A expectativa de vida tem aumentado consideravelmente, reconfigurando a sociedade e fazendo crescer o número de idosos que buscam aprender algo novo. Esse panorama possibilitou o surgimento das UNATI (Universidades Abertas à Terceira Idade), nas quais professors oferecem voluntariamente diversos cursos livres, incluindo línguas estrangeiras (LE) aos idosos. Versaremos, neste trabalho, sobre o ensino-aprendizagem de italiano LE na unidade da UNATI da cidadeAraraquara/SP. Buscamos oferecer uma oficina denominada Raccontarsi, às turmas de italiano LE já existentes, na qual associamos autobiografia ao ensino-aprendizagem de LE para a Terceira Idade. Nossa escolha pela abordagem autobiográfica se justifica pelo fato de julgarmos que aprender uma LE é também conhecer mais de si mesmo e reconhecr que o percurso que trouxe o aluno até o ponto em que ele se encontra é importante no processo de aprendizagem. Consideramos, assim, o ato de raccontasi como uma produção que propicia visão cuidadosa ao passado, mas também ao presente e ao que ainda se poderá viver e aprender. Ao fazer referência às memórias de cada um, valorize-se o contexto e as características dos estudantes. Organizamos o material em Unidades de Trabalho que permitissem por meio de diferentes etapas que os alunos traçassem linhas do tempo e suas histórias de vida, visando a torna-los sujeitos ativos do processo de aprendizagem, oferecendo possibilidades de se expressarem utilizando a língua italiana, e considerando as singularidades de cada estudante no grupo. A coleta dos dados foi realizada por meio de a) autobiografias linguísticas dos alunos no início do trabalho, b) autobiografias de aprendizagem escritas no decorrer das aulas e c) entrevista com grupo focal realizada ao fim da oficina. A análise, realizada pela triangulação dos dados coletados, considerando o ponto de vista da professora e dos alunos, por meio de tópicos-chave para a compreensão deste trabalho, indicou que por meio das produções autobiográficas realizadas ao longo dos percursos propostos nas Unidades de Trabalho, foi possível invocar, refazer e ressignificar o conhecimento da língua italiana e, também, fortalecer os laços entre os participantes do grupo e o autoconhecimento. / Life expectancy has increased considerably, reconfiguring society and increasing the number o folder people seeking to learn something new. This scenario allowed the emergence of UNATI (Open Universities to the Third Age), in which teachers volunteer several free courses, including foreign languages (FL) to the elderly. In this paper, we will discuss the teaching and learning of Italian FL in the UNATI unit in the city of Araraquara, state of São Paulo. We seek to offer a workshop, which we call Raccontarsi, to the existing Italian FL classes, in which we associate autobiography with LE teaching and learning for the elderly. Our choice for the autobiographical approach is justified by the fact that learning an FL is also to know more about oneself and to recognize that the course that has brought the student to the point where he/she is is important in the learning process. We thus consider the act of raccontarsi a production that provides a careful view not only of the past, but also of the present and of what can still be lived and learned. When referring to the memories of each student, the context, and the characteristics of the students are valued. We organized the material in Work Units, which could allow through different stages the students to draw their life story and timeline, aiming to place them as active subjects of their learning process, offering possibilities of expressing themselves using the Italian language, and considering the singularities of each student within the group. Data collection was carried out by means of a) autobiographies of the students at the beginning of the work, b) autobiographies of learning, written in the course of the classes, and c) interview with a focus group at the end of the workshop. The analysis performed through the triangulation of the data collected, considering the point of view of the teacher and the students, through topics which were essential to understand this work indicated that, through the autobiographical productions carried out along the courses proposed in the Units, it was possible to strengthen the bonds within the group, and self-knowledge.