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Title: FLOCKS, SWARMS, CROWDS, AND SOCIETIES: ON THE SCOPE AND LIMITS OF COGNITION.
Creator: Neemeh, Zachariah A, Favela, Luis H., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Traditionally, the concept of cognition has been tied to the brain or the nervous system. Recent work in various noncomputational cognitive sciences has enlarged the category of "cognitive phenomena" to include the organism and its environment, distributed cognition across networks of actors, and basic cellular functions. The meaning, scope, and limits of 'cognition' are no longer clear or well-defined. In order to properly delimit the purview of the cognitive sciences, there is a strong need...
Show moreTraditionally, the concept of cognition has been tied to the brain or the nervous system. Recent work in various noncomputational cognitive sciences has enlarged the category of "cognitive phenomena" to include the organism and its environment, distributed cognition across networks of actors, and basic cellular functions. The meaning, scope, and limits of 'cognition' are no longer clear or well-defined. In order to properly delimit the purview of the cognitive sciences, there is a strong need for a clarification of the definition of cognition. This paper will consider the outer bounds of that definition. Not all cognitive behaviors of a given organism are amenable to an analysis at the organismic or organism-environment level. In some cases, emergent cognition in collective biological and human social systems arises that is irreducible to the sum cognitions of their constituent entities. The group and social systems under consideration are more extensive and inclusive than those considered in studies of distributed cognition to date. The implications for this ultimately expand the purview of the cognitive sciences and bring back a renewed relevance for anthropology and introduce sociology on the traditional six-pronged interdisciplinary wheel of the cognitive sciences.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000191, ucf:46026
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000191

Title: The Restorative Effects of Color and Environment Type on Cognitive Functioning.
Creator: Michaelis, Jessica, Smither, Janan, Kincaid, John, Beidel, Deborah, Mcconnell, Daniel, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Although individuals have limited directed attention capabilities, it has been shown that exposure to natural environments elicit cognitive restoration (i.e. Berman, 2008). It has also been shown that individuals prefer blue and green colors because they are relaxing and prompt happy feelings (Guilford (&) Smith, 1959; Mahnke, 1996; Wexner, 1954). The question however, is what aspects of nature elicit these effects: is it the natural colors, the environmental setting, or both? The present...
Show moreAlthough individuals have limited directed attention capabilities, it has been shown that exposure to natural environments elicit cognitive restoration (i.e. Berman, 2008). It has also been shown that individuals prefer blue and green colors because they are relaxing and prompt happy feelings (Guilford (&) Smith, 1959; Mahnke, 1996; Wexner, 1954). The question however, is what aspects of nature elicit these effects: is it the natural colors, the environmental setting, or both? The present experiment will examine the effects of color (Blue, Green, Black and White, (&) Natural) and environmental setting (Urban, Foliage, (&) Aquatic) on measures of attention, short term memory, and mood. Additionally, this study was designed to replicate the findings of Berman et.al 2008, all while rigorously controlling for the pictorial content of its manipulation. Due to the exploratory nature of this study, no specific hypotheses were made. However, the goal of this research was to (")tease apart(") the effects of color and environment on the restoration of cognitive abilities. One hundred and nineteen non-color blind individuals completed pre and post tests for the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y-1), Backwards Digit Span, and the Attention Network Task and viewed one of the twelve color/environmental setting picture sets between the pre and posttests. Results of the 2x3x4 Mixed ANOVAs do not support past research which suggests that natural environments are restorative in nature.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004892, ucf:49665
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004892

Title: THE INFLUENCE OF EMOTIONAL STIMULI ON COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE IN RELATION TO DELUSION INTENSITY IN SCHIZOPHRENIA.
Creator: Orem, Diana, Bedwell, Jeffrey, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Previous research has suggested that there are multiple psychological processes underlying delusional thought. While it appears that cognitive biases in certain reasoning and attention processes are related to delusion-proneness, the influence of emotion on these processes is not well understood. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the effect of emotional content on performance on tasks thought to measure attentional bias, preferential recall, and probabilistic reasoning in...
Show morePrevious research has suggested that there are multiple psychological processes underlying delusional thought. While it appears that cognitive biases in certain reasoning and attention processes are related to delusion-proneness, the influence of emotion on these processes is not well understood. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the effect of emotional content on performance on tasks thought to measure attentional bias, preferential recall, and probabilistic reasoning in individuals with schizophrenia and demographically matched controls. In order to account for level of delusion-proneness, participants also completed a multidimensional measure of delusional thought. It was hypothesized that individuals with schizophrenia would perform more poorly on both the emotional and neutral versions of these tasks compared to controls. It was also hypothesized that within each group, there would be a statistically significant emotion effect, indicated by a difference in performance on the emotional (compared to neutral) condition of each task. This emotion effect was expected to be larger in the schizophrenia group. Finally, it was hypothesized that the emotion effect would increase as the severity of delusional proneness increased for all participants, regardless of group. As hypothesized, the schizophrenia group performed more poorly on the tasks overall, though expected emotion effects were generally absent. There were no differences in the size of emotion effects between the groups on any of the cognitive tasks administered, and the emotion effect did not appear to increase as severity of delusion-proneness increased. Factors that may have contributed to this pattern of results are discussed. Implications of these findings on theoretical models of delusions and future directions for research in this area are also discussed.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002765, ucf:48091
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002765

