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Title: FIELD DEPENDENCE/INDEPENDENCE AS A PREDICTOR OF INFERENCING AND PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITIES IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS (READING, COGNITIVE STYLE).
Creator: CAGLEY, CONSTANCE ELAINE, Florida Atlantic University, Childrey, John
Abstract/Description: Community college students are frequently characterized as students who were previously under-represented in higher education. That characterization implies an approach to education that molds curriculum to the needs of these students. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of fit between traditional standardized testing to determine abilities in specific areas of reading comprehension and the nontraditional community college student population to whom the testing is directed. The...
Show moreCommunity college students are frequently characterized as students who were previously under-represented in higher education. That characterization implies an approach to education that molds curriculum to the needs of these students. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of fit between traditional standardized testing to determine abilities in specific areas of reading comprehension and the nontraditional community college student population to whom the testing is directed. The purpose of this study was to determine if a measure of the cognitive style dimension of field dependence/independence could predict community college students' ability to: (1) make inferences in reading; and (2) solve problems. The sample consisted of 132 students from two campuses of Broward Community College in South Florida. The Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) was used to determine student cognitive style. Inferencing ability was determined using the Nelson-Denny Reading Test. Problem solving ability was assessed through the Problem Solving subtest of the McGraw-Hill Basic Study System Study Skills Test. Pearson Product Moment Correlations were obtained using GEFT score and corresponding problem solving and inferencing scores. The predictive equations, which were cross validated, indicated that the GEFT was a minimal predictor of both problem solving and inferencing abilities. However, further analysis was performed using Analyses of Variance after dividing the sample into high and low scoring students (field independents and field dependents, respectively). Results of the ANOVAs indicated significance (p .05) regarding inferencing ability among these same students. Demographic information revealed other findings: (1) Non-Caucasians were more highly represented in the field dependent category; (2) Males were more highly represented in the field independent category, whereas females dominated the field dependent category; and (3) females tended to be older than males, with the largest age disparity existing between female and male Caucasian students. The study gives evidence that the GEFT is an effective predictor of problem solving ability among community college students identified as highly field dependent or field independent. Implications and recommendations for instruction, counseling and curriculum design are presented.
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Date Issued: 1983
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11840
Subject Headings: Cognitive styles, Field dependence (Psychology), Reading--Ability testing, Problem solving--Ability testing
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Memory for emotional and non-emotional events.
Creator: Butler, Leslie A., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description: This experiment was designed to investigate the effect of emotion on an individual's ability to bind actors and actions in memories for events. Binding is the process of creating associations among features of a stimulus in order to represent that they belong together; however, errors can occur when a feature from one stimulus is incorrectly associated with a feature from another stimulus. Participants viewed a series of video clips, each depicting an actor performing a simple emotional or...
Show moreThis experiment was designed to investigate the effect of emotion on an individual's ability to bind actors and actions in memories for events. Binding is the process of creating associations among features of a stimulus in order to represent that they belong together; however, errors can occur when a feature from one stimulus is incorrectly associated with a feature from another stimulus. Participants viewed a series of video clips, each depicting an actor performing a simple emotional or non-emotional action. One week later, they viewed a series of retrieval video clips consisting of old, (previously seen), conjunction (previously seen action performed by a different actor) and also new video clips. Participants responded "yes" to viewing the old clips the most, followed by both conjunction clips, and then new clips. Participants also responded "yes" more often to emotional items and also displayed higher confidence ratings to "yes" responses for emotional items.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/221946
Subject Headings: Recollection (Psychology), Memory, Physiological effects, Emotions, Physiological effects, Emotion and cognition
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Effect of Bilingualism and Aging on Inhibitory Control.
Creator: Salvatierra, Judy Lee, Florida Atlantic University, Rosselli, Monica, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description: Recent studies have suggested that bilingualism may provide an advantage to older adults on inhibitory control and have a positive effect on some cognitive declines seen in normal aging. This study examined the effects of bilingualism on inhibitory control using a Simon task and a Stroop task on a heterogeneous sample of bilinguals whose level of proficiency on each of their two languages varied widely. Comparison of performances between younger and older monolingual and bilingual...