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-21T14:53:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Linite Oliveira.pdf: 4496194 bytes, checksum: ab75381879d1481ab690f43bfeb6b347 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-23 / This study understands identity as a symbolic and discursive production process (Silva, T.T. 2014) through social practices and interactions. This research was based on the historical silencing of the identity construction of women, which in terms of relations of power have been marginalized. Thus, the discourses which are expressed are understood as being written in diverse practices. The research objectives were as follows: to understand the life experiences of the women who participated in the research before they were aware that they had contracted HIV; to understand the process of reconstruction of female social identity from their experiences of living with HIV; and to recognize future possibilities and prospects revealed as a social redefinition of gender identity in connection with living with HIV. This research was based on the theoretical framework of social identities of gender and on applied linguistic theory. In terms of gender identity, I referred to Louro (2009), Butler (2003) and Pinto (2009). Borba (2008, 2010) and Norton (2010) were used as theoretical references for issues of identity and gender in the context of HIV. This study was also theoretically based on the language studies and critical discourse analysis of Van Dijk (2008) and Fairclough (2001, 2008), as well as other authors. The methodology was qualitative narrative research, which was characterized as the methodology and research method. The three-dimensional space (Clandinin; Connelly, 2000) guided the instrumentalization and the production of field data, which were the autobiographical narratives of women who are HIV positive. The results of the narratives reveal that before contracting HIV, the social identities of the women in the survey revealed that they had affective bonds with males and they believed that housekeeping and care for others was part of their duty. They feared abandonment and being judged by others. In the narratives, shortly after the notification of their HIV status, they showed that their maternal, conjugal and filial identity tended to be superimposed onto their HIV positive identity. When they were undergoing antiretroviral therapy, instead of being concerned about their bodies and their health, they continued to worry about their children or other members of the family. They regretted not having previously paid more attention to their sexual health or having trusted their sexual partners too much. In the narratives regarding their future prospects, these women pointed out the importance of preventive sexual education for young people and they showed that they were more empowered when seeking other relationships and when searching for knowledge and information related to sexual health. They also stressed the importance of NGOs as a space to assume HIV-positive identity and to discuss that issue. The social identities of gender not only refer women to negative issues but also to a performative appeal of their identities for reconstruction and also to perform their lives in a reflective process about their social relations in affective, economic, social and personal terms. I conclude that the different identities of women intersect with each other and that the processes of construction and reconstruction are a part of their lives. Discussing the issue of HIV entails discussing social relations and social practices between humans. In talking about the other we reveal much about ourselves or the narratives that make up our own identities. To live is to construct and deconstruct ourselves in a continuous process. / Este trabalho assume a identidade compreendida como um processo de produção simbólica e discursiva (SILVA, 2014) através de práticas e interações sociais. A pesquisa teve como justificativa o silenciamento histórico em relação à construção identitária da mulher, a qual, nas relações de poder, é deixada aquém. Assim, os discursos expressos são entendidos como inscritos em práticas diversas. Os objetivos da pesquisa são: conhecer as experiências de vida das mulheres participantes da pesquisa antes de conviverem com o HIV; entender o processo de reconstrução da identidade social feminina a partir das experiências vividas na convivência com o HIV e reconhecer as possibilidades futuras e perspectivas reveladas como ressignificação de uma identidade