The aim of this thesis was to expand the existing knowledge base concerning the profile of emotional processing that is associated with major depression, particularly in terms of socially important non-verbal stimuli (e.g. emotional facial expressions). Experiment one utilised a face-word variant of the emotional Stroop task and demonstrated that depressed patients (DP) did not exhibit a selective attention bias for sad faces. Conversely, the healthy controls (HC) were shown to selectively attend to happy faces. At recognition memory testing, DP did not exhibit a memory bias for depression-relevant words, but did demonstrate a tendency to falsely recognise depression-relevant words that had not been presented at encoding. Experiment two examined the pattern of autobiographical memory (ABM) retrieval exhibited by DP and HC in response to verbal (words) and non-verbal (images & faces) affective cues. DP were slower than HC to retrieve positive ABMs, but did not differ from HC in their retrieval times for negative ABMs. Overall, DP retrieved fewer specific ABMs than did the HC. Participants retrieved more specific ABMs to image cues than to words or faces, but this pattern was only demonstrated by the HC. Reduced retrieval of specific ABMs by DP was a consequence of increased retrieval of categorical ABMs; this tendency was particularly marked when the participants were cued with faces. During experiment three, DP and HC were presented with a series of faces and were asked to identify the gender of the person featured in each photograph. Overall, gender identification times were not affected by the emotion portrayed by the faces. Furthermore at subsequent recognition memory testing, DP did not exhibit MCM bias for sad faces. During experiment four, DP and HC were presented with videotaped depictions of 'realistic' social interactions and were asked to identify the emotion portrayed by the characters and to make inferences about the thoughts, intentions and beliefs of these individuals. Overall, DP were impaired in their recognition of happiness and in understanding social interactions involving sarcasm and deception. Correct social inference was significantly related to both executive function and depression severity. Experiment five involved assessing a group of eight patients that had undergone neurosurgery for chronic, treatment-refractory depression on the identical emotion recognition and social perception tasks that were utilised in experiment four. Relative to HC, surgery patients (SP) exhibited general deficits on all emotion recognition and social processing tasks. Notably, depression status did not appear to interact with surgery status to worsen these observed deficits. These findings suggest that the anterior cingulate region of the prefrontal cortex may play a role in correct social inference. Summary: Taken together the findings of the five experimental studies of the thesis demonstrate that, in general, biases that have been observed in DP processing of affective verbal material generalise to non-verbal emotional material (e.g. emotional faces). However, there are a number of marked differences that have been highlighted throughout the thesis. There is also evidence that biased emotional processing in DP requires explicit processing of the emotional content of the stimuli. Furthermore, a central theme of the thesis is that deficits in executive function in DP appear to be implicated in the impairments of emotional processing that are exhibited by these patients.

In hierdie studie is Tourettesindroom as neuro-genetiese toestand aangespreek en die wyse waarop dit in verskillende leer-, gedrags- en emosionele problema by begaafde Tourettesindroomlyers manifesteer. Begaafde Tourettesindroomlyers se relasievorming en leefwereldstigting word gekonstitueer met hul kognitiewe en affektiewe vermoans asook genetiese potensiaal, wat vir beida hul Tourettesindroom en begaafdheid verantwoordelik is. Die verwarring tussen begaafde Tourettesindroomlyers se superieure intellek en hul emosionele onvolwassenheid is die oorsaak van hul relasieprobleme. Negatiewe betekenisgewing en betrokkenheid by hulle relasievorminge bel"nvloed elke faset van hul menswees en gee aanleiding tot die degradering van hul siening van hul eie waarde. Gebrekkige kennis oor begaafdheid en Tourettesindroom veroorsaak dat waardevolle potensiaal en talente vir Suid-Afrika verlore gaan. Daarom moet daar daadwerklike pogings aangewend word om kennis oor begaafde Tourettesindroomlyers aan ouers, skole en universiteite, beskikbaar te stel met 'n konstruktiewe plan van aksie ter ondersteuning van die betrokkenes en tot voordeel van Suid-Afrika. / This study addresses Tourette syndrome as a neuro-genetic condition and the manner whereby it manifests itself in various learning, behavioural and emotional problems experienced by gifted Tourette syndrome sufferers. Their relationship-formation and life world are constituted by their cognitive, emotive and genetic capacity which manifests itself in Tourette syndrome and giftedness. The emotional immaturity which accompanies their superior intellect causes disorientation which results in problems in their relationships. Negative connotations and involvement in their relationship-formation influences each facet of their being and gives rise to the lowering of their perception of their self worth. In South Africa, valuable potential and talent is lost because of an inadequate knowledge of giftedness and Tourette syndrome. Efforts must be directed towards making information about gifted Tourette syndrome sufferers available to parents, schools and universities. A constructive plan of action is necessary that will support gifted Tourette syndrome sufferers to the benefit of South Africa. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

