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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: 'LET HER BE TAKEN': SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN MEDIEVAL ENGLAND.
Creator: McNellis, Lindsey, Larson, Peter, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Rape and its impact on medieval women, as conceived by society and the law, have yet to receive extensive treatment. By analyzing not only rape cases, but evolving laws and the impact of the Church on views of sexuality and marriage and thus its influence on attitudes towards rape, this study shows that women were much more than victims and society, or the courts, reacted accordingly. Covering the years 1200 to 1250, this thesis examines secular court cases taken from the general eyre records...
Show moreRape and its impact on medieval women, as conceived by society and the law, have yet to receive extensive treatment. By analyzing not only rape cases, but evolving laws and the impact of the Church on views of sexuality and marriage and thus its influence on attitudes towards rape, this study shows that women were much more than victims and society, or the courts, reacted accordingly. Covering the years 1200 to 1250, this thesis examines secular court cases taken from the general eyre records of Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, Warwickshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire. Cases taken from the King's Bench and canon courts, including Canterbury, also provide an illustration of the process of rape litigation. Legal treatises, both canon and secular, serve as the foundation for the procedures required in either court system and show that rape was a punishable offense. However, society had difficulty viewing rape as a personal crime against a woman as opposed to a crime against her family and that is when it actually thought that sexual violence occurred. While still available to them, women used the rape laws to push their agendas and concerns onto the court – revenge, choice of marriage, justice. In court records, the heavy burden of proof and the high rate of dismissals support this conclusion. Women persevered through the inherent disadvantages presented by a patriarchal system and achieved a measure of control over their lives. This is evidenced by the nearly equal success and failure rates in the records examined; 33 percent ended in acquittal or dismissal, while 31 percent provided women with some closure. The passage of the Statutes of Westminster, by removing a woman's right to prosecute rape and marry the accused, also convincingly illustrated that women held a degree of power that was unacceptable to society.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002170, ucf:47519
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002170

Title: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SLEEP, WORKING MEMORY, AND DECISION MAKING IN YOUNG AND OLD ADULT POPULATIONS.
Creator: Merz, Melissa G., Lighthall, Nichole, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Sleep is known to influence basic tasks concerning working memory, reaction time and executive functioning (Silva, Wang, Ronda, Wyatt, & Duffy, 2010; Nebes, Buysse, Halligan, Houck, & Monk, 2009). However, the amount that sleep influences these functions varies from study to study possibly due to differences in age and task design. Aim 1A of this study is to determine if sleep quality affects working memory. Aim 1B of this study is to determine if age affects sleep quality and working memory...
Show moreSleep is known to influence basic tasks concerning working memory, reaction time and executive functioning (Silva, Wang, Ronda, Wyatt, & Duffy, 2010; Nebes, Buysse, Halligan, Houck, & Monk, 2009). However, the amount that sleep influences these functions varies from study to study possibly due to differences in age and task design. Aim 1A of this study is to determine if sleep quality affects working memory. Aim 1B of this study is to determine if age affects sleep quality and working memory in comparison of young and old adult populations. Finally, Aim 2 of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between sleep quality, working memory, and decision making in the younger adults. These aims were researched using a validated and commonly used sleep questionnaire: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). In addition, the study utilized an n-back test to measure working memory and executive functioning, and an economic decision task to measure decision making accuracy. Results show that sleep quality did not significantly influence accuracy on an n-back test in either age group, but age was significantly correlated with accuracy on an n-back test in the older adults. The study also found a relationship between working memory performance and complex decision making among younger adults, but this relationship was not modulated by sleep quality. Our findings suggest that self-reported sleep quality is not a strong predictor of working memory or complex decision making, particularly in early adulthood. Future research on this topic may benefit from a more objective measure of sleep quality and from larger samples across different phases of the lifespan.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000210, ucf:46023
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000210

Title: THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR ON THE SOCIETIES OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE.
Creator: Whittington, Kody E, Larson, Peter, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Hundred Years War was a series of conflicts from 1337 to 1453 waged between the House of Plantagenet of England and the House of Valois of France. This thesis will analyze the affect that the Hundred Years War had on the societies of both England and France, and in doing so will show that the war was a catalyst for bringing England and France out of what is recognized as the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance and Early Modern Period. The thesis will do this by looking at three sections...
Show moreThe Hundred Years War was a series of conflicts from 1337 to 1453 waged between the House of Plantagenet of England and the House of Valois of France. This thesis will analyze the affect that the Hundred Years War had on the societies of both England and France, and in doing so will show that the war was a catalyst for bringing England and France out of what is recognized as the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance and Early Modern Period. The thesis will do this by looking at three sections of English and French society: the royalty and nobility who commanded and who arguably started the war, the soldiers and mercenary companies who fought the war, and the non-combatants who either contributed to the war or were affected by it in positive or negative ways. The evolution in the power and role of the monarchs will be analyzed, while the nobility will be analyzed in their capacity as the leaders during the war and how their station in society was affected by the war. Analysis of those that served and fought in the war are of equal importance, as the Hundred Years War saw the rise of paid professional armies comprised mostly of the peasantry. Mercenary companies will also be looked at, especially in France where they contributed much to pillaging and acts of violence against the people. While the experiences of the combatants are important to understanding the history of the war, the experiences of those that did not directly engage in the war is important to understanding how the war affected society as a whole. Those peasants whose farms were destroyed by raiding armies, mercenaries, or bandits suffered greatly because of the war. Yet some, such as merchants, profited from the war and became greatly enriched. The church and its role in attempting to mediate and bring peace, while others of the cloth served as outlets of propaganda in support of their kingdom, will also be looked at in this thesis.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000115, ucf:45989
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000115