Title: Thinking Fast and Missing the Opportunity: An investigation into cognitive processing style and opportunity recognition.
Creator: Letwin, Chaim, Ford, Cameron, Folger, Robert, Schminke, Marshall, Ciuchta, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Research on opportunity recognition and entrepreneurial cognition suggests that entrepreneurs are likely to use and potentially benefit from heuristics (Baron, 1998, 2004; Busenitz (&) Barney, 1997). Some heuristics, particularly well-refined and accurate prototypes, may be valuable to entrepreneurs in recognizing opportunities (Baron, 2004). I seek, however, to consider how other types of heuristics that lead to irrational, biased, and inaccurate judgments (e.g., the betrayal heuristic)...
Show moreResearch on opportunity recognition and entrepreneurial cognition suggests that entrepreneurs are likely to use and potentially benefit from heuristics (Baron, 1998, 2004; Busenitz (&) Barney, 1997). Some heuristics, particularly well-refined and accurate prototypes, may be valuable to entrepreneurs in recognizing opportunities (Baron, 2004). I seek, however, to consider how other types of heuristics that lead to irrational, biased, and inaccurate judgments (e.g., the betrayal heuristic) relate to opportunity recognition (Baron, 2004; Kahneman (&) Lovallo, 1993). I specifically consider the underlying causal process through which the use of these types of heuristics diminishes the ability to recognize opportunities. I posit that these heuristics reduce the ability to recognize opportunities by causing entrepreneurs to consider less information regarding potential opportunities. Further, I propose two individual differences that allow certain entrepreneurs to mitigate the negative effect that these bias-causing heuristics have on entrepreneurs' ability of form the belief that they have recognized an opportunity. I test my theory with two experimental designs that use a product from a technology transfer office that has been licensed by entrepreneurs and applied to a real-world market. This allows me to isolate the underlying variables of interest and to affix my theorizing to a well-documented phenomenon (the licensing and application of tech-transfer technology/products by entrepreneurs) (Gregoire (&) Shepherd, 2012; Mowery, 2004; Shane, 2001). Results show that some heuristic may cause individuals to consider less information about an opportunity, which reduces their likelihood of forming an opportunity recognition belief. Post hoc analyses suggest that this indirect effect may be conditional on how reflective an individual is and that entrepreneurs may be more reflective than non-entrepreneurs. The major contribution of this dissertation is to examine the theoretical underpinnings as to why certain types of heuristics inhibit entrepreneurs from forming the belief that they have recognized an opportunity. Specifically, I suggest and show that bias-causing heuristics reduce the amount of information that entrepreneurs consider about an opportunity and, as such, inhibit opportunity recognition beliefs. Second, I provide some support for the notion that reflective individuals are more likely to form the belief that they have recognized an opportunity because they consider more information about the opportunity when they initially rely on a bias-causing heuristic. Lastly, this dissertation provides initial support for the notion that entrepreneurs may be more reflective than non-entrepreneurs. Overall, I hope to point out that although a heuristic-dependent processing style has been shown to be beneficial with regard to opportunity recognition (Baron, 2004), the failure to consider the downside of certain heuristics and benefits related to overcoming these heuristics may limit our understanding of the opportunity recognition process.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005648, ucf:50163
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005648

Title: THE EFFECT OF COGNITIVE AGING ON MULTIMEDIA LEARNING.
Creator: DaCosta, Boaventura, Hirumi, Atsusi, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: If not designed in consideration to the workings of the human mind, multimedia learning environments can impose too high a demand on working memory. While such high cognitive load presents challenges for learners of all ages, older learners may be particularly affected as research on cognitive aging has shown the efficiency of working memory declines with age. Research has suggested that cognitive load theory (CLT) and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML) are likely to...
Show moreIf not designed in consideration to the workings of the human mind, multimedia learning environments can impose too high a demand on working memory. While such high cognitive load presents challenges for learners of all ages, older learners may be particularly affected as research on cognitive aging has shown the efficiency of working memory declines with age. Research has suggested that cognitive load theory (CLT) and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML) are likely to accommodate the cognitive needs of older learners; however, few of the principles emerging from these theories have been examined in the context of cognitive aging. The abundance of studies has focused on younger learners, prompting the need for further research of CLT and CTML principles with regard to age. This study contributes to the body of research on the cognitive aging principle by extending research on the modality effect with middle-aged learners. Ninety-two participants ranging in age from 30 to 59 were exposed to multimedia learning treatments presented as animation with concurrent narration and animation with concurrent text, followed by retention, concept, and transfer tests of multimedia learning. Demographic and descriptive statistics were performed along with a multivariate analysis of variance. The findings did not show a modality effect with middle-aged learners; however, results need to be interpreted with care as possible explanations may entail other causes for the lack of a modality effect other than age.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002033, ucf:47587
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002033