This dissertation explores Wittgenstein’s views on the mind-body problem. It is possible to provide an examination of Wittgenstein’s approach by tracing the evolution of the theory of mind and the mind-body problem, by considering the current ways of dealing with the mind-body problem, and Wittgenstein’s critique of the notion of the mind. Wittgenstein’s views on the nature of philosophy and the relationship between philosophy and psychology make it possible to understand and as this dissertation argues – see beyond – the conceptual confusion that has since arisen out of philosophic tradition that perpetuates a ‘myth of the mind’. Schools of thought such as the Cartesians and cognitivists have attempted, through the construction of various elaborate theories, to solve the ‘riddle’ of the mind and to address the so-called ‘mind-body problem’. Cognitive science, in particular, has used the tradition and the myth of the mind as a basis for its research. Wittgenstein shows that such thinking is particularly muddled. By examining Wittgenstein’s approach to the mind-body problem, it is argued here that theories based on the tradition of the ‘myth of the mind’ are inherently flawed. Wittgenstein uses his methods, consisting of his notions of ‘grammar’, ‘language games’ and the re-arrangement of concepts, to extrapolate meaning and to see through the conceptual confusions that the use of language causes and that give rise to the mind-body problem . / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

South Africa as a country is known for its high crime rate which produces an ongoing traumatising environment for its multicultural nation. Posttraumatic stress disorder in the general South African population is thought to be more prevalent than most international norms which make this topic both relevant and important. Cultural diversity is seen to play a role in the experience of PTSD which means that it has become important to gain an understanding of the potential effect of the individual’s cultural background on the processing of a traumatic experience and the symptoms related to the experience. The proposed research focused on appraisals of the traumatic event and symptoms (in schematic and cultural terms). An interpretive (with current cognitive conceptions of the disorder as guiding theory) phenomenological approach was used. The sample consisted of eight isiXhosa-speaking adults that qualified for a diagnosis of PTSD with no prior psychiatric diagnosis. Data was gathered using a semi-structured interview and analysed using the Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Results indicated that participants understood their PTSD symptoms in a functional manner but struggled to make sense of their traumatic event. Not understanding their traumatic event was the variable that maintained their PTSD diagnosis. Most of the interpretations made by these participants were fairly universal and there were very few links to content that can directly be attributed to a traditional African worldview. Practitioners may not need to completely reinvent the wheel as far as treatment strategies for PTSD for isiXhosa-speaking individuals in an urban setting go.

To date, few computer programs have been constructed to express or understand human emotional states. None of these programs can detect a large spectrum of emotions from emotional situations, nor do any of them express emotions over more than one temporal dimension. A number of these programs used representations with domain restrictive structures. We have constructed a computational model of emotion that detects twenty-eight emotions and is non-domain specific. It reports emotional episodes, moods, and dispositions. The psychological theory behind the model draws extensively on the ideas developed in the book “The Cognitive Structure of Emotions,” by Ortony, Clore and Collins [Ortony et al. 1988]. To test the model, we implemented a contextual front end to the system to provide input data. The domain chosen was doctor/patient interaction scenarios. Because our model is domain independent, any context could have been chosen, and other such contexts are explored in this paper. Our model demonstrated its ability by detecting a considerable range of appropriate emotions from the test case. / Master of Science