Title: GENERATION AND THE GOOGLE EFFECT: TRANSACTIVE MEMORY SYSTEM PREFERENCE ACROSS AGE.
Creator: Siler, Jessica, Hancock, Peter, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: A transactive memory system (TMS) is a means by which people may store information externally; in such a system the task of remembering is offloaded by remembering where information is located, rather than remembering the information itself. As Sparrow et al. (2011) suggest in the article Google Effects on Memory: Cognitive Consequences of Having Information at Our Fingertips, people are beginning to use the internet and computers as a TMS, and this use is changing the way people encounter...
Show moreA transactive memory system (TMS) is a means by which people may store information externally; in such a system the task of remembering is offloaded by remembering where information is located, rather than remembering the information itself. As Sparrow et al. (2011) suggest in the article Google Effects on Memory: Cognitive Consequences of Having Information at Our Fingertips, people are beginning to use the internet and computers as a TMS, and this use is changing the way people encounter and treat information. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether preference for TMS type (either with books or with computers) varies across age groups. An interaction between TMS preference and age was hypothesized. Before the onset of the internet age, information was primarily found in books and other print materials whereas now the internet is more frequently used, thus this shift in thinking and habit across generations was expected to emerge in the data. The study yielded a total of 51 participants, 32 from the young age group (ages 18-24) and 19 from the old (ages 61-81). A modified Stroop task and question blocks (for priming purposes) were employed to examine whether people are prone to think of book- or computer-related sources when in search of information. Also, a "Look up or Learn" tendencies survey was used to better understand how people decide whether certain information should be learned or left to be "looked up" later (Yacci & Rosanski, 2012). The mixed ANOVA did not reveal main effects for question difficulty or TMS type, nor was an interaction with age found. The results were not consistent with those of Sparrow et al. (2011) and did not show significance for TMS preference. Future studies should continue to examine the Google effect and TMS preference, as it bears important applications for a number of fields.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFH0004473, ucf:45118
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004473

Title: GRIDLOCKS AND PADLOCKS.
Creator: Chapman, Rachel, Bartkevicius, Jocelyn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: "Gridlocks and Padlocks" is a collection of short fiction and personal essays whose goal is to create characters with depth in both real-world and not-entirely-real-world situations. The strength of nonfiction is the capacity to observe the writer's thinking and motivation. "Ashes to Ashes, Trust to Dust" is a personal essay that explores my struggle with the faith I was raised in, with an emphasis on how friendships and relationships have shaped my perceptions. "The List of Unacceptable...
Show more"Gridlocks and Padlocks" is a collection of short fiction and personal essays whose goal is to create characters with depth in both real-world and not-entirely-real-world situations. The strength of nonfiction is the capacity to observe the writer's thinking and motivation. "Ashes to Ashes, Trust to Dust" is a personal essay that explores my struggle with the faith I was raised in, with an emphasis on how friendships and relationships have shaped my perceptions. "The List of Unacceptable Faults" is a personal essay about unwanted interactions with the opposite sex; it is an examination of men and boys through the lens of naive dissatisfaction. "Sing Me Rebecca" is a personal essay that delves into my relationship with my mentally handicapped sister. While the nonfiction writer focuses on his or her own development and struggles, a fiction writer can investigate the human condition by exploring the depth found in imagined people who face everyday situations and what characteristics and behaviors make them believable and absorbing. "Object of Study" is a short story about a girl named Taylor, who in her formative years stumbles upon a friendship between her sister and a boy she does not trust. This story examines Taylor's quirky, multi-faceted character through the actions she takes to investigate and ultimately end the friendship between a boy and her younger sister. "Crossing Fault Lines" is a work of short short fiction that focuses on three characters-a mother and her two sons-and their strained relationship. Whether writing personal essays or fiction, my goal is to create overarching conflicts that reflect people's struggle with being "stuck" in some situation in life.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFH0004351, ucf:44976
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004351

Title: A MODEL OF TREATING HYPERFUNCTIONAL VOICE DISORDERS FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN WITHIN A SERIOUS GAMING ENVIRONMENT.
Creator: King, Suzanne, Hoffman-Ruddy, Bari, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of the present study is to test the feasibility of implementing a video-game based intervention protocol as a means to improve therapy compliance in school age children with hyperfunctional voice disorders. Three levels of modification were made to an existing entertainment software program in order to implement the therapeutic protocol and test compatibility. The third level of modification included a two-phase quasi-experimental single subject design with a school age...
Show moreThe purpose of the present study is to test the feasibility of implementing a video-game based intervention protocol as a means to improve therapy compliance in school age children with hyperfunctional voice disorders. Three levels of modification were made to an existing entertainment software program in order to implement the therapeutic protocol and test compatibility. The third level of modification included a two-phase quasi-experimental single subject design with a school age participant receiving the video game therapy protocol and traditional therapy for equal time. The independent variables for this study included the mode of voice therapy delivery (traditional vs. video game). The dependent variables included therapy compliance, perceptual evaluations and acoustic measures. This study found that a purely entertainment video game can be implemented as a therapeutic protocol for a school age child diagnosed with a vocal pathology. Results illustrated no change in compliance with non-traditional therapy versus traditional therapy. However, perceptual measures improved post treatment for breathiness, strain and overall severity, as well as significant differences for mean amplitude. Discussion will focus on implications of employing video game based therapy and design of future studies.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002834, ucf:48054
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002834