Show moreRecent studies have suggested that bilingualism may provide an advantage to older adults on inhibitory control and have a positive effect on some cognitive declines seen in normal aging. This study examined the effects of bilingualism on inhibitory control using a Simon task and a Stroop task on a heterogeneous sample of bilinguals whose level of proficiency on each of their two languages varied widely. Comparison of performances between younger and older monolingual and bilingual participants revealed a bilingual advantage on the Simon task. Results support the view that bilingualism increases skills that are associated with selective attention. Additionally, older bilingual adults performed as well as younger bilingual adults suggesting they are not experiencing the age-related declines in the efficiency of inhibitory processes observed in the older monolingual adults. However, a bilingual advantage was not observed on the Stroop task indicating that the advantage may depend on the nature of the distracting stimulus. Bilinguals may be better equipped than monolinguals at inhibiting misleading spatial information but not at inhibiting misleading linguistic information. The performance of balanced and non-balanced bilinguals was similar under both Simon and Stroop tasks suggesting that language level proficiency does not play a role in providing an advantage.
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Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000877
Subject Headings: Language acquisition--Age factors, Cognition, Psycholinguistics, Bilingualism--Psychological aspects, Language transfer (Language learning)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Time, space, and Shakespeare: Temporal and spatial disturbances at the point of cultural contact.
Creator: Murray, Jessica L., Florida Atlantic University, Low, Jennifer A.
Abstract/Description: Cultural geographic theory uses dramatic language (place ballets , time-space routines, temporal rhythms , etc.) to describe how humans sense and dwell in places. Because the theory contemplates human behavior enacted upon a stage, it is applicable to theater studies. This thesis asserts that Hamlet's, Othello's, and Antony's treacherous lifeworlds undermine their spatiotemporal senses and initiate quests similar to those described by Anne Buttimer as searches "for order, predictability, and...
Show moreCultural geographic theory uses dramatic language (place ballets , time-space routines, temporal rhythms , etc.) to describe how humans sense and dwell in places. Because the theory contemplates human behavior enacted upon a stage, it is applicable to theater studies. This thesis asserts that Hamlet's, Othello's, and Antony's treacherous lifeworlds undermine their spatiotemporal senses and initiate quests similar to those described by Anne Buttimer as searches "for order, predictability, and routine, as well as [...] for adventure and change" ("Grasping" 285). Hamlet's revenge plot is a pursuit of order and reclamation of his identity at Elsinore. Desdemona's murder is Othello's attempt to salvage his character, which he believed sullied by infidelity. Alexandria offers Antony a life opposite Rome's and sets him on a course of indecisiveness. These plays demonstrate that, at the point of cultural contact, routines are interrupted and identities destabilize. Tragically, the characters lose themselves in the turmoil.
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Date Issued: 2004
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13141
Subject Headings: Human geography, Psychology, Comparative, Cognitive science, Time perception, Shakespeare, William,--1564-1616--Plays, Intersensory effects
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Cognition and adherence in older adults undergoing hemodialysis.
Creator: Hain, Debra J., Florida Atlantic University, Liehr, Patricia
Abstract/Description: Background. Adherence to the behavioral change component of the hemodialysis regimen is difficult for many reasons; when individuals fail to adhere, the nurses often become frustrated and individuals may be labeled nonadherent leading to inappropriate interventions. As the number of older adults starting hemodialysis increases, one contributing factor to nonadherence in this population may be cognitive impairment. Objective. The overall purpose of the study was to explore differences in...
Show moreBackground. Adherence to the behavioral change component of the hemodialysis regimen is difficult for many reasons; when individuals fail to adhere, the nurses often become frustrated and individuals may be labeled nonadherent leading to inappropriate interventions. As the number of older adults starting hemodialysis increases, one contributing factor to nonadherence in this population may be cognitive impairment. Objective. The overall purpose of the study was to explore differences in global cognition, in self-report cognition, and in language ability relative to adherence in a sample of older adults undergoing hemodialysis. Methods. This pilot study examined the differences in cognition and adherence of older adults (≥60 years) undergoing out-patient hemodialysis three times a week for at least one year. Nonprobability purposive sampling was used to obtain a sample from multiple centers which offered a diverse sample of study participants (n=63). Stories of the challenges of making life style changes were audiotaped and analyzed with linguistic analysis and word count (LIWC) software and various standardized instruments that measure global cognition (3MS and MMSE), self-report cognition (KDQOL-CF) and language ability (COWA, subsets of BDAE Reading: Sentence and Paragraph and BDAE Complex Ideation) were administered during hemodialysis. Determination of adherence or nonadherence (based on literature) was completed as the last activity of data collection. Results. Statistical significance was not achieved when exploring the difference of global cognition, self-report cognition, and language ability relative to adherence (p > .05). A relationship between structural elements of big words, cognitive process and insight words used in story and measures of adherence was revealed (p < .05). Although statistical significance was not reached the descriptive data supports that a relationship between cognitive impairment and measures of adherence were present across groups. The majority (64%) of nonadherent participants had cognitive impairment; 34% of the middle group and 5% of the adherent group had cognitive impairment. Discussion. Cognitive impairment is prevalent among older adults undergoing hemodialysis, however a relationship between cognitive impairment and adherence was not revealed in this study. This may be the result of the small sample size and adherence markers that were not sensitive in this population. This preliminary work offered a descriptive foundation which generated more questions that may be answered with further research.
