This paper provides evidence to support the hypothesis that the locus coeruleus – norephinephrine (LC-NE) system is the neurophysiological basis of both the attentional blink (AB) and the event related potential (ERP) component known as the P300. The LC-NE system is thought to provide a brief burst of processing facilitation in response to motivationally salient events. The AB refers to decreased accuracy for reporting the second of two targets (T1 and T2) inserted into a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP). The LC-NE account of the AB holds that the AB is the result of a refractory-like period in LC-NE activity. The LC-NE account of the P300 suggests the P300 is the electrophysiological manifestation of the activity of the LC-NE system. I support the three-way link between these different aspects of brain activity by predicting differences in the AB dependent on characteristics of the P300 in response to T1 (T1-P300).

Ninety undergraduate students who scored as high or low on the Snyder Self-monitoring Scale participated in an experiment designed to determine the joint effects of self-monitoring and controllable or uncontrollable outcomes upon subsequent performance on three short-term memory tests. High and low self-monitoring subjects were assigned to one of three conditions: (1) controllable feedback, in which subjects received response contingent positive, "correct," and negative, "incorrect," feedback on a word association task; (2) uncontrollable feedback, in which subjects were given noncontingent feedback (70% negative and 30% positive); and (3) no-treatment. Measures of attentional focus were included in order to examine the role of attentional processes in the obtained results. In addition, the joint effects of treatment and self-monitoring on subjects' attributions were investigated. As predicted, the performance of high selfmonitors was significantly impaired by uncontrollability (learned helplessness), while that of low self-monitors was facilitated by controllability (learned competence). Results were discussed as supporting the contention that high self-monitors rely heavily on knowledge of environmental contingencies in order to control their environment. When their typically effective strategy is unsuccessful, "helplessness" is induced. Low self-monitors, who are less concerned with exercising control over environmental events, evidence diminished attention to and utilization of external stimuli. However, when these stimuli are made salient and the low self-monitor is positively reinforced for processing these stimuli, "competence" is induced. Results also suggest that high self-monitors, as compared with low self-monitors, are more likely to employ self-enhancing, defensive strategies. Such strategies may protect self-esteem and decrease the likelihood of long term negative effects.

Os vieses atencional e avaliativo para imagens relacionadas ao cigarro foram mensurados após a exposição a imagens relacionadas ao álcool (IA) ou controle (IC) através de uma tarefa de atenção visual. Participaram 40 universitários de 19 a 30 anos (M=23 anos) bebedores fumantes designados aleatoriamente para a condição IA ou IC. Além dos vieses, foram avaliados: beber problemático (através do Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), e severidade da dependência de nicotina (Questionário de Tolerância e Fagerstron). Os fumantes apresentaram viés atencional e avaliativo para as imagens relacionadas ao fumar. A exposição prévia a pistas associadas ao beber elevou o viés avaliativo (mas não o atencional) para imagens relacionadas ao cigarro. Observou-se alta freqüência de bebedores problemáticos, porém, baixo grau de dependência em nicotina. As implicações destes resultados para a prevenção ao fumo e ao beber abusivo entre universitários foram discutidas. / This study applied a visual attentional task to evaluated the attentional and evaluative biases for smoking-related images after exposure to alcohol (IA) or control (IC) images. Subjects were 40 college drinker and smokers (19 to 30 years old, mean 23 yrs), randomly assigned for IA or IC conditions. Also problem drinking (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and severity of nicotine dependence (Questionário de Tolerância de Fagerströn) were assessed. Smokers showed attentional and evaluative biases for smoking-related images. Previous exposure to drinking cues increased the evaluative but not the attentional bias for smokingrelated images. There was a high frequency of problem drinkers, but a low degree of nicotine dependence in this sample. The implications of these findings for prevention of smoking and abusive drinking among college students were discussed.