Title: Cognitive and vascular risk factors for depression: Testing an integrated theoretical framework.
Creator: Scott, Rosanna, Paulson, Daniel, Rapport, Mark, Dvorak, Robert, Dangiolo, Mariana, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Objective: Theoretical models that have guided the study of later-life depression include the vascular depression hypothesis, depression-executive dysfunction syndrome, and the CaR-FA-X model. Evidence suggests these can be integrated into a single developmental model of disordered mood (and its associated overgeneral memory feature) in later-life to delineate a mechanism of the vascular depression effect and identify modifiable intervention targets.Methods: In older adults, four serial...
Show moreObjective: Theoretical models that have guided the study of later-life depression include the vascular depression hypothesis, depression-executive dysfunction syndrome, and the CaR-FA-X model. Evidence suggests these can be integrated into a single developmental model of disordered mood (and its associated overgeneral memory feature) in later-life to delineate a mechanism of the vascular depression effect and identify modifiable intervention targets.Methods: In older adults, four serial mediation models evaluated the relationships between (1) vascular burden and depressive symptoms via executive control and rumination, and (2) vascular burden and autobiographical memory specificity (AMS) via executive control and rumination. In younger adults, four simple mediation models were conducted to compare results to older adults, including models assessing the relationships between (1) executive control and depressive symptoms via rumination, and (2) executive control and AMS via rumination. Bias-corrected bootstrapping was employed throughout.Results: Older adult n=56; younger adult n=63. Older adult serial mediation models demonstrated significant individual relationships between a working memory measure and depressive symptoms, as well as between rumination and depressive symptoms. The vascular depression effect neared significance. No other direct or indirect effects were supported. In younger adults, rumination was significantly associated with depressive symptoms; all other hypothesized relationships were not significant.Conclusions: Model 1, evaluating the impact of vascular burden on depressive symptoms in older adults via working memory and rumination, respectively, was the most effective in integrating vascular depression, DED, and CaR-FA-X. However, there was not support for a vascular depression mechanism. Null results in this sample could be attributable to inadequate power or measurement error. Clinically, results promote interventions that target older adults presenting with depression, executive dysfunction, or rumination, independently or combined.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007860, ucf:52759
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007860

Title: Bioarchaeological Investigations of The Red House Archaeological Site, Port of Spain, Trinidad: A Pre-Columbian, Mid-Late Ceramic Age Caribbean Population.
Creator: Meyers, Patrisha, Schultz, John, Williams, Lana, Toyne, J. Marla, Reid, Basil, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In 2013 structural assessments associated with ongoing renovations of the Red House, Trinidad and Tobago's Parliament building, revealed human remains buried beneath the foundation. Excavations and radiocarbon dating indicate the remains are pre-Columbian with 14C dates ranging between approximately AD 125 and AD 1395. Due to the small overall sample size and the inability to attribute all individuals to a specific Amerindian period, the skeletal sample was considered as an aggregate. A...
Show moreIn 2013 structural assessments associated with ongoing renovations of the Red House, Trinidad and Tobago's Parliament building, revealed human remains buried beneath the foundation. Excavations and radiocarbon dating indicate the remains are pre-Columbian with 14C dates ranging between approximately AD 125 and AD 1395. Due to the small overall sample size and the inability to attribute all individuals to a specific Amerindian period, the skeletal sample was considered as an aggregate. A bioarchaeological assessment of excavated graves and associated human skeletal material was conducted to determine the demographic profile and the pathological conditions exhibited by the collective skeletal 'population.' Osteological analyses included determining the minimum number of individuals (MNI), assessing the biological profile (e.g. sex, age, ancestry and stature), evaluating pathological conditions, antemortem and perimortem trauma and describing the overall taphonomic modifications. In addition, dental wear patterns, artificial cranial modifications and musculoskeletal stress markers were noted. Finally, the mortuary treatment and context was compared to the limited information published on contemporary skeletal samples from islands in the Lesser Antilles and nearby coastal regions of South America. The sample consisted of an MNI of 60 individuals including 47 adults and 13 juveniles. The skeletal completeness of these individuals ranged from a single skeletal element to more than 90% complete. Sex assessment was possible for 23 individuals with 11 females (23%) and 17 males (35%). Multiple antemortem conditions indicate a total of 35 individuals (58%) who exhibited one or more pathological condition including dental pathology (e.g. LEHs, carious lesions, antemortem tooth loss, dental wear, abscesses and a possible apical cyst), healed antemortem trauma, non-specific generalized infections, osteoarthritis, spinal osteophystosis and Schmorl's nodes. Additional antemortem conditions include examples of artificial cranial modification in both sexes, and activity related humeral bilateral asymmetry. While not a representative population, the reconstruction of health, lifestyle and disease for these ancient peoples makes a significant contribution to the limited osteological research published on the Caribbean's pre-contact period.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006144, ucf:52863
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006144