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Date Issued: 2006
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12211
Subject Headings: Hemodialysis--Psychological aspects, Chronic renal failure--Patients--Rehabilitation, Adjustment (Psychology), Cognition in old age, Patient compliance, Clinical health psychology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Children's adaptave strategies in a tool use task.
Creator: Weinstein, Allison., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description: Problem solving and strategy adaptation was assessed in 47 children ranging from 36 to 67 months. This was evaluated through problem sets in which participants were given tools that failed to reach given goal states, and then instructed to select appropriate tools in order to reach desired results. Analyses revealed that when participants were given a choice of tools to solve a given problem, they were more likely to select a correct tool when options were similar in function and appearance....
Show moreProblem solving and strategy adaptation was assessed in 47 children ranging from 36 to 67 months. This was evaluated through problem sets in which participants were given tools that failed to reach given goal states, and then instructed to select appropriate tools in order to reach desired results. Analyses revealed that when participants were given a choice of tools to solve a given problem, they were more likely to select a correct tool when options were similar in function and appearance. Additionally, participants were more likely to verbalize the need for a new tool when there was a lack of novel tool choices. However, the presence of a novel tool choice was linked to longer problem solving time. Findings are congruent with literature that suggests children possess the ability to select tools based on functional, not superficial, qualities, and can be easily distracted by the presence of novel stimuli.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3356896
Subject Headings: Learning, Psychology of, Educational tests and measurements, Cognition in children, Cognitive styles in children, Human information processing in children, Individual differences in children
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Investigation of human visual spatial attention with fMRI and Granger Causality analysis.
Creator: Tang, Wei, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences
Abstract/Description: Contemporary understanding of human visual spatial attention rests on the hypothesis of a top-down control sending from cortical regions carrying higher-level functions to sensory regions. Evidence has been gathered through functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) experiments. The Frontal Eye Field (FEF) and IntraParietal Sulcus (IPS) are candidates proposed to form the frontoparietal attention network for top-down control. In this work we examined the influence patterns between...
Show moreContemporary understanding of human visual spatial attention rests on the hypothesis of a top-down control sending from cortical regions carrying higher-level functions to sensory regions. Evidence has been gathered through functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) experiments. The Frontal Eye Field (FEF) and IntraParietal Sulcus (IPS) are candidates proposed to form the frontoparietal attention network for top-down control. In this work we examined the influence patterns between frontoparietal network and Visual Occipital Cortex (VOC) using a statistical measure, Granger Causality (GC), with fMRI data acquired from subjects participated in a covert attention task. We found a directional asymmetry in GC between FEF/IPS and VOC, and further identified retinotopically specific control patterns in top-down GC. This work may lead to deeper understanding of goal-directed attention, as well as the application of GC to analyzing higher-level cognitive functions in healthy functioning human brain.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3334101
Subject Headings: Attention, Physiological aspects, Cognitive neuroscience, Brain, Magnetic resonance imaging, Sensorimotor integration, Movement sequences, Human information processing, Cognitive psychology, Visual perception, Testing
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The development of jealousy.
Creator: Blau, Alexis K., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description: 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...
Show moreJealousy 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.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2953203
Subject Headings: Jealousy, Psychological aspects, Emotions and cognition, Parent and infant, Behavioral assessment of infants, Social perception in children
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Multisensory Cues Facilitate Infants’ Ability to Discriminate Other-Race Faces.
Creator: Minar, Nicholas J., Bjorklund, David F., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description: Our everyday world consists of people and objects that are usually specified by dynamic and concurrent auditory and visual attributes, which is known to increase perceptual salience and, therefore, facilitate learning and discrimination in infancy. Interestingly, early experience with faces and vocalizations has two seemingly opposite effects during the first year of life, 1) it enables infants to gradually acquire perceptual expertise for the faces and vocalizations of their own race and, 2)...
