Stephanie L. Simon-Dack

Contextual influences on rapid object categorization in natural scenes

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of scene context on rapid object recognition using both behavioral and electrophysiological measures. Participants performed an animal/non-animal go/no-go categorization task in which they had to decide whether or not a flashed scene contained an animal. Moreover, the influence of scene context was manipulated either by retaining, deleting, or phase-randomizing the original scene background. The results of Experiments 1 and 2 showed that participants responded more accurately and quickly to objects appearing with their original scene backgrounds. Moreover, the event-related potential (ERP) data obtained from Experiment 2 showed that the onset latency of the frontal go/no-go ERP difference was delayed for objects appearing with phase-randomized scene backgrounds compared to objects appearing with their original scene backgrounds, providing direct evidence that scene context facilitates object recognition. Additionally, an increased frontal negativity along with a decreased late positive potential for processing objects presented in meaningless scene backgrounds suggest that the categorization task becomes more demanding when scene context is eliminated. Together, the results of the current study are consistent with previous research showing that scene context modulates object processing.

Prenatal and Perinatal Factors Related to Autism, IQ, and Adaptive Functioning

ABSTRACT This study focused on prenatal and perinatal factors related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The authors hypothesized that mothers who exposed their infants to intrauterine toxicity or who had complications with labor or delivery would be more likely to give birth to individuals with lower IQ scores, higher scores on a measure of ASD, and lower scores on a measure of adaptive functioning. This clinical sample consisted of 33 children who presented for neuropsychological assessment with symptoms of ASD. Results indicated that individuals with a history of intrauterine toxicity had lower IQ scores than individuals who did not have a history of intrauterine toxicity. However, no significant effects were found for intrauterine toxicity and ASD or adaptive functioning. Results indicated that individuals with a history of complications during labor and delivery had lower IQ scores, higher scores on a measure of ASD, and lower scores on a measure of adaptive functioning. Findings may lend support to the oxidative stress theory of ASD.

Factor analysis of five adult ADHD self-report measures: are they all the same?

Objective: To test the assumption in the research and assessment of ADHD symptoms that self-report scales measure the same underlying cognitive construct and that there is convergent validity among the scales. The present study specifically tested this assumption by analyzing the scores of 616 individuals on five ADHD self-rating scales using principal components analysis. Method: Participants completed five self-report scales widely used in the clinical and research communities: the CSS, the BADDS, the CAARS, the AADDES, and the WURS. Results: Results show that while all scales were highly correlated and loaded onto a single factor solution, the WURS was differentiated from the other four scales best seen through a two factor solution. Therefore, the WURS may also measure other mental and emotional constructs independent from ADHD. Furthermore, participants that reported a previous diagnosis of ADHD scored significantly higher on all measures than those who did not. Conclusion: Since these scales are in strong agreement with one another in diagnosing ADHD, assessment becomes an issue of which scale is the least time-consuming and most pragmatic for the evaluator to use.

Resting electroencephalography correlates of pseudoneglect: an individual differences approach.

We conducted an exploratory study to examine the resting electroencephalography (EEG) correlates of pseudoneglect, a phenomenon wherein neurologically intact individuals show greater attentional bias toward the left side compared with the right side of space. We took the resting EEG of 21 college students for 5 min and then had them complete a computerized line perception task, during which we asked them to judge the midpoint of horizontal lines on the screen. We computed EEG asymmetry measures for theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands for each of eight locations (right electrode activity−left electrode activity in the analogous location) and separately regressed these onto the degree of pseudoneglect using stepwise multiple regression analyses. We found significant effects for gamma, theta, and beta bands at location F3/4, indicating greater tonic right midfrontal activation in this location. These findings show that individuals with generally greater right midfrontal resting activation across theta, beta, and gamma bands also demonstrate pseudoneglect during a line perception task. These results lend a novel finding to the pseudoneglect literature, namely an individual differences corollary to current active task observations in the field.

Resting EEG and behavioural correlates of interhemispheric transfer times

Correlations between the relative speeds of left-to-right and right-to-left interhemispheric transfer times and resting quantitative electroencephalography activity were examined in order to determine if variability in interhemispheric transfer was related to individual variability in resting neural firing patterns. Resting electroencephalograph frequencies for 32 participants were regressed for 4 frequency bands at 8 different locations calculated for asymmetrical activation through subtracting the left from right average spectral power of each. Participants also completed a series of behavioural tasks that are typically localized to the right hemisphere (RH). Results indicate that the frontal medial average spectral power of the beta band is correlated with the speed of transfer such that larger resting beta values in the right as compared to left location are associated with faster right-to-left interhemispheric transfer times and that larger resting beta values in the left as compared to right location are associated with faster left-to-right interhemispheric transfer times. Furthermore, enhanced performance on tasks typically localized to the RH is correlated with slower right-to-left interhemispheric transfer times, suggesting that the dominance of one hemisphere may come at a cost to interhemispheric communication.