social de gênero na convivência com o HIV. A pesquisa foi embasada nos referenciais teóricos de identidades sociais de gênero e nos teóricos da linguística aplicada. Na compreensão da identidade de gênero respaldei-me em Louro (2009), Butler (2003) e Pinto (2009), enquanto que Borba (2008, 2010) e Norton (2010) foram tomados como referenciais teóricos para questões de identidade, gênero no contexto do HIV. A pesquisa também teve como base teórica os estudos de linguagem e análise crítica do discurso de Van Dijk (2008) e Fairclough (2001, 2008) como alguns dos autores. A metodologia utilizada foi a pesquisa qualitativa narrativa, a qual se caracteriza como metodologia e método de investigação. O espaço tridimensional (CLANDININ; CONNELLY, 2000) foi o que norteou a geração de dados - narrativas autobiográficas de mulheres que vivem ou convivem com o HIV. Os resultados obtidos nas narrativas apontam que antes do HIV as identidades sociais reveladas das mulheres pesquisadas mostram que elas têm vínculo afetivo com a figura masculina e acreditam que os afazeres domésticos e cuidado com o outro são suas incumbências. Atualmente, temem o abandono e têm medo de serem julgadas. Nas narrativas referentes logo após à notificação à soropositividade ao HIV, apontaram as identidades maternal, filial e conjugal sobrepostas à identidade soropositiva ao HIV. A adesão à terapia antirretroviral dá-se pela preocupação com o corpo e saúde, por inquietarem-se com os filhos ou outro ente da família. Lamentam por não terem tido preocupação com sua saúde sexual antes de (con)viverem com o HIV ou por confiarem ao extremo em seus companheiros. Nas narrativas das perspectivas futuras dessas mulheres, elas apontam a importância de uma educação sexual preventiva aos jovens e se demonstram mais empoderadas na busca de outros relacionamentos e de conhecimentos e informações relacionadas à saúde sexual. Apontam a importância da ONG como espaço para assumir e discutir a identidade soropositiva ao HIV. As identidades sociais de gênero remetem as mulheres não só às questões negativas, mas também a uma chamada performativa de suas identidades para a reconstrução e vida performativa no processo de reflexão acerca de suas relações sociais no campo afetivo, econômico, social e pessoal. Concluo que as identidades de ser mulher se entrecruzam e que, o processo de construção e reconstrução faz parte do viver. Falar de HIV é falar das relações sociais e práticas sociais entre seres humanos. Além disso, a maneira como falo do outro, muito pode dizer de mim mesmo ou de quais discursos compõem as minhas identidades. Viver é construir e desconstruirmos a nós mesmos a todo tempo.

A presente tese, A forma confessional nos Diários de Miguel Torga, analisa os três diários iniciais do autor, escritos durante os anos de 1932 a 1946 e publicados entre 1941 e 1946. O recorte realizado procura, na primeira seção, mostrar o processo de constituição de Miguel Torga como autor intimista, que se deu na primeira metade do século passado, por meio dos debates do movimento presencista e da leitura intensa de autores confessionais. Esse percurso formativo foi fundamental para que pudesse elaborar um diário extremamente original, que soube preservar, no entanto, o lastro da tradição literária europeia, como demonstramos na segunda seção. Na seção final, realizamos a leitura imanente do Diário a fim de identificar e discutir as bem sucedidas estratégias de que Miguel Torga lançou mão para construir um texto em que sujeito, forma literária e vida social se entrelaçam profundamente. / The present thesis, The confessional form in the Diaries of Miguel Torga, analyses the authors three initial diaries, written during the years of 1932 and 1946 and published between 1941 and 1946. This work seeks to demonstrate, in the first section, the process by which Miguel Torga became an intimist author in the first half of the last century, through the debates conducted by the presencista movement and the extensive reading of confessional authors. As we demonstrate in the second section, that formative trajectory was fundamental for him to get to elaborate a highly original diary, which yet preserves the grounding of the literary European tradition. In the final section, we make an immanent reading of the Diary so to identify and discuss the successful strategies used by Miguel Torga in order to build a text in which subject, literary form and social life are intensely interwoven.