Show moreOur everyday world consists of people and objects that are usually specified by dynamic and concurrent auditory and visual attributes, which is known to increase perceptual salience and, therefore, facilitate learning and discrimination in infancy. Interestingly, early experience with faces and vocalizations has two seemingly opposite effects during the first year of life, 1) it enables infants to gradually acquire perceptual expertise for the faces and vocalizations of their own race and, 2) it narrows their ability to discriminate the faces of other-race faces (Kelly et al., 2007). It is not known whether multisensory redundancy might help older infants overcome the other-race effect reported in previous studies. The current project investigated infant discrimination of dynamic and vocalizing other-race faces in younger and older infants using habituation and eye-tracking methodologies. Experiment 1 examined 4-6 and 10-12-month-old infants' ability to discriminate either a native or non-native face articulating the syllable /a/. Results showed that both the 4-6- and the 10-12-month-olds successfully discriminated the faces,regardless of whether they were same- or other-race faces. Experiment 2 investigated the contribution of auditory speech cues by repeating Experiment 1 but in silence. Results showed that only the 10-12-month-olds tested with native-race faces successfully discriminated them. Experiment 3 investigated whether it was speech per se or sound in general that facilitated discrimination of the other-race faces in Experiment 1 by presenting a synchronous, computer-generated "boing" sound instead of audible speech cues. Results indicated that the 4-6-month olds discriminated both types of faces but that 10-12-month-olds only discriminated own-race faces. These results indicate that auditory cues, along with dynamic visual cues, can help infants overcome the effects of previously reported narrowing and facilitate discrimination of other-race static, silent faces. Critically, our results show that older infants can overcome the other race-effect when dynamic faces are accompanied by speech but not when they are accompanied by non- speech cues. Overall, a generalized auditory facilitation effect was found as a result of multisensory speech. Moreover, our findings suggest that infants' ability to process other- race faces following perceptual narrowing is more plastic than previously thought.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004525
Subject Headings: Cognition in children, Individual differences in children, Infant psychology, Infants -- Development, Intersensory effects, Perception in infants
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Cognitive Dissonance and Auditor Professional Skepticism.
Creator: Adikaram, Ruwan K, Higgs, Julia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: I show that auditors experience cognitive dissonance when they fail to take appropriate professionally skeptical (hereafter PS) action in line with high PS judgment I specifically show that cognitive dissonance leads auditors to revise their attitudes on low ranking audit actions upward and lower their risk assessments, consequently, lower overall professional skepticism I also find that auditor cognitive dissonance leads to exaggerated ex-post auditor self-assessments professional skepticism...
Show moreI show that auditors experience cognitive dissonance when they fail to take appropriate professionally skeptical (hereafter PS) action in line with high PS judgment I specifically show that cognitive dissonance leads auditors to revise their attitudes on low ranking audit actions upward and lower their risk assessments, consequently, lower overall professional skepticism I also find that auditor cognitive dissonance leads to exaggerated ex-post auditor self-assessments professional skepticism Professional skepticism is fundamental to performing an audit according to auditing standards and critical to audit quality Extant research that investigates treatments to enhance professional skepticism predominantly treats both skeptical judgment and skeptical action as analogous outcomes of professional skepticism If, however, there is a breakdown between PS judgment and PS action, the overall benefits of these treatments will be trivial I show that cognitive dissonance due to the incongruence between PS judgments and PS actions leads to an unforeseeable corollary of lower overall professional skepticism I also demonstrate a specific mechanism of how auditor incentives lead to lower professional skepticism, hence, lower audit quality Both researchers and practitioners can benefit from this study by better understating the intricacies in the critical link between PS judgment and action Additionally, I provide an empirical investigation of the components in Nelson’s (2009) model of professional skepticism and extend the model to reflect the intricacies between PS judgment and PS action I test my hypotheses via a three-group research design with attitude change as a proxy measure of cognitive dissonance
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004772
Subject Headings: Cognitive dissonance, Auditing--Standards, Accounting--Standards, Accounting--Moral and ethical aspects, Accountants--Professional ethics, Auditors--Psychology, Behaviorism (Psychology)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Assessing Processes of Connection and Development in Observations of the Therapeutic Relationship.