Ansiedade e atenção são dois conceitos complexos, que se relacionam diretamente em função de estratégias adaptativas relacionadas à sobrevivência em seres humanos. A presente tese teve como objetivo investigar se as ansiedades de traço e de estado estariam relacionadas ao viés de atenção nos canais visual ou auditivo em uma amostra não clínica. Os capítulos apresentam experimentos com a Visual Probe Detection Task, a Escuta Dicótica e o Stroop Emocional. Todos os experimentos foram realizados em população não clínica e comparou os resultados do cálculo do viés de atenção em grupos definidos pelos escores no inventário de ansiedade de traço e de estado. Foi observada a ausência de relação entre a ansiedade de traço e de estado com o viés de atenção nestes experimentos. A falta de especificidade cognitiva dos estímulos que compõem os três experimentos foi proposta como a causa principal destes resultados. / Anxiety and attention are two complex concepts that relate directly because of adaptive strategies related to survival in humans. This doctoral thesis addressed some aspects related to these two issues. It were discussed some aspects of trait and state anxiety and the study of attentional bias in visual and auditory channels. The chapters present the empirical results of the experiments that used the Visual Probe Detection Task, the Dichotic Listening Task and the Emotional Stroop Task. All experiments were performed in non-clinical population and related the results of the evaluation of attentional bias scores with trait and state anxiety. The results showed no relationship between trait and state anxiety with the attentional bias. It discusses possible reasons for this lack of bias in these samples. Among the possibilities, the lack of cognitive specificity of stimuli that make up the three experiments was proposed as the main reason for it.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar se o treino de meditação da atenção focada promoveria melhoras em variáveis emocionais e cognitivas. Foram realizadas duas intervenções de diferentes durações, as quais foram avaliadas antes e depois através de um paradigma experimental que permitiu analisar a interferência emocional e o controle cognitivo, assim como de medidas de autorrelato avaliando variáveis de ansiedade, afeto, dificuldades de regulação emocional e atenção concentrada. A primeira intervenção compreendeu um ensaio randomizado de seis semanas, com encontros semanais e com dois grupos controle - relaxamento progressivo e lista de espera. A segunda compreendeu um ensaio de cinco dias consecutivos, com apenas um grupo controle de lista de espera. Os resultados de ambas intervenções indicaram que a meditação da atenção focada pode ajudar na modulação da interferência emocional, no controle cognitivo, assim como na melhora de aspectos emocionais, tal como redução de ansiedade e afeto negativo, e melhora na atenção concentrada. Além disso, estes resultados foram superiores àqueles observados nos grupos controle. Ressalta-se que apesar de complementares, os achados da intervenção mais curta foram menos robustos, indicando que um treino curto já pode produzir mudanças, mas que estas ganham maior magnitude à medida que o tempo de prática aumenta. Discute-se o papel da interrelação entre as variáveis investigadas para a regulação emocional, sugerindo-se que a meditação pode ser caracterizada como um tipo particular de estratégia regulatória. / The present work aimed to evaluate whether a focused attention meditation training would promote enhancements in emotional and cognitive variables. Two interventions with distinct durations were carried out, which were evaluated before and afterwards through an experimental paradigm that allowed the analysis of emotion intereference and cognitive control, as well self-report measures assessing variables such as anxiety, affect, difficulties in emotion regulation, and concentrated attention. The first intervention comprised of a six-week randomized trial, with weekly meetings and two control groups - progressive relaxation and wait list control. The second comprised a five-consecutive-day randomized trial, with only a wait list control group. Results from both interventions indicated that focused attention meditation can help modulating emotion interference, enhance cognitive control, as well as improve emotional aspects, such as reducing anxiety, negative affect, and increasing concentrated attention. In addition, these findings were superior to those observed in the control groups. We highlight that despite being complementary, the results from the short intervention were less robust, indicating that a short-term training can already promote some changes, but that the extent of their magnitude seems to be related to the amount of practice. We discuss the role of the interrelationship between the investigated variables for emotion regulation, suggesting that meditation can be considered a particular type of regulatory strategy.