Title: HALF-VIRGIN.
Creator: Pollack, Alexander, Bartkevicius, Jocelyn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Half-Virgin is a cross-genre collection of essays, short stories, and poems about the humor, pain, and occasional glory of journeying into adulthood but not quite getting there. The works in this collection seek to create a definition of a term, "half-virgin," that I coined in the process of writing this thesis. Among the possibilities explored are: an individual who embarks upon sexual activity for the first time and does not achieve orgasm; an individual who has reached orgasm through...
Show moreHalf-Virgin is a cross-genre collection of essays, short stories, and poems about the humor, pain, and occasional glory of journeying into adulthood but not quite getting there. The works in this collection seek to create a definition of a term, "half-virgin," that I coined in the process of writing this thesis. Among the possibilities explored are: an individual who embarks upon sexual activity for the first time and does not achieve orgasm; an individual who has reached orgasm through consensual sexual activity, but has remained uncertain about what he or she is doing; and the curious sensation of being half-child, half-adult. Ultimately, I believe, a "half-virgin" possesses all of these traits. One of the goals of the collection is to scramble the prototypical coming-of-age story into bits and parts and halves. Among the approaches included are earnest memoir (the real and metaphorical costumes a young couple wears on Halloween), character-driven fiction (the life story of Marlow, a college track star who ends up the unwitting inspiration for Super Mario Brothers), and narrative experiments (a tongue-in-cheek creative writing syllabus and a bullet pointed resume of sexual conquests). By exploring the untidy fragments in love, lust, and human connection in these works, Half-Virgin aspires to find wholeness through the jagged adventures of growing up.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003591, ucf:48921
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003591

Title: THE EFFECTS OF AGE ON REPRODUCTION IN A CITRUS ROOT WEEVIL DIAPREPES ABBREVIATUS.
Creator: Chasez, Heather, Fedorka, Kenneth, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Understanding the factors influencing mate choice is a major focus of sexual selection. Many factors are potentially involved, including age of the individual. The good genes model and the youth advantage model both make predictions about the effect of age on mate choice. Under the good genes model older mates would be the more preferable due to their proven high survivability. The Ã‚Â"youth advantageÃ‚Â" model, predicts that young to intermediate age males...
Show moreUnderstanding the factors influencing mate choice is a major focus of sexual selection. Many factors are potentially involved, including age of the individual. The good genes model and the youth advantage model both make predictions about the effect of age on mate choice. Under the good genes model older mates would be the more preferable due to their proven high survivability. The Ã‚Â"youth advantageÃ‚Â" model, predicts that young to intermediate age males would be more advantageous as mates because of a decrease in sperm quality and the possibility of increased germ-line mutations in older animals. I examined the effects of age on behavioral and physiological factors in Diaprepes abbreviatus experimentally. Both males and females were found to be the least optimal as mates during the intermediate stage of their lives, with preferences for young and old age classes. Females had higher fertilization rates when young and fertilization steadily declined with age, consistent with the youth advantage model. Males overall had higher fertilization rate and procured matings faster when they were older, which was in accordance with the good genes model, though experience could also play a role in this result. These data here suggest that in D. abbreviatus age may play an important role in mate choice decisions.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003568, ucf:48924
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003568

Title: THE EFFECTS OF MULTIMODAL FEEDBACK AND AGE ON A MOUSE POINTING TASK.
Creator: Oakley, Brian, Smither, Janan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As the beneficial aspects of computers become more apparent to the elderly population and the baby boom generation moves into later adulthood there is opportunity to increase performance for older computer users. Performance decrements that occur naturally to the motor skills of older adults have shown to have a negative effect on interactions with indirect-manipulation devices, such as computer mice (Murata & Iwase, 2005). Although, a mouse will always have the traits of an indirect...
Show moreAs the beneficial aspects of computers become more apparent to the elderly population and the baby boom generation moves into later adulthood there is opportunity to increase performance for older computer users. Performance decrements that occur naturally to the motor skills of older adults have shown to have a negative effect on interactions with indirect-manipulation devices, such as computer mice (Murata & Iwase, 2005). Although, a mouse will always have the traits of an indirect-manipulation interaction, the inclusion of additional sensory feedback likely increases the saliency of the task to the real world resulting in increases in performance (Biocca et al., 2002). There is strong evidence for a bimodal advantage that is present in people of all ages; additionally there is also very strong evidence that older adults are a group that uses extra sensory information to increase their everyday interactions with the environment (Cienkowski & Carney, 2002; Thompson & Malloy, 2004). This study examined the effects of having multimodal feedback (i.e., visual cues, auditory cues, and tactile cues) present during a target acquisition mouse task for young, middle-aged, and older experienced computer users. This research examined the performance and subjective attitudes when performing a mouse based pointing task when different combinations of the modalities were present. The inclusion of audio or tactile cues during the task had the largest positive effect on performance, resulting in significantly quicker task completion for all of the computer users. The presence of audio or tactile cues increased performance for all of the age groups; however the performance of the older adults tended to be positively influenced more than the other age groups due the inclusion of these modalities. Additionally, the presence of visual cues did not have as strong of an effect on overall performance in comparison to the other modalities. Although the presence of audio and tactile feedback both increased performance there was evidence of a speed accuracy trade-off. Both the audio and tactile conditions resulted in a significantly higher number of misses in comparison to having no additional cues or visual cues present. So, while the presence of audio and tactile feedback improved the speed at which the task could be completed this occurred due to a sacrifice in accuracy. Additionally, this study shows strong evidence that audio and tactile cues are undesirable to computer users. The findings of this research are important to consider prior to adding extra sensory modalities to any type of user interface. The idea that additional feedback is always better may not always hold true if the feedback is found to be distracting, annoying, or negatively affects accuracy, as was found in this study with audio and tactile cues.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002692, ucf:48188
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002692