Creator: Freund, Robert R., Peluso, Paul R., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Counselor Education
Abstract/Description: The present study applies Driver and Gottman’s (2004a) Turning System to observations of the therapeutic relationship in a quasi-experimental between and within groups design. A sample of 63 full counseling sessions (21 first sessions with clients who return for four sessions, 21 first sessions for clients who terminate therapy prior to four sessions, and 21 fourth sessions) were collected from a university counseling center in South Florida. Clients and clinicians also completed self report...
Show moreThe present study applies Driver and Gottman’s (2004a) Turning System to observations of the therapeutic relationship in a quasi-experimental between and within groups design. A sample of 63 full counseling sessions (21 first sessions with clients who return for four sessions, 21 first sessions for clients who terminate therapy prior to four sessions, and 21 fourth sessions) were collected from a university counseling center in South Florida. Clients and clinicians also completed self report evaluations of the therapeutic relationship that were also included in this study (Working Alliance Inventory – Short Form, and the Real Relationship Inventory). A series of multivariate analysis of the variance (MANOVA) tests were performed to assess for significant differences in Turning System behavior between return and dropout groups in the first sessions of therapy, as well as for significant differences between return groups’ first and fourth sessions. Correlation analyses were run for client and therapist self report data and Turning System codes. Overall, the Turning System codes did not predict attrition from therapy; however, significant effects were found for specific behaviors in the return versus dropout comparisons, including client’s uses of negative bids, high level questions, and preoccupied away responses. The Turning System also did not predict clear differences between behaviors in ongoing therapy, though significant effects were again found for individual behaviors enacted by both clients and therapists. Significant negative correlations were also found for return group clients between specific behaviors and ratings of the therapeutic alliance, such as high level questions and preoccupied away responses. Individual behaviors in the therapist return group, such as high level questions, negative bids, and interruptions, correlated negatively with ratings of the therapeutic alliance. The results of this study are presented in an effort to synthesize the data into a narrative for developing effective therapeutic relationships and guidance for future research.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004788, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004788
Subject Headings: Psychotherapy., Psychotherapist and patient., Patient participation., Mind and body therapies., Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy., Client-centered psychotherapy., Affect (Psychology)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Effects of the relationship enhancement® program on social skills, empathy and social support for adults with autism spectrum disorders.
Creator: Cunningham, Alexandra, Sperry, Len, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Counselor Education
Abstract/Description: An important area of research is emerging for adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with respect to the challenges they face in their social relationships. Social relationships include those that are romantic in nature such as dating, cohabitation and marriage. Researchers suggest that engaging in a healthy and happy romantic relationship has many physical and mental health benefits that contribute to improved quality of life. This study used a quasi-experimental group design...
Show moreAn important area of research is emerging for adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with respect to the challenges they face in their social relationships. Social relationships include those that are romantic in nature such as dating, cohabitation and marriage. Researchers suggest that engaging in a healthy and happy romantic relationship has many physical and mental health benefits that contribute to improved quality of life. This study used a quasi-experimental group design to explore the effects of psychoeducation for adults with ASD. Study participants were assigned to one of two group conditions. One group received the Relationship Enhancement®(RE) program and the other received RE with supplements targeting specific social skills. Social skills, empathy and social support were measured pre and post intervention for participants both within and between groups. Significant differences were found in the assessment of all participants, in both groups, as measured by t-tests and effect sizes in the variables of social skills (t(37)=- 2.28-2.72, p=.028-.029, η2=.122) and empathy (t(37)=-2.31, p=.027, η2=.123). These differences indicate that all participants, in both groups improved in social skills and empathy from pre to post treatment. No significant differences were found among all group participants for the variable of social support. There were no significant differences between groups for the three variables measured (p>0.05). Overall, these results provide support for the use of RE and the targeted supplements to increase social skills and empathy among adults with ASD who are interested in engaging in romantic relationships.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004096
Subject Headings: Asperger's syndrome -- Patients -- Conduct of life, Asperger's syndrome -- Social aspects, Autism spectrum disorders, Interpersonal relations, Mindfulness based cognitive therapy, Psychology, Pathological
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Perceptions of the environment: an ethnographic study of sensory awareness and environmental activism among south Florida yoga practitioners.