Title: CORRELATIONS BETWEEN SEXUAL IMAGERY AND SEXUAL COGNITIONS.
Creator: McDonnell, Jennifer L, Wright, Chrysalis L., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Analyzing the relationship between the visual imagery used in music videos, and the sexual cognition of viewers. Sexual cognition is the awareness of one's own sexual behavior, and its implications. The visual content of music videos was analyzed focusing only on the imagery used. The Heterosexual Script (Jhally, 2007) in particular is observed in most music videos, highlighting the sexual objectification of women and the dominant role of males. The direction of causality between the visual...
Show moreAnalyzing the relationship between the visual imagery used in music videos, and the sexual cognition of viewers. Sexual cognition is the awareness of one's own sexual behavior, and its implications. The visual content of music videos was analyzed focusing only on the imagery used. The Heterosexual Script (Jhally, 2007) in particular is observed in most music videos, highlighting the sexual objectification of women and the dominant role of males. The direction of causality between the visual imagery and sexual cognitions can only be speculated using a number of theories, namely cognitive dissonance (Festinger, 1957), cultivation theory (Gerbner et al., 1994), Objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997), Social Learning theory (Bandura, 2001; 2002), and that of semantic constructs. Significant results would suggest that music videos have the potential to alter an individual�s sexual cognitions, which may lead to riskier sexual behavior and negative views of women sexually.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000005, ucf:45602
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000005

Title: TWO CONCEPTIONS OF THE MIND.
Creator: Aguda, Benjamin, Gallagher, Shaun, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Since the cognitive revolution during the last century the mind has been conceived of as being computer-like. Like a computer, the brain was assumed to be a physical structure (hardware) upon which a computational mind (software) was built. The mind was seen as a collection of independent programs which each have their own specific tasks, or modules. These modules took sensory input "data" and transduced it into language-like representations which were used in mental computations. Recently, a...
Show moreSince the cognitive revolution during the last century the mind has been conceived of as being computer-like. Like a computer, the brain was assumed to be a physical structure (hardware) upon which a computational mind (software) was built. The mind was seen as a collection of independent programs which each have their own specific tasks, or modules. These modules took sensory input "data" and transduced it into language-like representations which were used in mental computations. Recently, a new conception of the mind has developed, grounded cognition. According to this model, sensory stimulus is saved in the original format in which it was received and recalled using association mechanisms. Rather than representations being language-like they are instead multimodal. The manipulation of these multimodal representations requires processing distributed throughout the brain. A new holistic model for mental architecture has developed in which the concerted activity of the brain's modal systems produces functional systems which are intimately codependent with one another. The purpose of this thesis is to explore both the modular and multimodal theories of mental architecture. Each will be described in detail along with their supporting paradigms, cognitivism and grounded cognition. After my expositions I will offer support for my own position regarding these two theories before suggesting avenues for future research.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFH0003784, ucf:44765
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003784

Title: Getting the Upper Hand: Natural Gesture Interfaces Improve Instructional Efficiency on a Conceptual Computer Lesson.
Creator: Bailey, Shannon, Sims, Valerie, Jentsch, Florian, Bowers, Clint, Johnson, Cheryl, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As gesture-based interactions with computer interfaces become more technologically feasible for educational and training systems, it is important to consider what interactions are best for the learner. Computer interactions should not interfere with learning nor increase the mental effort of completing the lesson. The purpose of the current set of studies was to determine whether natural gesture-based interactions, or instruction of those gestures, help the learner in a computer lesson by...
Show moreAs gesture-based interactions with computer interfaces become more technologically feasible for educational and training systems, it is important to consider what interactions are best for the learner. Computer interactions should not interfere with learning nor increase the mental effort of completing the lesson. The purpose of the current set of studies was to determine whether natural gesture-based interactions, or instruction of those gestures, help the learner in a computer lesson by increasing learning and reducing mental effort. First, two studies were conducted to determine what gestures were considered natural by participants. Then, those gestures were implemented in an experiment to compare type of gesture and type of gesture instruction on learning conceptual information from a computer lesson. The goal of these studies was to determine the instructional efficiency (-) that is, the extent of learning taking into account the amount of mental effort (-) of implementing gesture-based interactions in a conceptual computer lesson. To test whether the type of gesture interaction affects conceptual learning in a computer lesson, the gesture-based interactions were either naturally- or arbitrarily-mapped to the learning material on the fundamentals of optics. The optics lesson presented conceptual information about reflection and refraction, and participants used the gesture-based interactions during the lesson to manipulate on-screen lenses and mirrors in a beam of light. The beam of light refracted/reflected at the angle corresponding with type of lens/mirror. The natural gesture-based interactions were those that mimicked the physical movement used to manipulate the lenses and mirrors in the optics lesson, while the arbitrary gestures were those that did not match the movement of the lens or mirror being manipulated. The natural gestures implemented in the computer lesson were determined from Study 1, in which participants performed gestures they considered natural for a set of actions, and rated in Study 2 as most closely resembling the physical interaction they represent. The arbitrary gestures were rated by participants as most arbitrary for each computer action in Study 2. To test whether the effect of novel gesture-based interactions depends on how they are taught, the way the gestures were instructed was varied in the main experiment by using either video- or text-based tutorials. Results of the experiment support that natural gesture-based interactions were better for learning than arbitrary gestures, and instruction of the gestures largely did not affect learning and amount of mental effort felt during the task. To further investigate the factors affecting instructional efficiency in using gesture-based interactions for a computer lesson, individual differences of the learner were taken into account. Results indicated that the instructional efficiency of the gestures and their instruction depended on an individual's spatial ability, such that arbitrary gesture interactions taught with a text-based tutorial were particularly inefficient for those with lower spatial ability. These findings are explained in the context of Embodied Cognition and Cognitive Load Theory, and guidelines are provided for instructional design of computer lessons using natural user interfaces. The theoretical frameworks of Embodied Cognition and Cognitive Load Theory were used to explain why gesture-based interactions and their instructions impacted the instructional efficiency of these factors in a computer lesson. Gesture-based interactions that are natural (i.e., mimic the physical interaction by corresponding to the learning material) were more instructionally efficient than arbitrary gestures because natural gestures may help schema development of conceptual information through physical enactment of the learning material. Furthermore, natural gestures resulted in lower cognitive load than arbitrary gestures, because arbitrary gestures that do not match the learning material may increase the working memory processing not associated with the learning material during the lesson. Additionally, the way in which the gesture-based interactions were taught was varied by either instructing the gestures with video- or text-based tutorials, and it was hypothesized that video-based tutorials would be a better way to instruct gesture-based interactions because the videos may help the learner to visualize the interactions and create a more easily recalled sensorimotor representation for the gestures; however, this hypothesis was not supported and there was not strong evidence that video-based tutorials were more instructionally efficient than text-based instructions. The results of the current set of studies can be applied to educational and training systems that incorporate a gesture-based interface. The finding that more natural gestures are better for learning efficiency, cognitive load, and a variety of usability factors should encourage instructional designers and researchers to keep the user in mind when developing gesture-based interactions.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0007278, ucf:52192
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007278