This thesis aimed to extend the existing psychological and neural basis of social processing in Major Depressive Disorder. This investigation was an attempt to resolve current conflicts and gaps in the social affective neuroscience literature regarding social functioning in depression. Chapter 1 consisted of a general introduction to the current evidence-base and theoretical frameworks surrounding social processing more generally, and in depression more specifically. ‎Chapter 2 provided an exploration of the systemic behavioural biases in in those with depression compared to mentally healthy individuals using a range of social, affective and process measures implemented across the remaining chapters. Then followed a behavioural and neural investigation into self-relevant social processing in depression. Chapter 3 described the process of memory generation implemented across ‎ Chapter 4-6 using a script-driven paradigm. It further discussed the ecological validity of this paradigm using social autobiographical memories. Chapter 4 investigated the neural and behavioural responses to self-relevant autobiographical memories of social rejection and social inclusion in individuals with depression and in healthy controls. The next two chapters discussed the behavioural and neural basis of social processing in depression in response to others’ memories of social rejection and inclusion, using traditional and novel fMRI analysis methodologies in ‎Chapter 5 and ‎‎Chapter 6, respectively. The latter applied a novel intersubject correlation analysis to the same population of depressed and healthy controls as in Chapter 5. Then, Chapter 7 presented a future application of the script-driven imagery paradigm by investigating the effectiveness of different emotion regulation strategies in response to socially salient autobiographical memories in a population of healthy controls. Finally, Chapter 8 provided a general discussion bringing together behavioural and neural findings to provide a clearer understanding of social processing in Major Depressive Disorder. Current theoretical frameworks were used to guide the interpretation of these findings.

In two studies focused on finding predictors of dating accuracy of autobiographical memories, events were split into categories based on respondent independent characteristics (independent on respondents' evaluation) and other, which can be ascertained from date reconstruction (event lenght, theme, temporal schemata, landmark connection, self-events and other-events). The present study is part of a larger project on which I cooperated with A. Neusar (2012) and the present results supplement his study in the fields on which he did not focus in detail or at all. The first study was focused on dating accuracy of events from 2005 to 2008 and here events connected to a landmark, self-events and extended events and also holiday and relationship events and changes were dated more accurately. Temporal schema helped with estimating the month of the year. Women were on average more accurate and specifically also in thematic categories, e.g., in estimating the date of child events. The second study was focused on dating events from recent two and half months. Events connected to a landmark and Easter, self-events and extended events were dated more accurately. Higher accuracy was found also among events connected to the leisure activities and birthday category. Women were more accurate in dating events from...

INTRODUÇÃO: A memória autobiográfica é um tipo de memória episódica, que abrange os aspectos perceptuais, afetivos e espaço-temporais de um evento. Tais aspectos são organizados em representações que compõem uma história pessoal, sendo portanto fundamentais para a formação da identidade. Esse tipo de lembrança é uma construção transitória e dinâmica gerada a partir de uma base de conhecimento subjacente e esta base é armazenada em diferentes níveis de especificidade de detalhes. Por possuir grande conteúdo episódico, que é dependente das regiões frontais e temporomediais, áreas cerebrais conhecidas por sofrerem alterações significativas com o avanço da idade, é um sistema de memória que parece apresentar declínio com o avanço da idade. O presente estudo procurou investigar a relação entre a memória autobiográfica e o envelhecimento em 57 voluntários saudáveis, que foram divididos em dois grupos: adultos jovens (18 a 50 anos) e adultos mais velhos (51 a 75 anos). METODOLOGIA: A investigação utilizou uma entrevista de memória autobiográfica constituída de 5 eventos