Title: Effects of an Acute High-Volume Isokinetic Intervention on Inflammatory and Strength Changes: Influence of Age.
Creator: Gordon, Joseph, Hoffman, Jay, Stout, Jeffrey, Fukuda, David, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a high volume isokinetic intervention on lower body strength and inflammation, as well as markers of muscle damage in the subsequent 48 hours between younger and middle-aged men. METHODS: 19 healthy, recreationally trained men were randomly assigned to two groups, younger adults (YA: 21.8 (&)#177; 2.0 y; 90.7 (&)#177; 11.6 kg; 21.5 (&)#177; 4.1 % body fat), or middle-aged adults (MA: 47.0 (&)#177; 4.4 y; 96.0 (&)#177; 21.5; 24.8...
Show morePURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a high volume isokinetic intervention on lower body strength and inflammation, as well as markers of muscle damage in the subsequent 48 hours between younger and middle-aged men. METHODS: 19 healthy, recreationally trained men were randomly assigned to two groups, younger adults (YA: 21.8 (&)#177; 2.0 y; 90.7 (&)#177; 11.6 kg; 21.5 (&)#177; 4.1 % body fat), or middle-aged adults (MA: 47.0 (&)#177; 4.4 y; 96.0 (&)#177; 21.5; 24.8 (&)#177; 6.3 % body fat). Both groups reported to the human performance laboratory (HPL) on four separate occasions. On the first visit (D1), anthropometric assessment, as well as a familiarization session with the isokinetic dynamometer, was performed. A muscle damaging protocol (HVP) was performed on the second visit (D2) consisting of 8 sets of 10 repetitions at 60(&)deg;(&)#183;sec-1 on the isokinetic dynamometer. An assessment protocol (AP) was performed to assess performance decrements between the YA and MA groups. For this protocol, a maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) was performed, as well as 3 isokinetic kicks at 2 different speeds (240(&)deg;(&)#183;sec-1 and 60(&)deg;(&)#183;sec-1). For the MVIC, values for peak torque (PKT), average torque (AVGT), rate of torque development at 100 ms (RTD100), and 200 ms (RTD200) were recorded. For the isokinetic kicks at 240(&)deg;(&)#183;sec-1 (ISK240) and 60(&)deg;(&)#183;sec-1 (ISK60), values were also recorded for peak torque (PKT), average torque (AVGT), as well as peak power (PP), and average power (AVGP). The AP was performed before the HVP (BL), immediately after the HVP (IP), 120 minutes after the HVP (120P), as well as one (24H) and two (48H) days following the HVP. Blood draws were also taken at BL, IP, 24H, and 48H, as well as 30 minutes (30P), and 60 minutes (60P) following the HVP to assess circulating levels of creatine kinase (CK), myoglobin (Mb), c-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Ultrasound assessment was also performed at BL and IP as well to assess changes in muscle morphology as a result of the intervention. Performance, blood, and ultrasound markers were analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA to observe between group comparisons for all of the outcome variables. RESULTS: There were no group differences observed for isometric or isokinetic peak torque or average torque, nor were there differences in isokinetic peak power or average power between the two groups as a result of the intervention. There were, however, differences in the pattern for rate of torque development at 100 ms and 200 ms between the two groups. RTD 100 was decreased at IP and 48H in YA, with MA showing decreases at IP, but also 120P and 24H unlike YA. RTD200 was decreased at all time points in YA, while MA was decreased at IP, 24H, and 48H, but not 120P. For markers of muscle damage and inflammation, there were no differences in the response of Mb, CK, CRP, or IL-6 between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Age does not appear to be a driving factor in the inflammatory or muscle damage response from a high volume isokinetic intervention. Though changes in peak torque and average torque from a high volume isokinetic intervention do not seem to differ between younger and middle-aged adults, the rate of torque production at 100ms and 200ms is different between groups. This suggests that while recovery to average or maximal strength after an exercise bout may not be affected greatly by age, the rate of neuromuscular recovery from exercise may be primarily affected by other factors such as training status.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006594, ucf:51259
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006594

