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- Title
- THE EFFECT OF MUSIC ON PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES AND SELF-PERCEIVED MOOD.
- Creator
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Sanchez, Robert-Christian, Gennaro, Joe, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Music is often studied in terms of its artistic value and expressiveness. While these are important characteristics, there are other observations we can make of scientific value, such as the effects of music on the human anatomy. At present, however, there is a general lack of scientific studies focusing on the effect music makes on specific physiological responses in the body. A limited range of these studies has included examinations of music preferences and correlating personality...
Show moreMusic is often studied in terms of its artistic value and expressiveness. While these are important characteristics, there are other observations we can make of scientific value, such as the effects of music on the human anatomy. At present, however, there is a general lack of scientific studies focusing on the effect music makes on specific physiological responses in the body. A limited range of these studies has included examinations of music preferences and correlating personality characteristics of participants, while some others have investigated the effects of music lessons on intelligence . While the previously mentioned research has contributed to some scientific understanding with regard to human physiology, it has not addressed how specific physiological processes of the human body responds to music. Through my own research, I hope to add to the body of musical research and health sciences, and help to close the gap between these two fields. In this study, one selection from a pool of five audio examples of different musical genres will be played to participants while their heart rate is monitored with a wrist-worn device in order to gauge possible differences in heart rate that might occur as they experience music. This assessment will also be paired with a self-perceived mood questionnaire by my participants in order to identify any correlations between the two. After my data collection is complete, I will statistically analyze the information and examine any parallels between the musical selections, genre, heart rate, and self-perceived mood. By analyzing this data, I hope to gain insight into possible human physiological responses as the subjects are exposed to different musical examples from various genres. I also hope to investigate the psychological realm of music, and determine its practical use in the medical field with regard to music therapy, which can lead to various treatments in post-traumatic stress disorder, and communicative diseases.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFH0004171, ucf:44857
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004171
- Title
- USING STUDENT MOOD AND TASK PERFORMANCE TO TRAIN CLASSIFIER ALGORITHMS TO SELECT EFFECTIVE COACHING STRATEGIES WITHIN INTELLIGENT TUTORING SYSTEMS (ITS).
- Creator
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Sottilare, Robert, Proctor, Michael, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The ultimate goal of this research was to improve student performance by adjusting an Intelligent Tutoring System's (ITS) coaching strategy based on the student's mood. As a step toward this goal, this study evaluated the relationships between each student's mood variables (pleasure, arousal, dominance and mood intensity), the coaching strategy selected by the ITS and the student's performance. Outcomes included methods to increase the perception of the intelligent tutor to...
Show moreThe ultimate goal of this research was to improve student performance by adjusting an Intelligent Tutoring System's (ITS) coaching strategy based on the student's mood. As a step toward this goal, this study evaluated the relationships between each student's mood variables (pleasure, arousal, dominance and mood intensity), the coaching strategy selected by the ITS and the student's performance. Outcomes included methods to increase the perception of the intelligent tutor to allow it to adapt coaching strategies (methods of instruction) to the student's affective needs to mitigate barriers to performance (e.g. negative affect) during the one-to-one tutoring process. The study evaluated whether the affective state (specifically mood) of the student moderated the student's interaction with the tutor and influenced performance. This research examined the relationships, interactions and influences of student mood in the selection of ITS coaching strategies to determine which strategies were more effective in terms of student performance given the student's mood, state (recent sleep time, previous knowledge and training, and interest level) and actions (e.g. mouse movement rate). Two coaching strategies were used in this study: Student-Requested Feedback (SRF) and Tutor-Initiated Feedback (TIF). The SRF coaching strategy provided feedback in the form of hints, questions, direction and support only when the student requested help. The TIF coaching strategy provided feedback (hints, questions, direction or support) at key junctures in the learning process when the student either made progress or failed to make progress in a timely fashion. The relationships between the coaching strategies, mood, performance and other variables of interest were considered in