Creator: Weisner, Meagan L., Cameron, Mary, Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
Abstract/Description: The practice of yoga is an increasingly popularized movement within the West that incorporates the desire for physical fitness, spiritual consciousness, and environmentalism. Emanating from the New Age movement, the popularity of yoga has proliferated as a subculture that seeks to encourage mind–body wellbeing while representing an ethos that assumes environmental responsibility. This thesis examines the techniques of modern yoga and the influence that asana (posture) and meditational...
Show moreThe practice of yoga is an increasingly popularized movement within the West that incorporates the desire for physical fitness, spiritual consciousness, and environmentalism. Emanating from the New Age movement, the popularity of yoga has proliferated as a subculture that seeks to encourage mind–body wellbeing while representing an ethos that assumes environmental responsibility. This thesis examines the techniques of modern yoga and the influence that asana (posture) and meditational relaxation have on the senses and subsequently on environmental awareness and activism.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004418, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004418
Subject Headings: Cognition and culture, Environmental psychology, Mind and body, Movement therapy, Philosophy of mind, Self consciousness (Awareness), Senses and sensation, Sensorimotor integration, Yoga
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Effects of Case Conceptualization Training Over Time and Its Relationship to Practitioner Attitudes Towards Evidence-Based Practice.
Creator: Stoupas, George, Sperry, Len, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Counselor Education
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to examine the effects of a standardized case conceptualization training workshop on 104 psychotherapy practitioners recruited from the community. A secondary purpose was to examine the relationship between participants’ attitudes about evidence-based practice and the effects of the training. Participants attended two 3-hour training workshops, which taught the integrative case conceptualization model developed by Sperry (2010b)....
Show moreThe purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to examine the effects of a standardized case conceptualization training workshop on 104 psychotherapy practitioners recruited from the community. A secondary purpose was to examine the relationship between participants’ attitudes about evidence-based practice and the effects of the training. Participants attended two 3-hour training workshops, which taught the integrative case conceptualization model developed by Sperry (2010b). Pre- and postintervention case conceptualization skills were assessed using the Case Conceptualization Evaluation Form (CCEF) 2.0, an updated version of the instrument used in previous studies. Additionally, participants’ views about case conceptualization were assessed before and after training using the Views about Case Conceptualization (VACC) instrument. Participants’ attitudes about evidence-based practice were also examined as a possible mediating variable between training and effect. These attitudes were assessed using the Evidence-Based Practice Attitudes Scale (EBPAS). Workshops were separated by four weeks in order to assess whether initial training effects persisted over time. Change in case conceptualization skill was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. Participants’ mean CCEF 2.0 scores significantly increased (p < .001) from pre-test (M = 11.9; SD = 7.74) to post-test (M = 36.7; SD = 7.80) following the first workshop. The second workshop took place four weeks later with 74 of the original 104 participants. It built on the content of the first workshop and introduced advanced concepts such as client culture, strengths and protective factors, and predictive ability. Participants’ mean CCEF 2.0 scores also significantly increased (p < .001) from pre-test (M = 35.1; SD = 8.11) to post-test (M = 66.3; SD = 10.95) following the second workshop. There was a small but statistically significant (p < .005) decrease of 1.5 points in mean scores from the end of Workshop I to Workshop II, indicating that the effects of the training deteriorate slowly over time. Participants’ attitudes about evidence based practice and some demographic variables were significantly related to training effects. Stepwise hierarchical regression analysis determined that these individual variables account for various portions of the variance in CCEF 2.0 scores. This study’s theoretical, practice, and research implications are discussed in detail.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004746, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004746
Subject Headings: Clinical psychology--Methodology., Client-centered psychotherapy., Psychiatry--Case formulation., Evidence-based medicine., Cognitive therapy., Behavioral assessment., Counseling--Evaluation., Social sciences--Methodology.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Auditory event-related potentials (P300) in the assessment of cognition in HIV infected children.
Creator: Starratt, Gerene K., Florida Atlantic University, Nash, Allan J.
Abstract/Description: The P300 component of the auditory event-related potential waveform was investigated in two groups of HIV positive children (symptomatic and asymptomatic) who were compared to HIV negative relatives. Results demonstrated the expected increased latencies of the P3b component in the symptomatic group, but no P3a latency differences. Amplitude measures of P3a and P3b showed no group differences. However, the symptomatic children had relatively larger P3a amplitudes whereas the asymptomatic...
