonstrated maturity after the sequence of classes. The word evocation tests were determinant in demonstrating that there is regularity among the groups of students addressed in the first and second studies. It was noticed that to identify a social representation is a difficult task, specifically to ascertain in which way the information expressed by the students reflects influence of the social context or, more probably, a poor scientific background. Therefore, identifying social representations consists in a promising theme on the science learning research area, especially because of its direct connection with representational obstacles which can hinder the scientific learning of concepts an, particularly, by the scarcity of works in the area.

Marketing has been developed and revalued the last years. The consumer today is moreeducated and is therefore able to have higher demands. These requirements together with theincreased competition is forcing brands to find creative ways to reach their target market.Fashion has throughout history contributed to, and been influenced by, changes in society.Through all times, people have used fashion and clothing as a way to demonstrate their socialidentity and to be accepted. Companies in the fashion industry can be successful if theydevelop brands that attract consumers. To achieve this, companies must find newcommunication tools to reach out to the consumer, among these tools, we find the fashioneditorials.Our aim is to investigate whether product placement occurs in Swedish fashion editorials.Through our thesis we want to explore how consumers perceive the editorials and alsowhether if they are used as a marketing channel.The method is qualitative and the study is based on semi structured interviews and a focusgroup interview. To get several opinions of the problem area, the issue is discussed from twodifferent perspectives. According to the hermeneutical approach, with interpretation in focus,the empirical material has been analyzed alternately with theory. The theories have thereforebeen reviewed during the process.Our conclusion is that all respondents experience that product placement occurs in fashioneditorials. It is also clear that there are differences between the interview perspectives. Theoccurance of product placement in fashion editorials is percieved in different ways. The maindifference is that the fashion industry operatives can see the press offices as messengers forthe brand's image. The consumer, on the other hand, is completely unaware of their existence.Furthermore, readers believe that the content is selected by someone who is an interpreter inthe fashion area and therefore it is accepted. Readers can see the fashion editorials as a sourceof inspiration when shopping. The fashion brands that frequently appears in fashion editorialsbecome top-of-mind of the consumer/reader. Our results suggest that consumers actually areshopping garments from the brands that appear in editorials. Fashion editorials can thus bedescribed as an important part of a fashion company's marketing. Finally, we discuss thefuture of fashion magazines as internet and blogs are changing the conditions to attract theconsumer. / Program: Textilekonomutbildningen

O objetivo deste trabalho é o exame da concepção espinosista da verdade, com ênfase no Tractatus de intellectus emendatione (TIE). Para tanto, empreendemos a análise da teoria das idéias, presente nesse texto, em um cotejo com as demais obras do autor. Apesar disso, privilegiamos o TIE dentre as demais, com o propósito de mostrar que essa obra não é uma fase superada. Com efeito, tem-se considerado o TIE como um fracasso de Espinosa pelo fato de o filósofo não ter conseguido nele elaborar a definição do intelecto. Entretanto, o que pretendemos mostrar é que, mesmo se nao inteiramente explicitada, a definição do intelecto pode ser ali encontrada e que, portanto, a tradicional interpretacao dos editores e comentadores - apesar de longamente endossada - está equivocada. De fato, tornou-se uma convenção dizer que o TIE não possui uma densa articulação com o sistema espinosista. Mostraremos, ao contrario, que ela não apenas existe, mas pode ser perfeitamente comprovada. / The objective of this work is to investigate the Spinozan concept of truth, with emphasis on the Tractatus de intellectus emendatione (TIE). In order to do so, we have analysed his theory of ideas, presented in this text, in close comparison with that presented in the rest of Spinoza\'s work. Despite this, we have given pride of place to the TIE over the rest, with the firm purpose of showing that this work is not merely a passing phase. In effect, the TIE has been considered, over the years, a Spinoza failure for its (apparent) lack of elaboration of the definition of the intellect. However, what we intend to do is to show that, even if not in an explicit way, the definition of the intellect is there and, therefore, that the editors\' and commentators\' traditional interpretation - despite its being amply endorsed - is wrong. In fact, it has become conventional to say that the TIE does not articulate easily with the core of Spinoza\'s system. It is our purpose, nonetheless, to show that not only does this articulation exist, but also that it can be thoroughly and consistently supported.

Sendo o corpo e a mente, respectivamente, modos dos atributos pensamento e extensão, a experiência mental e a corpórea devem desenvolver-se tal como estes atributos constituem e exprimem a natureza da substância única, ou seja, sem qualquer relação causal entre eles e seguindo uma mesma ordem de sucessão e conexão de causas e coisas. Na ausência de um mecanismo que explique a relação entre mente e corpo por qualquer tipo de interação direta, a questão reside em como compreendermos a unidade de uma essência expressa em duas realidades diferentes, no caso do homem, e em infinitas, no caso de Deus, sem estarem estas apartadas, mas reunidas na atualidade autoprodutora da substância. Esta dissertação visa, enfim, tratar da unidade da mente e do corpo em Espinosa e da maneira como ela pode ser melhor compreendido através da ciência espinosana dos sentimentos humanos. Com isto, pretendendo ir além da unidade em termos ontológicos, visaremos investigá-la na igualdade entre mente e corpo tal como eles se mostram em uma experiência afetiva determinada. / If are body and mind, respectively, modes of thought attributes and extension, the mental and the body experience must be developed as these attributes are and express the nature of the one substance, ie without any causal relationship between them and following the same order of succession and connection of causes and things. In the absence of a mechanism to explain the relationship between mind and body for any kind of direct interaction, the question is how to understand the unity of a essence expressed in two different realities, in the case of man, and endless, in the case of God, without being separated from them, but reunited in the self- producing actuality of substance. This text aims at last deal with the mind and body unity in Espinosa and how it can best be understood through it to Spinoza science of human feelings. With this, intending to go beyond the unit in ontological terms, we will target investigate it on equality between mind and body as they are shown in a certain affective experience.

