Studies of the effects of frontal lobe lesions in animals and man were discussed in relation to hypotheses of frontal lobe function. It was suggested that the "Sensory Disinhibition" hypothesis provides the most useful account of the results of the animal experiments 0 According to this hypothesis, the deficits resulting from frontal damage are due to a disturbance of attention, brought about by interference with a neurophysiological system which controls the selective inhibition of sensory input. The review of human studies suggested that the sensory disinhibition hypothesis could provide the basis for an explanation of the wide range of impairments produced. To explore this possibility, six experiments were carried out, comparing patients with frontal lobe lesions with those having temporal lesions on tasks concerned with selective attention. In some experiments, data from normal control subjects were also obtained. Experiment 1 (Discrimination Learning) indicated that frontal subjects differed from temporals and controls in accordance with the predictions of the sensory disinhibition hypothesis. The results of Experiments 2 (Visual Search) and 3 (Classification), however, suggested no selective effects due to locus of lesion. In Experiments 4, 5 and 6, the "post-search error", a measure distinguishing frontaIs from temporals in Experiment 'i and thought to reflect "sensory disinhibition", was correlated with the performance of each of the two clinical groups. There was some evidence in Experiments 4 and 6 (but not Experiment 5), of a correlation in the frontal group. It was concluded that the experiments provide only moderate support for the sensory disinhibition hypothesis in relation to the effects of frontal lobe damage in man.

The research concerned the application of experimental methods to the study of a cognitive ability. Creativity is normally measured by production and one assumes that information in memory influences the occurrence of original ideas and solutions. Experiment 1 indicated that those performing better on standard measures of creativity had no better gross memory abilities than others - they did not recall usual or unusual words more accurately. The production of unusual words however, was shown to relate to creativity. Experiments 2 and 3 confirmed these findings adding evidence concerning the positive relation of originality and vocabulary. This latter demands access to semantic features in memory. The final three experiments considered aspects of this problem of access. Experiment 4 examined whether ability to use different cues or codes (visual, acoustic and semantic) was complementary to originality. No relation was found but insight was gained into factors in the memory base whereby one generates more words given a semantic code, though more words are available given a visual code. A model of "distance"? was proposed: items are generated according to their distance from a starting point, in conjunction with their activity level or familiarity to the subject. Experiment 3 examined naming latency for recognition of words, given code information. A significant effect of code, semantic faster than acoustic faster than visual, 2was found, supporting the model, while word frequency, a crude measure of familiarity, was also significant. Experiment 6 showed that the effects were not due to the codes themselves but could be realistically located in the memory base. The usefulness of the model was discussed and it was applied to the results of the earlier experiments. The final conclusions were that the extent or frequency of the search determines the output and that creative individuals utilise the search process to a greater extent.

No description available.

<p>Attention, the cognitive means by which we prioritize the processing of a subset of information, is necessary for operating efficiently and effectively in the world. Thus, a critical theoretical question is how information is selected. In the visual domain, working memory (WM)—which refers to the short-term maintenance and manipulation of information that is no longer accessible by the senses—has been highlighted as an important determinant of what is selected by visual attention. Furthermore, although WM and attention have traditionally been conceived as separate cognitive constructs, an abundance of behavioral and neural evidence indicates that these two domains are in fact intertwined and overlapping. The aim of this dissertation is to better understand the nature of WM and attention, primarily through the phenomenon of memory-based attentional guidance, whereby the active maintenance of items in visual WM reliably biases the deployment of attention to memory-matching items in the visual environment. The research presented here employs a combination of behavioral, functional imaging, and computational modeling techniques that address: (1) WM guidance effects with respect to the traditional dichotomy of top-down versus bottom-up attentional control; (2) under what circumstances the contents of WM impact visual attention; and (3) the broader hypothesis of a predictive and competitive interaction between WM and attention. Collectively, these empirical findings reveal the importance of WM as a distinct factor in attentional control and support current models of multiple-state WM, which may have broader implications for how we select and maintain information.</p> / Dissertation