Emotions, Cognitions, and Well-Being The Role of Perfectionism, Emotional Overexcitability, and Emotion Regulation

In this study, we examined interrelationships among emotional overexcitability, perfectionism, emotion regulation, and subjective well-being. Dabrowski and Piechowski’s theoretical conceptualization of overexcitabilities and J. J. Gross and John’s constructs of emotion regulation strategies provided a framework to guide hypotheses in the present study. Participants were 191 adults who responded to surveys administered via online methodology. Multiple-regression analyses revealed that participants in the present study with higher emotional overexcitability had lower degrees of emotion regulation overall, whereas individuals reporting higher levels of adaptive perfectionism (strivers) had higher levels of emotion regulation. Furthermore, strivers and those who used cognitive reappraisal strategies for emotion regulation were linked to higher subjective well-being for participants in this study.

Differential activation of the default mode network in jet lagged individuals

Long-term exposure to transmeridian flights has been shown to impact cognitive functioning. Nevertheless, the immediate effects of jet lag in the activation of specific brain networks have not been investigated. We analyzed the impact of short-term jet lag on the activation of the default mode network (DMN). A group of individuals who were on a transmeridian flight and a control group went through a functional magnetic resonance imaging acquisition. Statistical analysis was performed to test for differences in the DMN activation between groups. Participants from the jet lag group presented decreased activation in the anterior nodes of the DMN, specifically in bilateral medial prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex. No areas of increased activation were observed for the jet lag group. These results may be suggestive of a negative impact of jet lag on important cognitive functions such as introspection, emotional regulation and decision making in a few days after individuals arrive at their destination.

Study Habits, Motives, and Strategies of College Students With Symptoms of ADHD:

Objective: Studies on ADHD in educational settings indicate that a student’s motivation for learning is significantly related with the student’s grade point average. The present study examined the relationship between ADHD symptoms and student academic achievement by considering the student’s approach to and motivation for learning. Method: Participants completed a questionnaire that breaks down learning strategies into a surface or deep approach. Each approach is then divided into a deep or surface motivation and strategy. Results: A multivariate analysis of variance determined that those in the control group were using the deep approach, whereas those in the ADHD group strongly favored the surface approach. Furthermore, ADHD participants preferred surface motive and surface strategy. A factor analysis of a study-habits questionnaire identified five categories, with collaborative learning approaching significant levels. Conclusion: Implications for guiding ADHD college students toward effective study strategies are discussed in light of their preference for surface approach, motive, and strategy.

Psychology Doctoral Program Admissions: What Master's and Undergraduate-Level Students Need to Know.

What do psychology doctorate programs require and prefer in their master’s level applicants? Do the programs value students’ graduate experiences during and postadmission? Doctoral programs’ (n = 221) responses to an online survey showed that most required letters of recommendation, personal statements, Graduate Records Examination scores, and undergraduate grade point average. These credentials, interviewing skills, and student–mentor research match are crucial to admission decisions. However, clinical PhD, counseling PhD, clinical and counseling PsyD, practice subfields (e.g., school psychology), and research subfields (e.g., social psychology) evaluated differently 8 of the 26 credentials. Master’s-level applicants benefit more than bachelor’s-level applicants when beginning their doctoral work (e.g., having their master’s theses waived), but the advantages vary by subfields. Implications and recommendations for doctoral applicants are discussed.

Underlying neural alpha frequency patterns associated with intra-hemispheric inhibition during an interhemispheric transfer task

Interhemispheric transfer measured via differences in right- or left-handed motoric responses to lateralized visual stimuli, known as the crossed-uncrossed difference (CUD), is one way of identifying patterns of processing that are vital for understanding the transfer of neural signals. Examination of interhemispheric transfer by means of the CUD is not entirely explained by simple measures of response time. Multiple processes contribute to wide variability observed in CUD reaction times. Prior research has suggested that intra-hemispheric inhibitory processes may be involved in regulation of speed of transfer. Our study examined electroencephalography recordings and time-locked alpha frequency activity while 18 participants responded to lateralized targets during performance of the Poffenberger Paradigm. Our results suggest that there are alpha frequency differences at fronto-central lateral electrodes based on target, hand-of-response, and receiving hemisphere. These findings suggest that early motoric inhibitory mechanisms may help explain the wide range of variability typically seen with the CUD.