This thesis will explore whether those interested in Buddhist practices such as mindfulness but who approach such practices from a broadly secular perspective can be offered reasons to take rebirth seriously as an afterlife possibility. It will begin by exploring some of the history of mindfulness and its adoption from Buddhism to show how foundational cosmological elements such as rebirth have been side-lined as part of a wider movement to bring Buddhism in line with modernist, particularly scientific, discourses. The thesis will investigate the philosophical principles behind the Buddhist multi-life perspective in order to see whether arguments could be rallied in defence of it. This will involve focussing specifically on the argument in defence of rebirth offered by Dharmakīrti and show how its premises draw from philosophical principles adopted by the earliest Buddhist philosophical systems. Dharmakīrti’s argument will be examined within the context of contemporary philosophy of consciousness where philosophers such as Evan Thompson and Galen Strawson have challenged the view that consciousness could arise from entirely unconscious factors. This challenge aligns with a key premise of Dharmakīrti’s argument for rebirth as well as Buddhist Abhidharma principles. Arguments against the emergence of consciousness from unconscious factors strengthen the case for claiming that consciousness cannot simply appear at the beginning of life and disappear at death. Whilst supporting Strawson’s arguments, the thesis will ultimately reject his claim that an individual consciousness could be constructed from, and ultimately collapse into, multiple consciousnesses. From here it will be argued that conscious experiences arise as part of an unbroken stream that can neither arise from nor collapse into rudimentary factors that are devoid of the distinctive characteristics of consciousness. The argument will conclude by suggesting that the stream of consciousness involves an inseparable capacity for retention and recall. This capacity provides the possibility for the sort of psychological continuity between lives that, within traditional Buddhist cosmology, allows an ordinary being to cultivate the extraordinary personal qualities of a Buddha.

Choy E Hang. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-99). / Abstract in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.2 / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.4 / Chapter CHAPTER I: --- INTRODUCTION --- p.7 / Theory of Mind Hypothesis --- p.7 / Executive Dysfunction Hypothesis --- p.10 / Inhibitory Control --- p.12 / The Present Studies --- p.15 / Hypotheses --- p.17 / Chapter CHAPTER II: --- STUDY 1 --- p.18 / Method --- p.19 / Participants --- p.19 / Materials --- p.19 / Measures --- p.20 / Procedures --- p.23 / Results --- p.25 / Examining Hypothesis 1 --- p.21 / Examining Hypotheses 2 and 3 --- p.28 / Discussion --- p.35 / Chapter CHATPER III: --- STUDY 2 --- p.38 / Method --- p.39 / Participants --- p.39 / Materials --- p.39 / Measures --- p.40 / Procedures --- p.44 / Results --- p.45 / Examining Hypothesis 1 --- p.48 / Examining Hypotheses 2 and 3 --- p.48 / Discussion --- p.52 / Chapter CHATPER IV: --- STUDY 3 --- p.55 / Method --- p.56 / Participants --- p.56 / Materials --- p.56 / Measures --- p.57 / Procedures --- p.61 / Results --- p.62 / Examining Hypothesis 1 --- p.64 / Examining Hypotheses 2 and 3 --- p.64 / Discussion --- p.76 / Chapter CHAPTER V: --- GENERAL DISCUSSION --- p.78 / Conclusion --- p.82 / REFERENCES --- p.83

Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide range of diseases, but the mechanisms involved in the process have remained a mystery. The present study measures EEG responses to stimulation of a specific acupuncture point, GB37 (Guang Ming), with two different types of manual needle stimulation. Previous studies stimulated for a maximum of 2 minutes. The present study reflects the normal acupuncture treatment time of 20 minutes, with EEG recordings during and for 10 minutes prior to and after stimulation. Our results show no changes in the global spatial and temporal properties of EEG during and shortly after acupuncture treatment of acupoint GB37. The second part of this study examines the global protein expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) knockout mice. GAD is the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. The protein content of wild type, hetero-, and homozygous GAD knockout mice brains were determined using a LC-MS-based gel-free shotgun profiling of complex protein mixtures. The data was analyzed using the Raculovic algorithm to determine the proteins differences. A short list of 32 proteins was determined with four that have been shown to be significant proteins that influence cell survival and excitotoxicity in the brain and have potential relationships with GABA. These proteins include VATPase, Glutamine synthetase, Beta-synuclein, and Micortuble associated protein (MAP). The proteomics results provide a preliminary best guess list of proteins influencing GAD and GABA production. / by Michael L. Marshall. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.