Title: She's Not Fit for the Business World: An Initial Examination of Gender, Age, and Weight.
Creator: Pelkey, Miranda, Fritzsche, Barbara, Joseph, Dana, Pace, Victoria, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The present study examined archetype theory (Marcus (&) Fritzsche, 2015) that suggests that the intersection of multiple group memberships will create a unique cognitive representation, as it is relates to sex, age, and weight. Following a pilot study to equate photos on attractiveness, perceived competence, professionalism, and intelligence, 183 participants reviewed a fictitious LinkedIn profile in which all information was held constant across participants except the photo. Using a 2 (sex)...
Show moreThe present study examined archetype theory (Marcus (&) Fritzsche, 2015) that suggests that the intersection of multiple group memberships will create a unique cognitive representation, as it is relates to sex, age, and weight. Following a pilot study to equate photos on attractiveness, perceived competence, professionalism, and intelligence, 183 participants reviewed a fictitious LinkedIn profile in which all information was held constant across participants except the photo. Using a 2 (sex) x 2 (age) x 2 (weight) design (manipulated through the photos), participants rated the job applicant on adjectives associated with proposed sex, age, and weight archetypes and on perceptions of job suitability. Results showed that the most young, overweight female received the highest ratings on negative adjectives (i.e., lazy, uncontrolled, self-indulgent) and was rated lower than most conditions on job suitability. Overweight conditions received lower ratings on job suitability than their average-weight counterpart. Weight also impacted the old, female, such that the old, overweight female received lower ratings than her average-weight counterpart on job suitability. In order to help individuals who face disadvantages and unfair treatment in the workplace, the negative effects multiple-group membership has on certain groups must first be acknowledged.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006161, ucf:51156
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006161

Title: Examining the role of cardiovascular and cognitive fitness in goal-directed aiming across the lifespan.
Creator: Rupp, Michael, Smither, Janan, Mouloua, Mustapha, Mcconnell, Daniel, Kincaid, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Older adults experience more difficulties completing goal directed movements than younger adults. The reasons for this have not been completely elucidated within the research lit-erature; however, it is thought that age related movement differences are due to at least one of three possible reasons. The current study investigated the influence of these three hypotheses: (1) biomechanical changes (limbs, joints, or muscles), (2) sensory feedback processing ability, or (3) differences in overall...
Show moreOlder adults experience more difficulties completing goal directed movements than younger adults. The reasons for this have not been completely elucidated within the research lit-erature; however, it is thought that age related movement differences are due to at least one of three possible reasons. The current study investigated the influence of these three hypotheses: (1) biomechanical changes (limbs, joints, or muscles), (2) sensory feedback processing ability, or (3) differences in overall movement strategy on movement kinematics. Additionally, physical activi-ty is known to improve both physical and cognitive functioning and staying cognitively active may also attenuate age-related declines in cognitive ability; thus the current study also examined the impact of physical and mental fitness on movement performance across the lifespan. Both active and sedentary young and old adults completed different experimental conditions to de-termine how biomechanical ability, sensory processing ability, and individual differences impact different kinematic aspects of movement performance. Participants completed two different Fitts' pointing tasks where difficulty was manipulated by either increasing biomechanical effort and/or amount of feedback processing needed to complete each movement. Results indicated that distance impacted movement more than width for all participants indicated by a greater ID-MT slope. While increasing age was associated with an increases slope, the larger finding was that age increased the overall time. Thus, it was concluded that distance and width constraints are processed by similar processes regardless of age, but these processes slow with age. Cardio-vascular fitness attenuated declines in the distance condition while mental fitness attenuated those in the width condition. Further supporting a theory of differential movement constraints.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006787, ucf:51827
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006787

Title: Personality Factors, Age, and Aggressive Driving: A Validation Using a Driving Simulator.
Creator: Vazquez Perez, Jose, Smither, Janan, Rinalducci, Edward, Sims, Valerie, Harris, Paul, Houston, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Two studies were conducted to investigate the relationship between age, personality factors and aggressive driving behavior. In Study 1, 1122 volunteers completed an online survey that included questionnaires on demographic data, personality factors, and driving behavior. Personality factors were measured using the Revised Competitiveness Index, the Sensation Seeking Scale, the Big Five Inventory, and the Cook Medley Hostility Scale, whereas aggressive driving behavior was measured using the...
Show moreTwo studies were conducted to investigate the relationship between age, personality factors and aggressive driving behavior. In Study 1, 1122 volunteers completed an online survey that included questionnaires on demographic data, personality factors, and driving behavior. Personality factors were measured using the Revised Competitiveness Index, the Sensation Seeking Scale, the Big Five Inventory, and the Cook Medley Hostility Scale, whereas aggressive driving behavior was measured using the Aggressive Driving Behavior Scale (ADBS). The majority of the volunteers were female (786 versus 336), while ages ranged from 18 to 87. In Study 2, 98 volunteers from Study 1 were recruited to perform driving simulations on two scenarios. These volunteers consisted of 52 females and 46 males, with ages ranging from 18 to 83. Results from both studies produced positive correlations between aggressive driving behavior and competitiveness, sensation seeking, hostility, extraversion, and neuroticism, while negative correlations were obtained between aggressive driving behavior and age, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness. No significant correlation was obtained between gender and aggressive driving behavior. Most importantly, scores in the ADBS were positively correlated to a composite of scores measuring aggressive driving behavior in the simulator. This pattern of results not only validates the ADBS, but it also provides another mechanism to study aggressive driving behavior.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0005067, ucf:49974
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005067