<p> Within the United States, HIV is a growing epidemic that has important neuropsychological and functional consequences. Early detection and treatment of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) is associated with better outcomes. In major metropolitan areas such Los Angeles County, HIV disproportionately impacts the Latino community. For those individuals who are primarily Spanish-speakers, there may be limited access to comprehensive neuropsychological assessment in the preferred language. Consequently, self-reports of cognitive functioning are often relied on to help determine the presence of HAND. However, self-reports of cognitive decline may be influenced by factors such as depressed mood, variable motivation, and culture, raising important validity questions. To date, relatively few studies have focused on the combined use of Spanish-language, self-report measures of cognitive functioning and mood among primarily Spanish-speaking, HIV-positive individuals. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships among self-reported cognitive decline, neuropsychological functioning, and mood symptoms within this population. Archival data from a sample of 100 HIV+, primarily Spanish-speaking adults who participated in the parent study at a major medical center in Los Angeles were examined. Measures included Spanish-language versions of the Beck Depression Inventory, Cognitive Difficulties Scale-Patient Version, Medical Outcomes HIV Health Survey, and an acculturation measure. An array of neuropsychological measures was used to determine the presence of HAND. It was predicted that depressive symptoms would be positively associated with self-reported cognitive decline. This hypothesis was strongly supported by the results of correlational analysis. The results also showed that for individuals with HAND, the difference in BDI scores between participants with cognitive complaints and those without varied depending on whether the MOS-HIV or the CDS was used to assess cognitive complaints. The analyses revealed no significant impact of acculturation on the relationships among cognitive complaints, neuropsychological functioning, and depressive symptoms. The results of the present study highlight the complex relationship between neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological functioning in Spanish-speaking individuals infected with HIV. Clinical implications and limitations of the study are addressed. Future research that incorporates objective measures of neuropsychological functioning, the input of collateral informants, and self-report measures of mood and functional decline is recommended.</p>

<p> The thesis that perceptual experience is transparent has received considerable air-time in contemporary philosophy of mind and perception. Debate over its truth-value has reached an impasse. I diagnose this mired debate, and pursue a reformulation of the &ldquo;transparency thesis&rdquo; such that it can be more readily evaluated form the perspective of perceptual psychology and related subdisciplines. I argue that the empirical methods characteristic of these disciplines are important for evaluating the transparency thesis. Both historical and contemporary empirical results but substantial pressure on the transparency thesis.</p>

The purpose of this study was to explore adaptation through the manipulation of perceived task difficulty and self-efficacy to challenge the concepts postulated by the two-perception probabilistic concept of the adaptation phenomenon (TPPCA) conceptual framework. The TPPCA considers the sources of perceived task difficulty (δi) and self-efficacy (βv) as the core relationship that influences adaptation. Twenty-four participants were randomized into one of 4-order groups to manipulate the level of difficulty for a handgrip and putting task. Within each task, 3 separate difficulty levels were presented to each participant in a counterbalanced order. The order of tasks and difficulty levels was counterbalanced between each of the 4-order groups. The performers completed both tasks, at each of the 3 difficulty levels, to assess their δi and βv gap effect on motivations, affect, and performances. The perceptual gap between δi and βv envisioned in the TPPCA was partially confirmed in both the handgrip and putting tasks. Specifically, as the task difficulty level increased, βv [less than] δi resulted in increased arousal and decreased pleasantness, along with declined performance. There was no solid support that motivational adaptations were congruent with the TPPCA. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed along with suggestions for future research. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the Master of Science. / Fall Semester 2015. / November 10, 2015. / Adaptation, Athletics, Performers, Self-efficacy, Sport psychology, Task difficulty perception / Includes bibliographical references. / Gershon Tenenbaum, Professor Directing Thesis; Graig Chow, Committee Member; Allan Jeong, Committee Member.

The benefits of exercise on cognitive functioning are well established. One population that especially benefits from exercise is older adults. Research has demonstrated that chronic exercise in older adults improves cognitive functioning; especially executive functioning. One limitation of the current literature is that researchers have almost exclusively relied on well-controlled laboratory tasks to assess cognition. Moreover, the effects of a single bout of exercise in older adults have received limited attention. The proposed study addresses these limitations by (1) introducing a more ecologically valid, real-life task relevant to the older population (i.e., driving), and (2) assessing the effects of an acute bout of aerobic exercise on driving performance and executive functioning. This study employed a randomized controlled design and compared the effects of 20min cycling at moderate intensity vs. sitting and watching driving videos on driving performance. Driving performance was measured with three different scenarios assessing variables such as decision making, driving errors, reaction time, and attention. On a subsequent session, all participants performed a submaximal fitness test. This fitness test served as exercise and executive functioning was assessed before and after this exercise by counterbalancing two commonly used measures of executive functions: The Trail Making Test (TMT) and the Stroop test. Non-significant effects of exercise were observed on driving performance across all three scenarios. These results might be explained in terms of differences in expectations, as the video control group had higher expectations, compared to the exercise group, for the effects of the intervention on driving performance. An additional possible explanation is that participants were experienced drivers and the driving task was not challenging enough to benefit from exercise. However, a significant effect of exercise on more traditional executive functions tasks (i.e., TMT and Stroop test) emerged. Participants had a better performance on the TMT and Stroop test after exercise compared to before exercise. These results demonstrate the difficulty of using a more ecologically valid task and challenges the transfer of the current laboratory results in exercise psychology to everyday life functioning. This study also highlights the importance of assessing expectations as a possible moderator of the effects of acute aerobic exercise on cognitive functioning. Future studies should examine other relevant ecologically valid tasks and insure similar expectations between experimental and control groups to further advance the knowledge base in the field. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2017. / July 6, 2017. / acute exercise, driving, executive functions, older adults / Includes bibliographical references. / Gershon Tenenbaum, Professor Directing Dissertation; Lynn B. Panton, University Representative; Graig M. Chow, Committee Member; Jeannine Turner, Committee Member.