Show moreThe P300 component of the auditory event-related potential waveform was investigated in two groups of HIV positive children (symptomatic and asymptomatic) who were compared to HIV negative relatives. Results demonstrated the expected increased latencies of the P3b component in the symptomatic group, but no P3a latency differences. Amplitude measures of P3a and P3b showed no group differences. However, the symptomatic children had relatively larger P3a amplitudes whereas the asymptomatic children had a larger P3b. Difference measures (P3b minus P3a) revealed a significant difference across groups. Discussion focuses on three interrelated issues: (1) the cognitive mechanisms which could account for the current findings, (2) the relevance of a symptomatic/asymptomatic distinction and a P3a/P3b distinction for the purposes of clinical research, and (3) the clinical implications of these findings.
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Date Issued: 1996
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15306
Subject Headings: Evoked potentials (Electrophysiology), Auditory evoked response, Perception in children--Testing, Cognition in children--Testing, Psychological tests for children, AIDS (Disease) in children
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Specific and non-specific cognitive operations as language options for memory questions: AnfMRI study.
Creator: Jantzen, McNeel Gordon., Florida Atlantic University, Ashworth, Sara
Abstract/Description: In order for memory questions to accomplish the goals of questions, teachers need to determine specific content and cognitive goals for each question so that questions can direct learners' attention and reinforce an organizational structure for the encoding of information. The purpose of this study was to examine the language used in memory questions for assessment purposes and to examine whether different language options used when formulating memory questions engaged brain areas related to...
Show moreIn order for memory questions to accomplish the goals of questions, teachers need to determine specific content and cognitive goals for each question so that questions can direct learners' attention and reinforce an organizational structure for the encoding of information. The purpose of this study was to examine the language used in memory questions for assessment purposes and to examine whether different language options used when formulating memory questions engaged brain areas related to memory and cognition. The language of the questions can affect the cognitive process by which the answer is derived. The two language options that affect cognitive processes are non-specific and specific. This study supplements teachers' working knowledge of the methods and techniques for questioning by providing a basic understanding of cognitive processes that different questions can evoke. This study used techniques from neuroscience to test hypotheses derived directly from education-based theories of cognition in order to validate educational theory. Neuroscience provides knowledge about how the brain senses, processes, stores, and retrieves information. It also provides findings that can be translated into practical applications for the classroom. Therefore, the relationship between education and neuroscience contributes to effective planning, practices, and assessment; it allows a more comprehensive understanding of the difficulties and apprehensions associated with learning. The following study utilized fMRI to answer the general question of the relationship between the memory processes associated with specific and non-specific questions. Seventeen undergraduate and graduate students from a university in South Florida served as subjects. Subjects were presented with a stimulus consisting of specific questions, non-specific questions, and control statements. All questions/statements followed the design of 8 seconds to read the question/statement, 10 seconds to "think" about the answer to the question or the material presented in the statement, 4 seconds for response using a "yes" or "no" button, and a 12 second rest period. Images collected were analyzed using AFNI. Specific cognitive operations improved efficiency for the retrieval of information from memory. Results elucidate differences in neural activity associated with encoding processes and the retrieval of information from memory based on the language used in specific and non-specific questions.
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Date Issued: 2004
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FADT12115
Subject Headings: Cognitive learning, Education--Effect of technological innovations on, Experiential learning, Brain--Psychophysiology, Learning--Physiological aspects, Recollection (Psychology), Memory
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The effect of age on processing family, famous and novel faces: An fMRI study.
Creator: Jones, Lana Casey, Florida Atlantic University, Tuller, Betty, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description: Facial recognition memory is a specialized system in the human brain, with an effect of familiarity playing a role in the brain activations involved. Previous studies examining the familiar face processing system have used college-aged subjects. However, memory disorders, like those associated with Alzheimer's disease, typically affect adults over sixty. In an attempt to reveal possible differences between young and older adults', two different age groups were subjected to fMRI analysis while...
Show moreFacial recognition memory is a specialized system in the human brain, with an effect of familiarity playing a role in the brain activations involved. Previous studies examining the familiar face processing system have used college-aged subjects. However, memory disorders, like those associated with Alzheimer's disease, typically affect adults over sixty. In an attempt to reveal possible differences between young and older adults', two different age groups were subjected to fMRI analysis while viewing face images with varying familiarity (family, famous and novel). The result showed a significant difference in activations for various cortical areas including the precuneus, cingulate cortex, and fusiform gyrus. Among the differences, an overall trend of greater activation in the left hemisphere for younger subjects compared to the older group was revealed. The results have implications for the study of memory disorders afflicting older adults, like Alzheimer's disease.