light of five hypotheses. At alpha = .05 and beta at least as great as .80, significant effects were limited in predicting performance. Highlighted findings include no significant differences in the mean performance due to coaching strategies, and only small effect sizes in predicting performance making the regression models developed not of practical significance. However, several variables including performance, energy level and mouse movement rates were significant, unobtrusive predictors of mood. Regression algorithms were developed using Arbuckle's (2008) Analysis of MOment Structures (AMOS) tool to compare the predicted performance for each strategy and then to choose the optimal strategy. A set of production rules were also developed to train a machine learning classifier using Witten & Frank's (2005) Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis (WEKA) toolset. The classifier was tested to determine its ability to recognize critical relationships and adjust coaching strategies to improve performance. This study found that the ability of the intelligent tutor to recognize key affective relationships contributes to improved performance. Study assumptions include a normal distribution of student mood variables, student state variables and student action variables and the equal mean performance of the two coaching strategy groups (student-requested feedback and tutor-initiated feedback ). These assumptions were substantiated in the study. Potential applications of this research are broad since its approach is application independent and could be used within ill-defined or very complex domains where judgment might be influenced by affect (e.g. study of the law, decisions involving risk of injury or death, negotiations or investment decisions). Recommendations for future research include evaluation of the temporal, as well as numerical, relationships of student mood, performance, actions and state variables.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- CFE0002528, ucf:47644
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002528
- Title
- The Effects of Phosphatidylserine on Reaction Time and Cognitive Function Following an Exercise Stress.
- Creator
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Wells, Adam, Hoffman, Jay, Fragala, Maren, Stout, Jeffrey, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Phosphatidylserine (PS) is an endogenously occurring phospholipid that has been shown to have cognition and mood enhancing properties in humans, possibly through its role as an enzyme co-factor in cellular signal transduction. Specifically, PS has been identified as activator of classical isoforms of protein kinase C, an enzyme known to be involved in the growth and differentiation of neural cells, and is therefore thought to play a role in the protection of neurons.The purpose of this study...
Show morePhosphatidylserine (PS) is an endogenously occurring phospholipid that has been shown to have cognition and mood enhancing properties in humans, possibly through its role as an enzyme co-factor in cellular signal transduction. Specifically, PS has been identified as activator of classical isoforms of protein kinase C, an enzyme known to be involved in the growth and differentiation of neural cells, and is therefore thought to play a role in the protection of neurons.The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of supplementation with PS and caffeine on measures of cognition, reaction time and mood prior to and following an exercise stress. Twenty, healthy, resistance trained males (17) and females (3) (mean (&)#177; SD; age: 22.75 (&)#177; 3.27 yrs; height: 177.03 (&)#177; 8.44cm; weight: 78.98 (&)#177; 11.24kg; body fat%: 14.28 (&)#177; 6.6), volunteered to participate in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Participants were assigned to a PS group (400mg/day PS; 100mg/day caffeine, N=9) or PL (16g/day Carbs, N=11) delivered in the form of 4 candy chews identical in size, shape and color. Subjects performed an acute bout of full body resistance exercise, prior to (T1) and following 14 days of supplementation (T2). Measures of reaction time (Dynavision(&)#174; D2 Visuomotor Training Device), cognition (Serial Subtraction Test, SST), and mood (Profile of Mood States, POMS) were assessed immediately before and following resistance exercise in both T1 and T2. Data was analyzed using two-way ANCOVA and repeated measures ANOVA.Supplementation with 400mg PS and 100mg caffeine did not have a significant impact upon measures of reaction time or cognition between groups at baseline or following acute resistance exercise. However, there was a non-significant trend to the attenuation of fatigue between groups, following acute resistance exercise (p = 0.071). Interestingly, our data suggests that acute resistance exercise alone may improve cognitive function.Although more research is necessary regarding optimal dosage and supplementation duration, the current findings suggest that supplementation 400mg/day PS with 100mg/day caffeine may attenuate fatigue following acute resistance exercise. It is possible that the lack of significance may be the result of both an inhibition of the PS activated pathway and a withdrawal effect from caffeine.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004457, ucf:49325
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004457
- Title
- PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS OF ALTERNATIVE COLOR-CODESIN AIRPORT X-RAY BAGGAGE SCREENING.