Os Transtornos Emocionais ou Transtornos Internalizantes compreendem os Transtornos de Ansiedade e a Depressão Maior. São condições comuns, com frequência apresentam um curso crônico, podem chegar a ser incapacitantes e estão associados ao desenvolvimento de outros transtornos mentais ao longo da vida. Existe um vasto campo de pesquisa buscando identificar fatores de risco e de vulnerabilidade para estes transtornos. Entre estes, a história familiar é notoriamente conhecida como um dos fatores de risco mais consistentes. Contudo, os mecanismos pelos quais transtornos psiquiátricos nos pais conferem risco de psicopatologia nos filhos ainda são desconhecidos. Nesta dissertação, buscaremos investigar se alterações no sistema de orientação da atenção para ameaças podem estar envolvidas na transmissão de risco de transtornos emocionais de mães para filhos. Participaram do estudo 1280 crianças com desenvolvimento típico, entre 6-14 anos, participantes da Coorte de Escolares de Alto Risco para Transtornos Psiquiátricos na Infância e Adolescência. A ausência de diagnóstico psiquiátrico nas crianças foi avaliada por meio do Developing and Well-Being Behaviour Assessment (DAWBA) e os diagnósticos de ansiedade ou depressão nas mães foram realizados através do Mini International Diagnosis Interview (MINI). Duas tarefas dot-probe, com diferentes tempos de exposição (500ms e 1250ms) foram utilizadas para avaliar vieses de atenção para faces de felicidade e para faces de raiva. Os resultados mostraram que meninas com mães com transtornos emocionais apresentaram uma maior atenção direcionada para ameaças em comparação com filhas de mães sem transtornos emocionais (i. e. humor ou ansiedade). Em contraste, o viés atencional para ameaças em meninos depende do tipo de transtorno emocional que a mãe apresenta. Ou seja, em comparação com filhos de mães sem transtornos emocionais, meninos com mães com depressão maior (na ausência de transtorno de ansiedade) mostraram um aumento da atenção em direção à ameaça, enquanto que este viés está ausente em meninos cujas mães apresentam transtorno de ansiedade. Conclui-se que o viés atencional pode ser um mecanismo mediador do risco parental para transtornos emocionais, o que deve ser melhor investigado em estudos longitudinais. Ainda, especula-se que a prevalência mais alta de transtornos de ansiedade em meninas poderia ser parcialmente explicada como um reflexo desta transmissão de risco, uma vez que meninos são afetados por viés em seus processos de informação apenas quando possuem mães deprimidas, enquanto que meninas têm estes processos afetados quando possuem mães deprimidas ou ansiosas. Os resultados têm implicações tanto para o entendimento dos mecanismos de transmissão de risco para transtornos de ansiedade e depressão, quanto para o desenvolvimento de intervenções preventivas e pesquisas futuras em crianças em risco para estes transtornos emocionais na infância e adolescência. / Emotional Disorders or Internalizing Disorders comprise Major Depression and Anxiety Disorders. These disorders are common, frequently have a chronic course, could lead to disability and are associated with the development of other mental disorders later in life. There is a vast field of research aiming to identify risk factors to these disorders. Among these, family history of psychiatric disorders is one of the most consistent risk factors for emotional disorders. However, the mechanisms by which parental psychiatric disorders confer risk for psychopathology in children are still unknown. In this dissertation, we aim to investigate whether changes in the attention orienting system towards threats might be involved in the risk transmission of emotional disorders from mothers to children. The study included 1280 typically developing children, 6-14 years of age, participants from the High Risk Cohort Study for Psychiatric Disorders. Absence of childhood diagnosis was performed using the Developing and Well-Being Behavior Assessment (DAWBA). Maternal diagnosis of Anxiety and Depression was performed using the Mini International Diagnosis Interview (MINI). Two dot-probe tasks, which differed in stimulus exposure (500ms and 1250ms), assessed attention biases for happy-face and threat-face cues. Results showed that girls with maternal emotion disorder showed increased attention to threat compared to daughters of disorder-free mothers, irrespective of the type of maternal emotion disorder (i.e. mood or anxiety). In contrast, attention bias to threat in boys depends on the type of maternal emotion disorder. That is, in comparison with sons of disorder-free mothers, boys with maternal mood disorder (in the absence of anxiety disorder) showed increased attention to threat, whereas this bias is absent in boys with maternal anxiety disorder. We conclude that threat bias could be a mechanism mediating parental risk for emotional disorders. Longitudinal studies must be conducted to investigate this. Moreover, it is speculated that the higher prevalence of anxiety in girls might be partially a reflection of this risk transmission, since boys are only affected by information processing bias with depressed mothers, whereas both depressed and anxious mothers affect such processes on girls. The results have implications both for understanding the mechanisms underlying risk transmission for anxiety and depressive disorders and developing of preventive interventions and future research in children at risk for emotional disorders in childhood and adolescence.

The advantages of an external focus of attention are very consistent within the motor learning literature. That is, focusing on cues external to the body while performing a task will allow for greater motor skill learning and performance benefits compared to focusing internally. Likewise, there is a vast consistency within the self-regulated learning literature. Individuals that are allowed to alter or adjust a certain characteristic of their practice environment have consistently performed significantly better than individuals following a predetermined practice arrangement mirroring the schedule determined by their self-regulated counterpart. The purpose of this study was to investigate the motor skill learning and performance benefits of choice in attentional focus instructions while executing a golf putt. It was hypothesized that in practice: the self-regulated and control groups will perform similar to each other, but both will perform better than the yoked group; all participants will perform better when focusing externally rather than internally; and a majority of participants within all groups would indicate that focusing externally rather than internally elicited greater performance benefits by the end of practice on day 1. It was also hypothesized that the self-regulated and control groups will perform similar to each other on the retention and transfer tests, but both will perform better than the yoked group; and finally, a majority of participants would indicate that focusing externally rather than internally will elicit greater performance benefits by the end of the retention and transfer tests respectively. The results from this study indicated that the self-regulated and control groups performed similar to each other during practice, retention and transfer, but did not differ significantly from the yoked group. Also, approximately only 40% of all participants believed that adopting an external focus of attention would elicit greater performance benefits than an internal focus during practice, retention and transfer. This study provides practitioners with an increased understanding of how a participant-controlled learning environment affects which focus of attention is adopted by the learner. Since the advantages of an external focus of attention are robust, and there appeared to be no clear preference for using one focus over the other when given a choice, it might be appropriate to suggest that practitioners should continue to promote an external focus of attention in their learning environments until further research investigating the interactions of self-regulated practice and attentional focus are conducted.