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Date Issued: 2006
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13358
Subject Headings: Brain--Magnetic resonance imaging, Evoked potentials (Electrophysiology), Memory, Cognition--Age factors, Aging--Psychological aspects, Memory disorders in old age
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Adult learning for healthy aging: an investigation of health literacy and technology use in older adults.
Creator: Swann, Elizabeth G., Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: This study explored the healthy aging process by: (a) examining the selected demographics of older adults in South Florida; (b) examining technology use of older adults in South Florida; (c) examining the health literacy levels of older adults in South Florida; (d) determining whether a relationship exists between older adults living in South Florida use of technology and their health literacy levels; and (e) evaluating the effects of health literacy as it relates to technology use in older...
Show moreThis study explored the healthy aging process by: (a) examining the selected demographics of older adults in South Florida; (b) examining technology use of older adults in South Florida; (c) examining the health literacy levels of older adults in South Florida; (d) determining whether a relationship exists between older adults living in South Florida use of technology and their health literacy levels; and (e) evaluating the effects of health literacy as it relates to technology use in older adults in South Florida. Variables explored included health literacy, education, ethnicity, and technology use. The sample study included 102 older adults (age > 60) living in South Florida that had completed profiles on the South Florida Quality Aging Registry, a part of the Healthy Aging Research Initiative (HARI). The sample size represented 22.3% of the total South Florida Quality Aging Registry population. The ethnicities of the participants among the South Florida Quality Aging Registry were African American (17%); Afro Caribbean (7.8%); Hispanic (10.7%); and European American (63.7%). The education mean was 15, indicating that the majority of participants had an education level equivalent to completing high school. The mean health literacy score was 3.88, demonstrating that the majority of the participants had moderate levels of health literacy. The mean technology use score was 7.5 on a scale of one through ten, indicating that the majority of the participants had a moderate level of technology use. Analysis of variance, correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis was used to explore the variables that may influence health literacy. There was a statistically significant difference among Afro Caribbean and African American, Afro Caribbean and European American, European American and Hispanic ethnicities related to their health literacy skill level (p < .01). Additionally, there was a statistically significant difference among Afro Caribbean American and European American ethnicities and technology use (p. < .01).
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004165, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004165
Subject Headings: Aging -- Psychological aspects, Aging -- Social aspects, Cognition in old age, Computers and older people, Health behavior, Internet and older people, Older people -- Health and hygiene, Technology and older people
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Effects of teaching mathematics to learning style perceptual preference on academic achievement of seventh-grade middle school students.
Creator: Colarulli, Rosemary, Florida Atlantic University, Kerensky, Vasil M.
Abstract/Description: Teaching methods that are effective with some students, fail with other students, because students perceive and process information differently. The personal preference by which one perceives and processes new material is called one's learning style. Using the Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Inventory assessment instrument, the learning style perceptual preference of 262 seventh grade students from a large, urban, middle school in southeast Florida were identified. This research investigated the...
Show moreTeaching methods that are effective with some students, fail with other students, because students perceive and process information differently. The personal preference by which one perceives and processes new material is called one's learning style. Using the Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Inventory assessment instrument, the learning style perceptual preference of 262 seventh grade students from a large, urban, middle school in southeast Florida were identified. This research investigated the effects of teaching mathematics to the preferred perceptual preference of these students in terms of academic achievement. Four teachers were trained in the Dunn and Dunn learning style teaching model to acquaint them with the experimental treatment used in this study. A pretest-posttest design was used to observe the mean gain in achievement scores on a 25-element assessment between students taught using a traditional teaching format and those taught in the learning style treatment approach. All students in the experimental group were first introduced to new mathematics material with a global story and taught in their primary learning style perceptual preference: (a) auditory, (b) tactile, (c) kinesthetic, or (d) visual. The material was reinforced through their secondary preference and a creative, student-constructed project was shared with the classmates. Several two-way factorial analyses of variance were used to study the treatment effect on the dependent variable. Neither the main effect for treatment nor the interactions between treatment and demographic variables (race, gender, learning styles) were significant at the.05 level. Within the context of this study, teaching through a student's perceptual learning style preference does not appear to be significantly more effective than teaching in a traditional manner.
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Date Issued: 1998
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12552
Subject Headings: Learning, Psychology of
Format: Document (PDF)

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