Thesis (M. Ed. (Educ. Psych.)) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2013 / Learners who demonstrate inappropriate, anti-social, and/or disruptive behaviours are becoming more prevalent. School personnel are dealing with disruptive behaviours that occur more frequently and that affect staff and learners’ performance. According to Farrell, Meyer, Sullivan and Kung (2003) this prevalence of disruptive behaviour and underperformance in secondary schools is posing a threat to education in South Africa and learners struggle with problems that predispose them to long-term negative outcomes. As children become adolescents, they experience a variety of physical, emotional and interpersonal changes while simultaneously transitioning from elementary to middle school. If the transition is stressful and the climate of the school appears unwelcoming, low self-esteem, a decline in academic achievement and inappropriate behaviour problems may follow (Wagerman & Funder, 2007).Escalating concern regarding disruptive behaviour in schools has led to intensified efforts to understand its causes and consequences, and to identify effective practices and strategies to reduce its occurrence. It is against this backdrop that the researcher attempts to determine the cognitive and social well-being of adolescents regarding emotional intelligence in the Lejweleputswa school district. The research followed a mixed method approach, using the sequential explanatory triangulation type; where questionnaires were completed by secondary school learners followed by interviews with teachers from conveniently selected secondary schools in the Lejweleputswa district of the Free State. The Literature study showed that factors such as learning, intelligence and emotional intelligence were associated with cognitive and social well-being of secondary schools learners. The following data collection instruments were used to gather information regarding the topic. For the quantitative study, a closed ended questionnaire was developed and utilised by one hundred and seventy four (174) learners. For the qualitative part, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten (10) teachers. By using COSOC, the three-way ANOVA and T-test, the seven hypotheses of the study were tested and the findings indicated that there is a significant relationship between and within the independent variables being; gender, grade and residential with regard to cognitive and social emotional intelligence. This study will reveal what aspects of education practices are viewed as helpful as well as areas needing improvement. It will also give insight into whether selected schools are using proactive strategies and techniques demonstrated in the research as being the most effective in terms of changing inappropriate behaviour and underperformance.

Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Being over age-for-grade has become a barrier to learning. More than 15% of learners in the South African school system are over age. This creates an enormous problem in terms of education spending per learner. In 1998 South Africa spent one-third of its education budget on over age learners who included repeaters and drop-outs. A clearer understanding of the educational needs of over age learners is needed. These learners are at risk of dropping out, being further retained or being promoted out of the school system. Thus far over age learners have been marginalised by the education system essentially due to the system's inability to deal with them. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to make a contribution to the understanding of the educational needs of over age learners. A qualitative approach provided a clear description of the factors that impact on the educational needs of over age learners. This study revealed the following: • Over age learners experience a sense of being educationally displaced. • The attitudes and beliefs of teachers directly influence their educational responses to the needs of over age learners. • Over age learners struggle with basic scholastic skills. • The provision of support comes primarily from classroom peers. It appears that teachers need a variety of educational skills to deal appropriately with the needs of over age learners. Furthermore, it appears that these learners need an educational space of their own within an inclusive education environment. It would further appear that over age learners need to be acknowledged as being a specific category of learners with learning barriers, otherwise their needs will continue to be marginalised by the educational system. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit wil voorkom dat ouderdom 'n leerhindernis vir duisende leerders geword het. Meer as vyftien persent van leerders in die skoolsisteem is oorouderdom. Dit skep 'n probleem in terme van die opvoedingsonkoste per leerder. In 1998 is 'n derde van die Suid Afrikaanse begroting aan oorouderdom leerders gespandeer wat ook herhalers en skoolverlaters insluit. Daar is 'n behoefte aan groter begrip vir die behoeftes van oorouderdom leerders. Daar is 'n risiko dat hierdie leerders skool kan verlaat, terug gehou kan word, of uit die skoolsisteem bevorder kan word. Tot dusver is oorouderdom leerders deur die onderwyssisteem gemarginaliseer hoofsaaklik as gevolg van 'n gebrek aan kennis om hulle effektiefte akkommodeer. Die doel van hierdie studie was om 'n bydrae te lewer tot 'n beter begrip van die opvoedkundige behoeftes van oorouderdom leerders. 'n Kwalitatiewe benadering is verkies wat 'n duidelike beskrywing gee van die opvoedkundige behoeftes van oorouderdom leerders. Die studie het die volgende tendense aan die lig gebring: • Oorouderdom leerders ervaar hulself as misplaas binne die onderwys stelsel. • Opvoeders se houdings en oortuigings het 'n duidelike invloed op hul eie opvoedkundige response ten opsigte van die behoeftes van oorouderdom leerders. • Oorouderdom leerders worstel met basiese skolastiese vaardighede. • Oorouderdom leerders ontvang primêr opvoedkundige ondersteuning van medeleerders. Opvoeders benodig 'n verskeidenheid van opvoedkundige vaardighede om oorouderdom leerders se behoeftes toepaslik te hanteer. Dit blyk dat hierdie leerders 'n behoefte het aan hul eie opvoedkundige ruimte binne 'n inklusiewe omgewing. Daar kan geargumenteer word dat oorouderdom leerders 'n spesifieke kategorie leerders is met eiesoortige leerhindernisse. Indien bogenoemde nie erken word nie sal daar voort gegaan word met die miskenning van oorouderdom leerders se behoeftes deur die opvoedkundige gemeenskap.