Title: MEMORY OF WORDS: A CATEGORIZATION TASK.
Creator: Maxim, Paulina, Sims, Valerie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Through the years, the Deese-Roediger-McDermott Paradigm has demonstrated to be a useful method of observing false memories from semantically related word lists. The present study was conducted fully online and measured memory performance dependent on categorization of words by using groups, as well as dragging words across the page as a form of interaction. In a 2 (Categorized, Non-Categorized) x 2 (Interactive, Non-Interactive) between-subject factorial experiment, 56 undergraduate students...
Show moreThrough the years, the Deese-Roediger-McDermott Paradigm has demonstrated to be a useful method of observing false memories from semantically related word lists. The present study was conducted fully online and measured memory performance dependent on categorization of words by using groups, as well as dragging words across the page as a form of interaction. In a 2 (Categorized, Non-Categorized) x 2 (Interactive, Non-Interactive) between-subject factorial experiment, 56 undergraduate students were shown 18 different lists of 15 associative words to be studied, one list at a time. Participants were given a free recall test immediately after studying each individual list. Participants also performed a recognition test after having studied and recalled all 18 lists, which consisted of 216 items; half of the words were presented throughout the studied lists, and the other half consisted of the 18 critical lure words as well as several other distractor items from a subset of word lists. It was hypothesized that participants in both the categorization and interaction condition would show the highest levels of accurate memory recall and recognition compared to those who were simply given a list to review. Findings did not support this hypothesis indicating no clear differences between participants who categorized (or not) or interacted with the lists (or not). High probabilities were found for words ranked as highly falsely recalled and low probabilities were found for those ranked towards the bottom, much like the findings in Stadler et al., (1999).
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFH2000393, ucf:45903
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000393

Title: A COGNITIVE INVESTIGATION OF COMPUTERIZED WALK-THROUGH MODELS.
Creator: Carrillo, Maria, Sims, Valerie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The growth of the World Wide Web has prompted many businesses to develop electronic commerce (e-commerce) as a domain where consumers can conveniently purchase their products (Chittaro& Ranon, 2002). Marketing and Human - Computer Interaction (HCI) research has focused on the ways interactivity can improve purchasing experience. One particular technique is through the use of computer models of products known as visual object representations (Ozok& Komlodi, 2009). Research on visual product...
Show moreThe growth of the World Wide Web has prompted many businesses to develop electronic commerce (e-commerce) as a domain where consumers can conveniently purchase their products (Chittaro& Ranon, 2002). Marketing and Human - Computer Interaction (HCI) research has focused on the ways interactivity can improve purchasing experience. One particular technique is through the use of computer models of products known as visual object representations (Ozok& Komlodi, 2009). Research on visual product representations is focused on models of objects typically purchased in a store, such as clothing and electronics, which can usually be manipulated and rotated as desired (Ozok& Komlodi, 2009). There seems to be a gap in the literature regarding computer models for which consumers actually do not have an established mental models. Computerized walk-through models allow users to virtually navigate a space as well as to view a model of a living space from different orientations. An experiment was conducted on 100 participants to investigate computerized walk-through models and the role the type of model and workload plays in the amount of knowledge gained about the layout and consumer preference. Participants navigated a computerized walk-through model or a two dimensional picture set of a hotel room (low complexity) or apartment (high complexity) .Then they completed a series of surveys. Results indicate that two-dimensional models were best for learning the layout of a high complexity model and that three-dimensional models were better for learning the layout of a low complexity model. Results have implications for virtual model use in education and the military.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFH0004155, ucf:44841
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004155