Title: The Effects of 6-weeks of Resistance Training on the Neuromuscular Fatigue Threshold in Older Adults.
Creator: Emerson, Nadia, Stout, Jeffrey, Hoffman, Jay, Fragala, Maren, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Age-related deficits in muscle mass, strength, and function place an increased burden of work on existing skeletal muscle and may lead to early onset of neuromuscular fatigue (NMF) during activities of daily living. Resistance exercise (RE) is the proven method for improving neuromuscular function in healthy older adults. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of 6 weeks of RE on the NMF threshold as well as strength and functional performance in older adults. METHODS: Twenty-four older adults...
Show moreAge-related deficits in muscle mass, strength, and function place an increased burden of work on existing skeletal muscle and may lead to early onset of neuromuscular fatigue (NMF) during activities of daily living. Resistance exercise (RE) is the proven method for improving neuromuscular function in healthy older adults. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of 6 weeks of RE on the NMF threshold as well as strength and functional performance in older adults. METHODS: Twenty-four older adults were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of RE (EXE; n = 12; age 72 (&)#177; 6.3 y; BMI 28.4 kg/m2) or control (CONT; n = 12; age 70.3 (&)#177; 5.6 y; BMI 27.6 kg/m2). Body fat percent (BF%), lean mass (LM), and fat mass (FM) were measured using DEXA and participants performed a discontinuous cycle ergometer test, physical working capacity at fatigue threshold (PWCFT), to determine the onset of NMF. Functional performance was assessed by time to complete 5 chair rises (CHAIR) and walk an 8-foot course (WALK). Lower body strength was assessed by predicted 1-RM leg extension (1RM). Two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA; time [PRE, POST] x group [EXE and CONT]) and magnitude based inferences were used to compare dependent variables. RESULTS: RE significantly increased 1RM (35%; p = 0.001) and CHAIR (20%; p = 0.047). RE had a likely beneficial effect on WALK (15%) and a possibly beneficial effect on PWCFT (14%). There were no significant changes to LM or FM, however, women in EXE significantly decreased BF% (p = 0.020). CONCLUSION: Results suggest that RE improves measures of strength and functional performance and possibly the onset of NMF in older adults.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004679, ucf:49876
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004679

Title: PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AN INDIVIDUAL: THE IDENTIFICATION OF BIOMARKERS FOR BIOLOGICAL AGE DETERMINATION.
Creator: Alvarez, Michelle, Ballantyne, Jack, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: It is now a matter of routine for the forensic scientist to obtain the genetic profile of an individual from DNA recovered from a biological stain deposited at a crime scene. Potential contributors of the stain must either be known to investigators (i.e. a developed suspect) or the questioned profile must be searched against a database of DNA profiles such as those maintained in the CODIS National DNA database. However, in those instances where there is no developed suspect and no match is...
Show moreIt is now a matter of routine for the forensic scientist to obtain the genetic profile of an individual from DNA recovered from a biological stain deposited at a crime scene. Potential contributors of the stain must either be known to investigators (i.e. a developed suspect) or the questioned profile must be searched against a database of DNA profiles such as those maintained in the CODIS National DNA database. However, in those instances where there is no developed suspect and no match is obtained after interrogation of appropriate DNA databases, the DNA profile per se presently provides no meaningful information to investigators, with the notable exception of gender determination. In these situations it would be advantageous to the investigation, if additional probative information could be obtained from the biological stain. A useful biometric that could provide important probative information, and one that may be amenable to molecular genetic analysis, is the biological age of an individual. The ability to provide investigators with information as to whether a DNA donor is a newborn, infant, toddler, child, adolescent, adult, middle-aged or elderly individual could be useful in certain cases, particularly those involving young children such as kidnappings or in providing additional intelligence during terrorist investigations. Currently no validated molecular assays exist for age determination. Biological human ageing can be defined by two distinct processes, degenerative and developmental ageing. The degenerative process of ageing is based on theories which identify an increase or decrease in physiological conditions with increasing age. In contrast, the developmental process of ageing is based on the theory that as individuals increase in chronological age, there will be subtle corresponding molecular based biological changes, each requiring genes to be expressed or silenced, indicative of that particular stage of life. We investigated the degenerative process of chromosomal telomere shortening, as well as the developmental process of gene expression profiling analysis, in an attempt to identify biomarkers of biological age in a self-renewing tissue such as blood. While telomere length analysis was an ineffective method for age determination; gene expression analysis revealed three gene transcripts expressed in an age-dependent physiological manner. These species namely- COL1A2, HBE1 and IGFBP3, were found to be expressed at elevated levels in younger individuals, newborns, or post-pubertal individuals, respectively. The biological process of hemoglobin switching was also investigated for the possibility of determining human age. While experimenting with the potential of using the gamma-hemoglobin chains, as newborn specific gene candidates, we serendipitously discovered four novel truncated transcripts, which we have termed HBG1n1, HBG1n2, HBG2n2 and HBG2n3; whose expression was restricted to whole-blood newborn samples and specific fetal tissues. The molecular origin of these transcripts appears to be at the RNA level, being produced by specific rearrangement events occurring in the standard gamma hemoglobin transcripts (HBG1 and HBG2), which yield these new isoforms that are expressed in a highly regulated tissue specific manner.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001737, ucf:47297
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001737