públicos marcantes (flashbulb memories), 4 estímulos de valência (positiva e negativa) e 1 evento importante ocorrido no último ano. As entrevistas foram avaliadas e pontuadas de acordo com sistema de categorização dos detalhes relatados em episódicos e semânticos. Também foi usada uma bateria de testes neuropsicológicos composta por 7 testes agrupados em 5 domínios cognitivos destinados a avaliar respectivamente: velocidade de processamento da informação, memória verbal, memória visual, funções executivas e funcionamento intelectual, para examinar possível déficits nesses domínios e suas correlações com o desempenho na entrevista autobiográfica. O nível de significância foi de p < 0.05. RESULTADOS: Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os dois grupos na avaliação de memória autobiográfica, com sujeitos lembrando-se de quantidades semelhantes de detalhes episódicos. Tanto eventos de valência positiva como negativa foram lembrados com a mesma qualidade. Houve uma tendência a um pior desempenho de pessoas mais velhas para relatar lembranças pessoais recentes (que ocorreram no último ano). O grupo mais velho teve pior desempenho em atividades de velocidade de processamento, flexibilidade mental, controle inibitório, memória episódica verbal e memória visual. Foi observada uma correlação positiva entre o desempenho em tarefa padronizada de memória verbal episódica e a quantidade de detalhes episódicos na entrevista de memória autobiográfica. Houve uma relação inversa entre a quantidade de eventos episódicos relatados e a velocidade de processamento de informações apenas no grupo de adultos jovens. Não foram observadas correlações entre os demais domínios cognitivos e os resultados na atividade de memória autobiográfica. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados obtidos sugerem que as memórias autobiográficas são mais resistentes aos efeitos do tempo. Eventos que têm importante significado pessoal e grande conteúdo emocional aparentam ficar bem preservados na memória / INTRODUCTION: The autobiographical memory is a kind of episodic memory that covers an event\'s aspects of perception, affection, space and time. These are organized in representations that make up a personal history. Therefore, they are paramount to the creation of identity. This type of memory is a transitory and dynamic construction, generated from a foundation of subjacent knowledge stored in details that are specific on different levels. Because it has a vast episodic content, that is dependent of the frontal and temporal medial regions (areas of the brain known for suffering meaningful changes with the aging process), it is a memory system that apparently shows decline with the aging process. This study sought to investigate the relationship between autobiographical memory and aging in 57 healthy subjects that were divided into two groups: young adults (18 to 50 years old) and seniors (51 to 75 years old). METHOD: The investigation used an autobiographical memory interview made up of 5 memorable public events (flashbulb memories), 4 valence stimuli (positive and negative) and 1 important event that happened in the last year. The interviews were evaluated and scored according to the sorting system of details determined either as episodic or semantic. A battery of neuropsychological tests was also used, it was constituted of 7 tests grouped in 5 cognitive domains destined to evaluate, respectively: processing speed, verbal memory, visual memory, executive functions and intellectual performance, to examine possible deficits in these domains and its correlation to the performance in the autobiographical interview. The level of significance was of p < 0.05. RESULTS: There were no meaningful differences between groups in the evaluation of autobiographical memory. Subjects remembered similar amounts of episodic details. Events of both negative and positive valence were recalled with the same quality. In seniors, a tendency towards a worse performance was found when they were asked to tell recent personal memories (that happened last year). The results demonstrate age-related difficulties in activities of speed processing, mental flexibility, inhibitory control, episodic verbal memory and visual memory. A positive correlation was found between the performance in a standardized episodic verbal memory task and the amount of episodic details in the autobiographical memory interview. There was a reverse relation between the amount of episodic events told and the speed of processing information only in the young adults group. No correlations were found between the other cognitive domains and the results in the autobiographical memory activity. CONCLUSION: The obtained results suggest that autobiographical memories are more resistant to the effects of time. Events that have important personal meaning and great emotional content seem to be well preserved in memory