xv, 175 p. : ill. A print copy of this title is available through the UO Libraries under the call number: KNIGHT HM1033 .D535 2008 / Emotional reactions are a critical element in the motivation to help others. For the purpose of the current research, these reactions are broadly conceptualized as focused either on the self or on other human beings. Self-focused affect (e.g., anticipated regret) motivates helping through the reduction of an unpleasant emotional state, whereas other- focused affect (e.g., sympathy) motivates helping due to concern for the victim. This dissertation investigates the role of affective vs. deliberative information processing in the genesis and use of emotional reactions in decisions to provide financial aid to people in distress. In five studies, a model of affective vs. deliberative information processing is examined within the domain of prosocial behavior. Three main hypotheses investigated whether information processing mode influenced participants' donations, affective reactions, and the relationship between affective reactions and donations. Processing mode was manipulated by a cognitive load paradigm, a priming procedure, the number and identifiability of victims, serial vs. single presentations, and the addition of background statistics related to the victim's situation. Furthermore, participants' ability to visually focus on a single target presented with and without distractor victims was investigated as part of an attentional mechanism that generates affective responses. The results supported a model in which deliberative processing has potentially disruptive effects on the generation of other-focused affect and on the extent to which these types of emotions predicted donations. The importance of other-focused affect in donation decisions was augmented by reducing deliberative capacity, priming affective processing, and increasing the affective salience of victims by identifying them. The influence of self-focused affect on donations was robust to changes in information processing mode and appeared to be governed by different mechanisms than other-focused affect. Humanitarian aid organizations should be sensitive to these issues when eliciting donations from potential donors. Implications and future research are discussed. / Adviser: Paul Slovic

Previous attentional focus literature suggests that adopting an external focus (EF) results in greater force production through a variety of mechanisms. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of attentional focus and dual-tasking when performing heavily loaded barbell movements that are specific to strength-based sports. Fifteen resistance-trained males (age = 23.3 ± 3.4 years) reported to the laboratory for three visits. The first visit consisted of a five-repetition maximum (5RM) test on the conventional deadlift. During the subsequent sessions, the participants performed a total of twelve single conventional deadlift repetitions while adopting an internal focus (IF), an external focus (EF), or while performing the cognitive task (COG). The IF and EF consisted of focusing on activating the quadriceps and maintain a straight bar path, respectively. The COG consisted of counting the total occurrence of two single-digits in a sequence of three-digit numbers, separately. Three-dimensional motion capture and force platforms were used to collect kinematic and kinetic data. No significant differences were found between the IF, the EF and the COG for lift duration, peak barbell velocity, peak vertical ground reaction force, area of 95% confidence ellipse, peak hip moments and peak hip powers. Adopting an EF significantly reduced variability of the barbell trajectory and centre of pressure (COP) in the anterior-posterior direction. Mean velocity of COP was also significantly lower for the EF. Our findings suggest that adopting an EF may lead to greater postural stability when performing heavily loaded barbell movements.

Os vieses atencional e avaliativo para imagens relacionadas ao cigarro foram mensurados após a exposição a imagens relacionadas ao álcool (IA) ou controle (IC) através de uma tarefa de atenção visual. Participaram 40 universitários de 19 a 30 anos (M=23 anos) bebedores fumantes designados aleatoriamente para a condição IA ou IC. Além dos vieses, foram avaliados: beber problemático (através do Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), e severidade da dependência de nicotina (Questionário de Tolerância e Fagerstron). Os fumantes apresentaram viés atencional e avaliativo para as imagens relacionadas ao fumar. A exposição prévia a pistas associadas ao beber elevou o viés avaliativo (mas não o atencional) para imagens relacionadas ao cigarro. Observou-se alta freqüência de bebedores problemáticos, porém, baixo grau de dependência em nicotina. As implicações destes resultados para a prevenção ao fumo e ao beber abusivo entre universitários foram discutidas. / This study applied a visual attentional task to evaluated the attentional and evaluative biases for smoking-related images after exposure to alcohol (IA) or control (IC) images. Subjects were 40 college drinker and smokers (19 to 30 years old, mean 23 yrs), randomly assigned for IA or IC conditions. Also problem drinking (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and severity of nicotine dependence (Questionário de Tolerância de Fagerströn) were assessed. Smokers showed attentional and evaluative biases for smoking-related images. Previous exposure to drinking cues increased the evaluative but not the attentional bias for smokingrelated images. There was a high frequency of problem drinkers, but a low degree of nicotine dependence in this sample. The implications of these findings for prevention of smoking and abusive drinking among college students were discussed.