Title: THE IMPACT OF ARTHRITIS ON THE HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG INDIVIDUALS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA.
Creator: Garwood, Ryan E., Saleh, Suha, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This purpose of the study is to examine the difference in the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between individuals who suffer from physician-diagnosed arthritis compared with individuals who do not suffer from physician-diagnosed arthritis in a population of university students, faculty, and staff. The study sampled from a population of students, faculty, and staff at the University of Central Florida. Through the implantation of a cross-sectional ecological design, differences between...
Show moreThis purpose of the study is to examine the difference in the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between individuals who suffer from physician-diagnosed arthritis compared with individuals who do not suffer from physician-diagnosed arthritis in a population of university students, faculty, and staff. The study sampled from a population of students, faculty, and staff at the University of Central Florida. Through the implantation of a cross-sectional ecological design, differences between the two groups were measured with a survey that measures health-related quality of life, such as the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). The SF-36 questionnaire was distributed to subjects through a campus-wide email system and was administered through Qualtrics, an online survey program. Literature suggests lower SF-36 scores for individuals suffering from arthritis, but is lacking in investigating the effect of arthritis on college-aged students, particularly within the 18-24 age group. The study aims to close this gap in the literature. SPSS software was used to analyze results through tests of association, like ANOVA, which measured differences in the SF-36 scores of subjects with physician-diagnosed arthritis and subjects without physician-diagnosed arthritis. Results showed a significant difference in the HR-QOL scores between individuals with arthritis and individuals without arthritis, as well as age, gender, ethnicity, and the presence of joint pain.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000189, ucf:46013
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000189

Title: BENT BONES: THE PATHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF TWO FETAL SKELETONS FROM THE DAKHLEH OASIS, EGYPT.
Creator: Cope, Darcy, Dupras, Tosha, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The present study evaluates two fetal individuals (B532 and B625) from the Kellis 2 cemetery (Roman period circa A.D. 50 – A.D. 450), Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, that display skeletal anomalies that may explain their death. Both individuals exhibit bowing of the long bones in addition to other skeletal deformities unique to each individual. To assess these pathologies a differential diagnosis based on the congenital occurrence of long bone bowing is developed. Long bone bowing is selected...
Show moreThe present study evaluates two fetal individuals (B532 and B625) from the Kellis 2 cemetery (Roman period circa A.D. 50 – A.D. 450), Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, that display skeletal anomalies that may explain their death. Both individuals exhibit bowing of the long bones in addition to other skeletal deformities unique to each individual. To assess these pathologies a differential diagnosis based on the congenital occurrence of long bone bowing is developed. Long bone bowing is selected because it is the more prevalent abnormality in the paleopathological literature and the other abnormalities are not as easily identifiable in the literature. For the purposes of this study, the differential diagnosis is defined as a process of comparing the characteristics of known diseases with those shared by an archaeological specimen, in the anticipation of diagnosing the possible condition. It is expected that the differential diagnosis will assist in providing a thorough assessment of each skeleton and yield a possible diagnosis for the condition(s). Macroscopic and radiographic analyses are used to document and examine the bone abnormalities for each individual and compare the results with the developed differential diagnosis. Results suggest that the bent long bones of B532 were caused by osteogenesis imperfecta whereas the cause of the bent long bones of B625 is not clear. Further analyses of B625, including the pathologic abnormalities of its skull, suggest that the neural tube defect iniencephaly with associated encephalocele was the likely cause of the observed skeletal abnormalities. The abnormalities of the long bones complicate estimations of the age-at-death of these two individuals, thus the pars basilaris bone was used to assess age estimation. A population sample of 37 Kellis 2 fetal individuals allowed for the development of linear regression formulae of the pars basilaris measurements for long bone length estimates and a comparison of which would provide the most accurate age estimate. Finally, the diagnoses of the fetal specimens are considered in relation to the cultural aspects and disease pattern of the Kellis 2 cemetery
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002443, ucf:47697
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002443

Aging (9)	+ -
age (9)	+ -
aging (5)	+ -
coming of age (5)	+ -
gender (5)	+ -

coming-of-age (4)	+ -
discrimination (4)	+ -
age discrimination (3)	+ -
age-type (3)	+ -
fiction (3)	+ -
memoir (3)	+ -
Age (2)	+ -
Depression (2)	+ -
England (2)	+ -
Exercise Physiology (2)	+ -
Inflammation (2)	+ -
Middle Ages (2)	+ -
Muscle Damage (2)	+ -
Older Adults (2)	+ -
Physical Activity (2)	+ -
Reliability (2)	+ -
Spanish Golden Age (2)	+ -
age stereotypes (2)	+ -
ageism (2)	+ -
creative nonfiction (2)	+ -
education (2)	+ -
gay (2)	+ -
job stereotypes (2)	+ -
relationships (2)	+ -
sex (2)	+ -

ETD Collection (53)	+ -
Honors Collection (20)	+ -
PRISM: Political & Rights Issues & Social Movements (1)	+ -

University of Central Florida (73)	+ -
Fritzsche, Barbara (6)	+ -
Smither, Janan (5)	+ -
Bartkevicius, Jocelyn (4)	+ -
Fukuda, David (3)	+ -

Garcia, Martha (3)	+ -
Hoffman, Jay (3)	+ -
Paulson, Daniel (3)	+ -
Rushin, Pat (3)	+ -
Stout, Jeffrey (3)	+ -
Uttich, Laurie (3)	+ -
Campbell, James (2)	+ -
DeMara, Ronald (2)	+ -
Dipboye, Robert (2)	+ -
Fragala, Maren (2)	+ -
Larson, Peter (2)	+ -
Lighthall, Nichole (2)	+ -
Masternak, Michal (2)	+ -
Nwakanma, Obi (2)	+ -
Reeves, Michael (2)	+ -
Roney, Lisa (2)	+ -
Thaxton, Terry (2)	+ -
Williams, Lana (2)	+ -
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Anderson Jr., Patrick (1)	+ -
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