Orientador: Maria Antônia Ramos de Azevedo / Resumo: Foi pelo caminho (auto)biográfico, amalgamado com o cartográfico, que decidi prosseguir. Tantas outras terras já haviam sido desbravadas no Território da Educação... Mas... Um Grupo de Pesquisa... Em que chão pisavam? Do que se alimentavam? Com que tribo se relacionavam? Que língua falavam? Como se mantinham e como se intercomunicavam? Eu precisava saber. E me apegando a viajores experientes como Michel Foucault, Gilles Deleuze, Maria Isabel da Cunha, Milton Santos e Marilena Chauí, me embrenhei mata a dentro. Lá, numa pequena Ilha de Pesquisa, pude observar seus moradores e registrar seu cotidiano: publicações; estrutura interna; temáticas das reuniões; organização de congressos; em verdade, gostaria de saber se estaria frente a um Espaço, Lugar ou Território, tentando identificar o “dialeto” dos habitantes, seus “costumes” de pesquisa, suas correlações com outras Ilhas e como influenciavam e/ou eram influenciados por elas. Tudo isso interligando significações geográficas dos três termos – Espaço, Lugar e Território - às transposições pedagógicas de sentido. Como resultado, cheguei à conclusão de que a Ilha é, por enquanto, um Lugar. Entretanto, certamente, migrará para Território no sentido de que já se organiza como centro de produção de artigos científicos, de formadora e compartilhadora de conhecimentos. Ao final da jornada, como uma grata surpresa, descobri que o encontro é “núpcias sempre fora e entre”. / Abstract: It was through the (auto) biographic path, amalgamated with the cartographic, that I decided to continue. So many other lands had already been cleared in the Territory of Education ... But ... A Research Group ... On what ground did they step on? What did they feed on? With which tribe did they relate? What language did they speak? How did they stay and how did they intercommunicate? I needed to know. And clinging to experienced travelers like Michel Foucault, Gilles Deleuze, Maria Isabel da Cunha, Milton Santos and Marilena Chauí, I got a lot of trouble inside. There, on a small Island of Research, I was able to observe its inhabitants and register their daily life: publications; internal structure; meetings; organization of congresses; in fact, I would like to know if I would be facing a Space, Place or Territory, trying to identify the "dialect" of the inhabitants, their research "customs", their correlations with other Islands and how they influenced and / or were influenced by them. All this interconnecting geographical meanings of the three terms - Space, Place and Territory - to the pedagogical transpositions of meaning. As a result, I came to the conclusion that the Island is, for the time being, a Place. However, it will certainly migrate to Territory in the sense that it is already organized as a center for the production of scientific articles, as a formator and knowledge-sharing. At the end of the journey, as a pleasant surprise, I discovered that the meeting is "... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

過去文獻顯示憂鬱反芻與憂鬱有緊密關連，憂鬱反芻的概念又可區分為不具適應性與較具適應性的部分（Treynor, Gonzalez, & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2003），但這兩者與憂鬱情緒的關係至今尚未有定論。在非臨床樣本中，高自我聚焦並非都是缺乏適應性的，高自我聚焦程度加上情緒一致的回憶特質，容易維持憂鬱情緒，反之加上情緒不一致性的回憶特質，則較能回憶正向記憶，具有較佳的情緒調節能力。為探討情緒、反芻與記憶特性的關係，本研究採用Trapnell和Campbell（1999）架構將自我聚焦分為自我反思與自我反芻兩個次分類，探討不同自我反思反芻與憂鬱情緒在自傳式記憶的特性表現上有何差異。其中以簡短指導語版的自傳式記憶測驗工具（MI-AMT）做為測量工具，增加在非臨床樣本中測驗自傳式記憶的敏感度。 本研究第一階段以545位大學、研究所學生為樣本，發展本地適用的中文版反思反芻量表，第二階段則從階段一的反思反芻程度、憂鬱程度高低中篩選出117位受試者，檢驗不同自我反思反芻與憂鬱情緒之自傳式記憶特性差異。 研究結果顯示（1）中文版自我反思反芻量表與簡短指導語版自傳式記憶測驗工具具有足夠心理計量特性，可用以測量相關概念與量化記憶特性。（2）憂鬱情緒程度高者具有自傳式記憶特定性低、過度概化記憶程度高的特性，與過去文獻符合。另外，反芻與反思在自傳式記憶的表現則相似性高，在同處於高憂鬱情緒類別，高反芻者並無顯著回憶出較少特定記憶、較多過度概化記憶，高反思者亦無顯著回憶出較多正向特定記憶、較少正向過度概化記憶；這些結果與Svaldi（2008）無法驗證研究假設的結果相同。 / Literature review shows that depressive rumination sustains depressed mood. Depressive rumination could separate into maladaptive and adaptive subcomponents (Treynor, Gonzalez, & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2003), but the relationship of them and depressive mood is unstable. In non-clinical sample, high self-focus is not always relates to maladaptive. When it combines with mood-congruent autobiographical memory sustain negative mood easily. People with mood-incongruent effect will recall more positive autobiographical memory, has better emotional regulation. The present study tried to examine the relationship between emotion, rumination and autobiographical memory. Divided self-focus into self-reflection and self-rumination (Trapnell & Campbell, 1999), investigated the differential characteristic of autobiographical memory in different self-focus (ruminative and reflective) and depressive mood (high and low). In addition, we used Minimal Instructions Autobiographical Memory Test to measure memory specificity in non-clinical populations. Study one aimed to validate the Chinese version of Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire, recruit 545 graduate and undergraduate students as sample. Study two investigated the differential characteristic of autobiographical memory in self-focus and depressive mood with 117 students chosen from study one. The results revealed that: 1) the Chinese version of RRQ showed satisfactory psychometric properties. 2) High depressive mood is significantly associated with reduced AM specificity and induced overgeneral memory, this result supported pass researches. Otherwise, autobiographical memory’s characteristic in self-rumination and self-reflection are quite the same. In high depressive mood, high self-ruminator did not have lower autobiographical memory specificity, and more overgeneral memory. High self-reflector did not have more positive specific autobiographical memory, and less positive overgeneral memory. These two result didn’t support assumption, but matched to Svaldi’s (2008) result.

Heart rate variability (HRV), a physiological marker of autonomic nervous system (ANS) engagement, has been associated with a wide variety of clinical and psychological processes. High frequency (HF) HRV power, specifically, has been linked with the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and self-regulation. The current inquiry used a random effects growth model to study the HF HRV response to an emotional task and to predict individual differences in HF HRV as a function of trait hostility, neuroticism, and emotion regulation strategies (e.g., positive reappraisal, positive refocusing). Results indicated that the task engaged both branches of the ANS. HF HRV was not related to either hostility or neuroticism. However, positive reappraisal was associated with both high baseline values of HF HRV (i.e., greater initial parasympathetic activation) and lower rates of reactivity (i.e., less parasympathetic withdrawal). Overall, these results add to the evidence that positive reappraisal is a powerful component of emotion regulation and may be an important intervention target.

The capacity to form olfactory images has received less attention than the formation of visual and auditory images. The evidence in favor of such ability is also inconsistent. This thesis explored some of the characteristics of olfactory imagery through three empirical studies. Study I investigated the effects of blocking spontaneous sniffing during olfactory imagery. The results indicated that the prevention of spontaneous sniffing reduced olfactory but not visual imagery capacity. Study II studied the relation between olfactory awareness (as indexed by olfactory dreams, olfactory imagery, and olfactory interest) and olfactory functions (i.e., odor threshold, episodic odor memory, and odor identification). The main findings were that compared to low, high olfactory awareness was associated with better episodic odor memory and identification, but not with higher olfactory sensitivity. Study III investigated the neural correlates of odor evoked autobiographical memories (OEAMs) as (a) a function of cue modality (i.e., odors and their verbal referents), and (b) a function of memory remoteness. The results from Study III showed that OEAMs activated regions generally associated with autobiographical memory. In addition, verbally cued OEAMs were associated with activity linked to olfactory imagery. Odor cues activated the limbic and temporal polar regions more than verbal cues; a result that may explain the phenomenological differences found between the cued memories. Moreover, OEAMs from the first decade of life were associated with higher activity in the secondary olfactory cortex, whereas memories from young adulthood were related to areas linked to semantic memory processing. Taken together these studies favor the notion of a human capacity to form olfactory images.