Title: Opportunistic Spectrum Utilization by Cognitive Radio Networks: Challenges and Solutions.
Creator: Amjad, Muhammad Faisal, Zou, Changchun, Bassiouni, Mostafa, Turgut, Damla, Wang, Chung-Ching, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Cognitive Radio Network (CRN) is an emerging paradigm that makes use of Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) to communicate opportunistically, in the un-licensed Industrial, Scientific and Medical bands or frequency bands otherwise licensed to incumbent users such as TV broadcast. Interest in the development of CRNs is because of severe under-utilization of spectrum bands by the incumbent Primary Users (PUs) that have the license to use them coupled with an ever-increasing demand for unlicensed...
Show moreCognitive Radio Network (CRN) is an emerging paradigm that makes use of Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) to communicate opportunistically, in the un-licensed Industrial, Scientific and Medical bands or frequency bands otherwise licensed to incumbent users such as TV broadcast. Interest in the development of CRNs is because of severe under-utilization of spectrum bands by the incumbent Primary Users (PUs) that have the license to use them coupled with an ever-increasing demand for unlicensed spectrum for a variety of new mobile and wireless applications. The essence of Cognitive Radio (CR) operation is the cooperative and opportunistic utilization of licensed spectrum bands by the Secondary Users (SUs) that collectively form the CRN without causing any interference to PUs' communications.CRN operation is characterized by factors such as network-wide quiet periods for cooperative spectrum sensing, opportunistic/dynamic spectrum access and non-deterministic operation of PUs. These factors can have a devastating impact on the overall throughput and can significantly increase the control overheads. Therefore, to support the same level of QoS as traditional wireless access technologies, very closer interaction is required between layers of the protocol stack.Opportunistic spectrum utilization without causing interference to the PUs is only possible if the SUs periodically sense the spectrum for the presence of PUs' signal. To minimize the effects of hardware capabilities, terrain features and PUs' transmission ranges, DSA is undertaken in a collaborative manner where SUs periodically carry out spectrum sensing in their respective geographical locations. Collaborative spectrum sensing has numerous security loopholes and canbe favorable to malicious nodes in the network that may exploit vulnerabilities associated with DSA such as launching a spectrum sensing data falsification (SSDF) attack. Some CRN standards such as the IEEE 802.22 wireless regional area network employ a two-stage quiet period mechanism based on a mandatory Fast Sensing and an optional Fine Sensing stage for DSA. This arrangement is meant to strike a balance between the conflicting goals of proper protection of incumbent PUs' signals and optimum QoS for SUs so that only as much time is spent for spectrum sensing as needed. Malicious nodes in the CRN however, can take advantage of the two-stage spectrum sensing mechanism to launch smart denial of service (DoS) jamming attacks on CRNs during the fast sensing stage.Coexistence protocols enable collocated CRNs to contend for and share the available spectrum. However, most coexistence protocols do not take into consideration the fact that channels of the available spectrum can be heterogeneous in the sense that they can vary in their characteristics and quality such as SNR or bandwidth. Without any mechanism to enforce fairness in accessing varying quality channels, ensuring coexistence with minimal contention and efficient spectrum utilization for CRNs is likely to become a very difficult task.The cooperative and opportunistic nature of communication has many challenges associated with CRNs' operation. In view of the challenges described above, this dissertation presents solutions including cross-layer approaches, reputation system, optimization and game theoretic approaches to handle (1) degradation in TCP's throughput resulting from packet losses and disruptions in spectrum availability due non-deterministic use of spectrum by the PUs (2) presence of malicious SUs in the CRN that may launch various attacks on CRNs' includingSSDF and jamming and (3) sharing of heterogeneous spectrum resources among collocated CRNs without a centralized mechanism to enforce cooperation among otherwise non-cooperative CRNs
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005571, ucf:50249
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005571

Title: THE EFFECT OF WEIGHT AND SIZE ON MENTAL ROTATION.
Creator: Furtak, Luke, Sims, Valerie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Shepard and Metzler (1971) argued that mental rotation is analogous to the real world in that people imagine the rotation of an object as if it were being physically rotated. This study tested this assertion by exposing participants to physical shapes that increased in size and weight. Participants interacted with blocks designed after Shepard and Metzler mental rotation size that differed in size and weight then performed subsequent mental rotation. We found no difference in reaction time...
Show moreShepard and Metzler (1971) argued that mental rotation is analogous to the real world in that people imagine the rotation of an object as if it were being physically rotated. This study tested this assertion by exposing participants to physical shapes that increased in size and weight. Participants interacted with blocks designed after Shepard and Metzler mental rotation size that differed in size and weight then performed subsequent mental rotation. We found no difference in reaction time but found that increased size reduced accuracy. We discuss the implications of this study as they pertain to embodied cognition.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004711, ucf:45399
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004711