- Creator
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Hilscher, Matthew, Jentsch, Florian, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This research investigated both cognitive and affective influences of alternative color combinations in a search task paradigm. The effects of re-mapping the existing, comparatively arbitrarily color codes of baggage X-ray images, were explored. Alternative color-codes were evaluated for improving the economy of visual search in X-ray baggage screening. Using a 2 x 2 between-groups design, the perceptual aspects of color-codes varying in degree of visual agreeability (accordant or discordant)...
Show moreThis research investigated both cognitive and affective influences of alternative color combinations in a search task paradigm. The effects of re-mapping the existing, comparatively arbitrarily color codes of baggage X-ray images, were explored. Alternative color-codes were evaluated for improving the economy of visual search in X-ray baggage screening. Using a 2 x 2 between-groups design, the perceptual aspects of color-codes varying in degree of visual agreeability (accordant or discordant) and color contrast (high or low) were examined in terms of efficiency (reaction time) and effectiveness (detection accuracy). Three hypotheses were put forth; two postulated main effects for color contrast and for visual agreeability, and a third postulated an interaction. Additionally, for comparison purposes, a fifth group of participants was presented with a stimulus condition that represented the current industry standard for colorizing X-ray images. Out of 100 volunteers, data were usable for 95 participants who had been randomly assigned to one of five conditions. All participants were exposed to the same screening task. The screening task required participants to view 153 X-ray images in random order. Of these images, 36 contained a single threat item (knife, scissor, gun) among clutter. Analyses of variance revealed significant differences between conditions with respect to detection accuracy. Implications are that high-color contrast improves detection accuracy; specifically with respect to correct rejections, and that this effect on performance can be moderated by psycho-emotional mechanisms. Specifically, the impact of color-contrast was significantly more pronounced under conditions of accordant color combinations. Theoretical underpinnings and applications to other domains are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000345, ucf:52835
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000345
- Title
- The Suburban Nightmare: A Study of Atmosphere, Mood and Emotion.
- Creator
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Sobrack, Ericka, Poindexter, Carla, Lotz, Theo, Kovach, Keith, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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In this thesis body of work, I focus on the implied human presence through the lack of actual human figures. I believe there is more to say in a landscape with the absence of the figure, allowing the dialogue to be read and interpreted by a larger audience. I am particularly satisfied with White Knuckles, shown in figure 3, because I collide reason with imagination, thus contradicting the context and interpretation of the subject matter. In White Knuckles, I deal with formal elements such as...
Show moreIn this thesis body of work, I focus on the implied human presence through the lack of actual human figures. I believe there is more to say in a landscape with the absence of the figure, allowing the dialogue to be read and interpreted by a larger audience. I am particularly satisfied with White Knuckles, shown in figure 3, because I collide reason with imagination, thus contradicting the context and interpretation of the subject matter. In White Knuckles, I deal with formal elements such as composition, atmosphere, lightness and darkness as well as nuances of color. I have also considered the emotive impact the painting could reflect to the viewer, specifically feelings of tension and unease. The placement of the viewer outside the picture plane was carefully considered to suggest the audience is a participant in the suggested narrative. I often strive to create an ambiguous moment, reflecting feelings of uncertainty and apprehension. Like White Knuckles, my body of work employs unexpected narratives to reveal some of the uncomfortable truths of our human experience. I am interested in exploring the relationship between the mundane and the abnormal in the paintings, a feeling that could be described as a (")suburban nightmare.(")
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007532, ucf:52587
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007532