<p> The linguistic relativity hypothesis argues that language influences non-linguistic cognition. One version of the hypothesis suggests that language is a set of tools or technologies that variously enhance or dampen an individual&rsquo;s capacity to perceive and operate upon the world in certain ways. A domain in which this may be tested is number, where it is hypothesized that counting language allows us to bridge our innate capacities for recognizing small exact quantities (subitizing) and approximating quantities larger than three or four (analog magnitude estimation). To test this, previous studies have asked adult participants who have limited or no access to counting language to re-present non-symbolic exact quantities&mdash;that is, for participants to create an array of objects equal in number to a target array of objects presented to the participant. In these studies, both English-speakers whose access to number language was artificially compromised by verbal interference and the Pirah&atilde;&mdash;an Amazonian tribe whose language does not contain exact number words&mdash;appeared to rely on analog magnitude estimation for representing non-symbolic exact quantities greater than three. This suggests that the ability to consistently and accurately recognize and re-present non-symbolic exact quantities is impaired by having limited or no access to counting language. Here, sixteen participants with left-hemisphere damage from stroke and resulting aphasia performed the same five non-verbal, non-symbolic matching tasks from these previous studies. It was expected that coefficients of variation for particular tasks, and correlations between target magnitude with both respect to both error rate and error size across tasks, would suggest use of analog magnitude estimation by these verbally impaired participants. Participants also completed three additional number tasks (number elicitation, confrontation naming with Arabic numerals, and a count list recitation task) and a subset of participants completed nonverbal semantic processing and short-term memory tasks (<i>Pyramids and Palm Trees</i> and a verbal semantic category probe) to better understand errors on nonverbal matching tasks. Results indicated that for people with aphasia, non-symbolic exact quantity representation was more difficult than for people without aphasia, except when target quantities were presented in subitizable groups. Overall, participants made more frequent and larger errors when representing larger quantities and struggled when the target was not visible. Participants who had difficulty with tasks where the target was visible during response also had difficulty with tasks where the target was <i>not</i> visible during response. However, another group of participants only had difficulty with tasks where the target was not visible during response. Additionally, participants who had difficulty with non-verbal aphasia assessment subtests were more likely to err on non-symbolic exact quantity representation tasks where the target was visible during response, while participants who had difficulty with aphasia assessment subtests that required verbal responses were more likely to err on non-symbolic exact quantity representation tasks where the target was not visible during response. These results, alongside correlations with aphasia assessment battery performance, suggest that (1) accuracy on non-symbolic exact quantity matching tasks where the target is visible on response rely more heavily on visuospatial abilities than on language or memory; (2) tasks involving subitizing small exact quantities do not appear to require the same visuospatial capacities; and (3) non-symbolic exact quantity matching tasks where the target is not visible on response rely upon language and memory abilities&mdash;especially the capacity for verbal counting. Taken together, these findings reinforce the notion that verbal counting facilitates the consistent and accurate recognition and representation of exact quantities larger than three or four by bridging innate human capacities for subitizing and analog magnitude estimation. Overall, the present results further inform our understanding of tasks previously used to understand the relationship between language and number in a culture lacking words for number concepts.</p><p>

<p> This thesis describes the development and first demonstration of a new Human Factors method, The Tracer Method, which is a combination of Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) and Eye Tracking. The study evaluated whether the two methods together produce new and different information than either method alone could provide. The method was tested using a video game, <i>Overwatch </i>, a dynamic, complex, and multiplayer game. The evaluation included: 1. Examining both in the same context (game), 2. Establishing unique contributions of each method alone, and 3. Evaluating overlapping information. Results identified some overlap between the two methods that provided some cross-validation of the data. Cognitive Task Analysis provided higher level strategies and course of actions that players implement during their games, while eye tracking provided visual patterns of search (order of eye movements). However, when combined, the two methods provide strategy information in context that neither method alone can provide. CTA elicits insight into how individuals make decisions and apply previous knowledge, experience, and environmental information. Eye tracking can support this through predictive models of individual&rsquo;s eye tracking, to understand which elements are utilized in making predictions and situational assessments. We provide a tutorial and insight into best practices for implementation of The Tracer Method. This is the initial development of the new method, and on-going research is validating it in different environments. The Tracer Method is the first combined and documented systematic methodology that utilizes a changing and complicated environment and tests the interaction and output of Critical Decision Method and Eye Tracking.</p><p>