Title: The Effects of Presentation Mode and Pace on Learning Immunology with Computer Simulation: A Cognitive Evaluation of a Multimedia Learning Resource.
Creator: Bradley-Radakovich, Kristy, Kincaid, John, Khaled, Annette, McDaniel, Rudy, Greenwood-Ericksen, Adams, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Multimedia learning tools have the potential to benefit instructors and learners as supplemental learning materials. However, when such tools are designed inappropriately, this can increase cognitive taxation and impede learning, rendering the tools ineffective. Guided by the theoretical underpinnings provided by cognitive load theory and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, this study sought to empirically evaluate the effectiveness of a multimedia simulation tool aimed at teaching...
Show moreMultimedia learning tools have the potential to benefit instructors and learners as supplemental learning materials. However, when such tools are designed inappropriately, this can increase cognitive taxation and impede learning, rendering the tools ineffective. Guided by the theoretical underpinnings provided by cognitive load theory and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, this study sought to empirically evaluate the effectiveness of a multimedia simulation tool aimed at teaching immunology to novices in an instructional setting. The instructional mode and pace of the tool were manipulated, the three levels of each variable yielding nine experimental groups. The effects of mode and pace on workload and learning scores were observed. The results of this study did not support the theory-driven hypotheses. No significant learning gains were found between the configuration groups, however overall significant learning gains were subsequently found when disregarding mode and pace configuration. Pace was found to influence workload such that fast pace presentations significantly increased workload ratings and a significant interaction of mode and pace was found for workload ratings. The findings suggest that the learning material was too high in intrinsic load and the working memory of the learners too highly taxed for the benefits of applying the design principles to be observed. Results also illustrate a potential exception to the conditions of the design principles when complex terminology is to be presented. Workload findings interpreted in the context of stress adaptation potentially indicate points at which learners at maximum capacity begin to exhibit performance decrements.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004090, ucf:49150
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004090

Title: Examining the Effects of Interactive Dynamic Multimedia and Direct Touch Input on Performance of a Procedural Motor Task.
Creator: Marraffino, Matthew, Sims, Valerie, Chin, Matthew, Mouloua, Mustapha, Johnson, Cheryl, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Ownership of mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones, has quickly risen in the last decade. Unsurprisingly, they are now being integrated into the training and classroom setting. Specifically, the U.S. Army has mapped out a plan in the Army Learning Model of 2015 to utilize mobile devices for training purposes. However, before these tools can be used effectively, it is important to identify how the tablets' unique properties can be leveraged. For this dissertation, the touch interface...
Show moreOwnership of mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones, has quickly risen in the last decade. Unsurprisingly, they are now being integrated into the training and classroom setting. Specifically, the U.S. Army has mapped out a plan in the Army Learning Model of 2015 to utilize mobile devices for training purposes. However, before these tools can be used effectively, it is important to identify how the tablets' unique properties can be leveraged. For this dissertation, the touch interface and the interactivity that tablets afford were investigated using a procedural-motor task. The procedural motor task was the disassembly procedures of a M4 carbine. This research was motivated by cognitive psychology theories, including Cognitive Load Theory and Embodied Cognition. In two experiments, novices learned rifle disassembly procedures in a narrated multimedia presentation presented on a tablet and then were tested on what they learned during the multimedia training involving a virtual rifle by performing a rifle disassembly on a physical rifle, reassembling the rifle, and taking a written recall test about the disassembly procedures. Spatial ability was also considered as a subject variable.Experiment 1 examined two research questions. The primary research question was whether including multiple forms of interactivity in a multimedia presentation resulted in higher learning outcomes. The secondary research question in Experiment 1 was whether dynamic multimedia fostered better learning outcomes than equivalent static multimedia. To examine the effects of dynamism and interactivity on learning, four multimedia conditions of varying levels of interactivity and dynamism were used. One condition was a 2D phase diagram depicting the before and after of the step with no animation or interactivity. Another condition utilized a non-interactive animation in which participants passively watched an animated presentation of the disassembly procedures. A third condition was the interactive animation in which participants could control the pace of the presentation by tapping a button. The last condition was a rifle disassembly simulation in which participants interacted with a virtual rifle to learn the disassembly procedures. A comparison of the conditions by spatial ability yielded the following results. Interactivity, overall, improved outcomes on the performance measures. However, high spatials outperformed low spatials in the simulation condition and the 2D phase diagram condition. High spatials seemed to be able to compensate for low interactivity and dynamism in the 2D phase diagram condition while enhancing their performance in the rifle disassembly simulation condition.In Experiment 2, the touchscreen interface was examined by investigating how gestures and input modality affected learning the disassembly procedures. Experiment 2 had two primary research questions. The first was whether gestures facilitate learning a procedural-motor task through embodied learning. The second was whether direct touch input using resulted in higher learning outcomes than indirect mouse input. To examine the research questions, three different variations of the rifle disassembly simulation were used. One was identical to that of Experiment 1. Another incorporated gestures to initiate the animation whereby participants traced a gesture arrow representing the motion of the component to learn the procedures. The third condition utilized the same interface as the initial rifle disassembly simulation but included (")dummy(") gesture arrows that displayed only visual information but did not respond to gesture. This condition was included to see the effects (if any) of the gesture arrows in isolation of the gesture component. Furthermore, direct touch input was compared to indirect mouse input. Once again, spatial ability also was considered. Results from Experiment 2 were inconclusive as no significant effects were found. This may have been due to a ceiling effect of performance. However, spatial ability was a significant predictor of performance across all conditions. Overall, the results of the two experiments support the use of multimedia on a tablet to train a procedural-motor task. In line with vision of ALM 2015, the research support incorporating tablets into U.S. Army training curriculum.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005376, ucf:50467
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005376