The symptomatology of depression includes affective and cognitive features. As such, depression has been associated both with maladaptive concern over emotional material, and also with general impairments in attentional control. In the current thesis, I investigated the potential influence of such depression-related dysfunctional emotional processing on a range of cognitive control abilities, using experimental paradigms containing either neutral or affective stimuli. In contrast to the hypothesis that depressive symptoms are associated with generally compromised cognitive control, depression-related impairments were not found on a range of ‘classic' measures of cognitive control, including error-processing (pre-error speeding, posterror slowing and error-related ERPs), overriding response conflict (colour-word Stroop interference, conflict adaptation) or more sustained control processes (cued-RT performance, preparatory ERPs, and maintaining long-term speed-accuracy tradeoffs). Interestingly, however, differences between groups with low and elevated levels of depressive symptoms emerged during the performance of emotionally valenced tasks. First, an elevated depressive symptom group showed a reduced ability to resolve emotional conflict arising between competing affective representations. When compared with spared performance on the classic Stroop task, this result suggests that depressive symptoms are associated with a specific impairment in the ability to regulate emotional distraction. Secondly, an ERP related to advanced preparation in cued-RT tasks (the CNV), but not those associated with early perceptual processing (P1, N170), was selectively modulated by negative, but not positive, task-irrelevant emotional distractors presented during the cue-target interval. This pattern of ERP results supports a late processing locus of affective attentional bias in depression. Together, the current results propose that control processes which facilitate the regulation of emotional material (i.e. over emotional sources of distraction) might be selectively affected by increased depressive symptoms, suggesting that future work should consider affective variables when investigating executive control processes in depression.

This thesis explores the expression of emotion through designed objects. Objects act as vehicles of memory in the same way language is the visible form of thought. In graphic design, the sensory qualities of an object provide a material surface on which information is communicated. The goal is to expose the autonomy of materials and form available to designers in the physical world while expressing emotional meaning beyond original form. By recasting the temporary fragments and observations of life into designed objects imbued with personal and cultural importance, the audience gains insight into others' personal and emotional experiences. Through our connections with the physical world, I investigate how form and the material qualities of designed objects can elicit an emotional response from the audience. / by Brittany Diane Schade. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

Jealousy is a response to a situation in which a person feels a combination of different emotions, such as love, anger, sadness and fear when an affectionate interaction is happening between a loved one and someone else. This paper discusses the definition and onset of infant jealousy, the physiological basis of jealousy, whether maternal factors play a role, as well as studies on jealousy and EEG patterns. It has been argued that infants, as young as six-months-old display jealous-like behaviors. During jealousy evocation conditions, infants demonstrate negative emotions such as protesting or crying, diminished distancing, and heightened gaze toward their mother during maternal inattention. Approach/withdrawal behaviors and electroencephalography (EEG) activation were studied in the context of an infant jealousy paradigm. In this investigation, 45 mother-infants dyads were exposed to a social versus non-social condition during maternal inattention. During the social condition, infants demonstrated increased approach-style gaze and reach and negative affect. EEG was collected during all conditions on a subsample of 15 infants and in agreement with adult jealousy literature (Harmon-Jones, Peterson, & Harris, 2009), infants displayed left midfrontal EEG asymmetry, and displayed more approach motivations during the social doll condition indicative of jealousy approach motivations. / by Alexis K. Blau. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.