Title: PREDICTING LICENSING EXAMINATION PERFORMANCE WITH COGNITIVE STYLE AND REACTIVE BEHAVIOR PATTERN ASSESSMENTS.
Creator: Combs, Daniel Paul, Dziuban, Charles D., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Candidates for Florida real estate sales associate licensure responded to a two-part questionnaire based on William A. Long's Reactive Behavior Patterns Theory and Robert J. Sternberg's Triarchic Theory of Intelligence. Examination scores were converted to a dichotomous pass/fail variable based on the Florida Real Estate Commission-mandated cut-off score of 75 correctly answered questions out of 100. The candidates' responses to the questionnaire comprising the Long-Dziuban Inventory and the...
Show moreCandidates for Florida real estate sales associate licensure responded to a two-part questionnaire based on William A. Long's Reactive Behavior Patterns Theory and Robert J. Sternberg's Triarchic Theory of Intelligence. Examination scores were converted to a dichotomous pass/fail variable based on the Florida Real Estate Commission-mandated cut-off score of 75 correctly answered questions out of 100. The candidates' responses to the questionnaire comprising the Long-Dziuban Inventory and the Cognitive Strengths Task List based on Sternberg's theory, were crosstabulated with pass/fail to identify differential passing proportions, if any, based on reactive behavior pattern and/or cognitive strength. An ANOVA procedure was used with the raw scores to determine whether statistically significant differences in mean exam scores existed between the four Long Types and the three Cognitive Types adapted from Sternberg's theory. The data were subjected to similar analyses to ascertain whether the ancillary traits described by Long were predictive of exam performance. A crosstabulation of Long Type by Cognitive (Sternberg) Type was performed to find out if any significant relationships existed between the several dimensions of the Long-Dziuban Inventory and the Cognitive Strengths Task List. The results revealed a moderate statistically significant relationship between exam performance and cognitive strength, with analytical types and creative types having the greatest exam success. Tenuous relationships were identified between exam performance and the Long types and traits and between the Long-based and the Sternberg-based components of the research instrument. Although the results of this study did not establish definitive relationships between the Long and Sternberg constructs, by combining them into a measure of cognitive style, it forged a framework for future research into the relationship between licensing examination performance and cognitive styles. Within this framework are theiiicomponents of a predictive model potentially useful for identifying not only real estate licensing exam performance but also for identifying persons likely to succeed in the real estate industry
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: CFE0000036, ucf:46119
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000036

Title: NON-ACUTE COGNITIVE SEQUELAE ASSOCIATED WITH RECREATIONAL ECSTASY USE: A META-ANALYSIS.
Creator: Linkovich Kyle, Tiffany, Dunn, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Studies using animal models have found considerable evidence of neurological damage resulting from exposure to 3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy). Yet, studies comparing the cognitive performance of human recreational ecstasy users to ecstasy naïve controls have produced inconsistent results. The present study is a meta-analysis of the published empirical literature on the cognitive sequelae of human recreational ecstasy use. The pooled effect size estimate for combined...
Show moreStudies using animal models have found considerable evidence of neurological damage resulting from exposure to 3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy). Yet, studies comparing the cognitive performance of human recreational ecstasy users to ecstasy naïve controls have produced inconsistent results. The present study is a meta-analysis of the published empirical literature on the cognitive sequelae of human recreational ecstasy use. The pooled effect size estimate for combined cognitive domains was statistically significant and moderate in size. Small to large, statistically significant aggregate effect sizes resulted for eight of the nine cognitive ability domains included in the analysis. Moderator analyses suggested that frequent ecstasy use is associated with greater cognitive impairment, cognitive impairment can occur after relatively low amounts of total lifetime cumulative use, and recovery of functioning does not occur within one year post cessation.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: CFE0000701, ucf:46614
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000701

Title: POSTURES IN MOBILE DEVICE USAGE: EFFECTS ON INTERPRETATION BIAS, MOOD, AND PHYSICAL TENSION.
Creator: Flores-Cruz, Gabriela, Sims, Valerie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Past research has shown that there is a relationship between body posture and cognitive processes. However, postures used with technological devices has not been studied more extensively. The purpose of this study was to examine posture effects when using a mobile device on interpretation bias, mood, and physical tension. Each participant was randomly assigned one of three conditions: sitting slumped, sitting upright, or lying down. Participants were asked to complete the Scrambled Sentences...
Show morePast research has shown that there is a relationship between body posture and cognitive processes. However, postures used with technological devices has not been studied more extensively. The purpose of this study was to examine posture effects when using a mobile device on interpretation bias, mood, and physical tension. Each participant was randomly assigned one of three conditions: sitting slumped, sitting upright, or lying down. Participants were asked to complete the Scrambled Sentences Task (SST), a task of unscrambling emotional and neutral sentences, to measure their interpretation bias. Additional questions were asked to measure the participant's physical tension and mood. Results suggested no significant differences in interpretation bias depending on posture. There was no significant difference in the performance of unscrambling emotional sentences compared to neutral ones for sitting slumped and sitting upright. When lying down, participants unscrambled fewer neutral sentences compared to emotional ones. Physical tension was found to be a mediator for the relationship between posture (slumped and upright) and mood. The results of this study provide insight of possible confounding variables influencing the relationship between posture and mood.It additionally showed that emotional content is processed differently compared to neutral content when lying down. Further research is needed to understand how physical tension caused by posture being altered when using mobile device affects psychological well-being.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFH2000480, ucf:45737
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000480

Title: PROCESS AND MIND: EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROCESS PHILOSOPHY AND THE NONLINEAR DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS SCIENCE OF COGNITION.
Creator: Moralez, Larry A, Favela, Luis H., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This work examines the relationship between Alfred North Whitehead's process philosophy and the nonlinear dynamical systems framework for studying cognition. I argue that the nonlinear dynamical systems approach to cognitive science presupposes many key elements of his process philosophy. The process philosophical interpretation of nature posits events and the dynamic relations between events as the fundamental substrate of reality, as opposed to static physical substances. I present a brief...
Show moreThis work examines the relationship between Alfred North Whitehead's process philosophy and the nonlinear dynamical systems framework for studying cognition. I argue that the nonlinear dynamical systems approach to cognitive science presupposes many key elements of his process philosophy. The process philosophical interpretation of nature posits events and the dynamic relations between events as the fundamental substrate of reality, as opposed to static physical substances. I present a brief history of the development of substance thought before describing Whitehead's characterization of nature as a process. In following, I will examine the both the computational and nonlinear dynamical systems frameworks for investigating cognition. I will show that the computational paradigm is subject to many of the same criticisms as substance. Conversely, I will show that nonlinear dynamical cognitive science avoids these criticisms and is congenial to Whitehead's philosophy insofar as it is suitable for describing emergent processes. To conclude, I suggest that the nonlinear dynamical cognitive science confirms and validates Whitehead's philosophy. Furthermore, I argue that process philosophy is an appropriate characterization of nature for guiding inquiry in cognitive science.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000091, ucf:45553
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000091

Title: THE NEXUS BETWEEN COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY AND PREJUDICIAL ATTITUDES IN YOUNGER AND OLDER ADULTS.
Creator: Germosen, Yerika, Negy, Charles, Lighthall, Nichole, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The mutability of prejudicial attitudes can be elucidated by taking into account the declines in cognition that tend to emerge as we age. This study aimed to assess whether there is a relationship between prejudice towards different ethnic groups and cognitive flexibility throughout adulthood. Ninety-five older adults and 118 younger adults were asked to complete an electronic survey encompassing measures of cognitive flexibility, social desirability, personality, optimism, empathy, ethnic...
Show moreThe mutability of prejudicial attitudes can be elucidated by taking into account the declines in cognition that tend to emerge as we age. This study aimed to assess whether there is a relationship between prejudice towards different ethnic groups and cognitive flexibility throughout adulthood. Ninety-five older adults and 118 younger adults were asked to complete an electronic survey encompassing measures of cognitive flexibility, social desirability, personality, optimism, empathy, ethnic attachment and prejudice. It was hypothesized that older adults would report lower levels of cognitive flexibility and higher levels of ethnic attachment in comparison to younger adults, which would in turn make the inverse relationship between cognitive flexibility and prejudice stronger in older participants. The results did not support the hypotheses predicting that there would be cohort differences in cognitive flexibility and ethnic attachment. As expected, there was a negative correlation between prejudice and cognitive flexibility, but it was only significant in younger adults before controlling for the influence of social desirability. Additionally, regression models predicting prejudice based on cognitive flexibility and ethnic attachment were significant before and after controlling for social desirability, but only in younger adults. Exploratory analyses indicate that the strength of the correlations between all study variables were generally lower in older adults. The findings presented here raise an argument for evaluating how the interplay between prejudice and cognitive flexibility may change in the later stages of life.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFH2000497, ucf:45671
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000497

Title: SEXUAL CONTENT IN MUSIC LYRICS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON SEXUAL COGNITION.
Creator: Nowotny, Nicole, Wright, Chrysalis L., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this study was to examine the sexual content found in music lyrics of different genres and their relationship to specific sexual cognitions. The study included 902 participants, both male and female, belonging to various ethnic backgrounds, ages 18 and up. It was hypothesized that listening to music containing frequent sexual lyrics will have an affect on men and women�s sexual cognitive beliefs. Results indicated that there was a relationship between frequency of sexually...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the sexual content found in music lyrics of different genres and their relationship to specific sexual cognitions. The study included 902 participants, both male and female, belonging to various ethnic backgrounds, ages 18 and up. It was hypothesized that listening to music containing frequent sexual lyrics will have an affect on men and women�s sexual cognitive beliefs. Results indicated that there was a relationship between frequency of sexually explicit lyrics and views on sexual cognitions. The breakdown by genre shows a more detailed relationship between the lyrics and sexual cognitions. Overall, the results supported the notion that frequent exposure to sexually explicit lyrics has a significant relationship to sexual cognitions.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000009, ucf:45603
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000009

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