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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: Beyond Compliance: Examining the Role of Motivation in Vigilance Performance.
Creator: Dewar, Alexis, Szalma, James, Sims, Valerie, Hancock, Peter, Matthews, Gerald, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Vigilance, or sustained attention, is the capacity to attend to information for a prolonged period of time (Davies (&) Parasuraman, 1982; Jerison, 1970; Warm, 1977). Due to limitations of the human nervous system, as well as the environmental context, attention can begin to wane over time. This results in a phenomenon referred to as the vigilance decrement, or a decline in vigilance performance as a function of time. The vigilance decrement can manifest as poorer attention and is thusly...
Show moreVigilance, or sustained attention, is the capacity to attend to information for a prolonged period of time (Davies (&) Parasuraman, 1982; Jerison, 1970; Warm, 1977). Due to limitations of the human nervous system, as well as the environmental context, attention can begin to wane over time. This results in a phenomenon referred to as the vigilance decrement, or a decline in vigilance performance as a function of time. The vigilance decrement can manifest as poorer attention and is thusly associated with poor performance, which is defined behaviorally as more lapses in the detection of critical signals and an increase in response time to these signals during watch. Given this, the present dissertation seeks to systematically examine the impact of two types of motivation (i.e., achievement motivation, autonomous motivation) on vigilance performance across four experiments. The present experiments manipulate information processing type, source complexity, and motivational task demands. Three hundred and ninety-eight participants completed either a cognitive task or sensory task, which were psychophysically equated in previous studies (Szalma (&) Teo, 2012; Teo, Szalma, (&) Schmidt, 2011), with or without motivational instructions, and with either low, medium, or high source complexity. Performance measures, perceived stress and workload, and changes to state motivation and engagement at pre-task and post-task are interpreted across three theories of information processing: resource-depletion theory, mind-wandering theory, and mindlessness theory. The results of each of the four studies are discussed in terms of overall support for the resource-depletionist account. The limitations of the present set of experiments and the future directions for research on motivation and sustained attention are also discussed.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006582, ucf:51312
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006582

Title: A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF NOVICE KENYAN PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS: WHAT MESSAGES TRANSMITTED BY THE TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGES ARE INTERNALIZED AND APPLIED?.
Creator: Kranz, Carol, Biraimah, Karen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The method of instruction and the formal curriculum within two Kenyan teacher training colleges were studied in order to discover which messages regarding pedagogical practice are internalized within novice Kenyan primary school teachers and then actualized within their classrooms. An educational connoisseurship approach was utilized to give descriptive, interpretive, evaluative, and thematic insight. Three data streams were collected through interview, observation, and design evaluation in...
Show moreThe method of instruction and the formal curriculum within two Kenyan teacher training colleges were studied in order to discover which messages regarding pedagogical practice are internalized within novice Kenyan primary school teachers and then actualized within their classrooms. An educational connoisseurship approach was utilized to give descriptive, interpretive, evaluative, and thematic insight. Three data streams were collected through interview, observation, and design evaluation in order to establish structural corroboration and internal validity. The study found that the method of instruction by the teacher training college faculty was teacher-centered and utilized lower order cognitive methodology. Though the formal curriculum design was strong, it too promoted lower cognitive processes. These two messages, teacher-centered pedagogies and lower cognitive processes, are being internalized and applied by the novice teachers and maybe affecting the quality of education in Kenyan schools. The results of this study suggest that pedagogical skills promoting higher cognitive levels should be developed through in-service training in Kenyan training colleges and primary schools as a way to improve the quality of education in this country.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003883, ucf:48729
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003883

Title: More is not always better: Unpacking the cognitive process underlying introspective psychological measurement.
Creator: Lapalme, Matthew, Wang, Wei, Fritzsche, Barbara, Jentsch, Florian, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: For decades, psychometricans have measured non-cognitive constructs with little attention paid to the underlying cognitive processes of response. Previous advancement in psychometrics suggests that traditional cognitive oriented approaches may, in fact, yield construct deficiency and spurious results when applied to non-cognitive measurement. This thesis highlights the importance of specifying an ideal point response process for non-cognitive measurement and empirically demonstrates that an...
Show moreFor decades, psychometricans have measured non-cognitive constructs with little attention paid to the underlying cognitive processes of response. Previous advancement in psychometrics suggests that traditional cognitive oriented approaches may, in fact, yield construct deficiency and spurious results when applied to non-cognitive measurement. This thesis highlights the importance of specifying an ideal point response process for non-cognitive measurement and empirically demonstrates that an ideal point response processes undergirds self-reported personality and attitude measurement. Furthermore, this thesis also advances current understanding on the limitations of ideal point assumptions by exploring the moderating effects of various individual differences in motivation and ability.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0006223, ucf:51074
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006223

Title: THE INFLUENCE OF STUDENTS'COGNITIVE STYLE ON A STANDARDIZED READING TEST ADMINISTERED IN THREE DIFFERENT FORMATS.
Creator: Blanton, Elizabeth Lynn, Kysilka, Marcella L., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to examine the means of scores on three forms of a standardized reading comprehension test taken by community college students in developmental reading classes. The three forms of the test were administered as a timed multiple-choice test, a constructed response test, and an un-timed multiple-choice test. Scores on the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) were used to classify the students who participated in the study as having field dependent (LOW GEFT),...
Show moreABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to examine the means of scores on three forms of a standardized reading comprehension test taken by community college students in developmental reading classes. The three forms of the test were administered as a timed multiple-choice test, a constructed response test, and an un-timed multiple-choice test. Scores on the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) were used to classify the students who participated in the study as having field dependent (LOW GEFT), mid-field dependent/independent (MID GEFT), or field independent (HIGH GEFT) tendencies. The paired samples test was used to analyze the scores among the students classified as LOW GEFT, MID GEFT, and HIGH GEFT for mean differences in scores on the three test formats. The data revealed that for LOW GEFT students, the format of the test impacted their scores, with the mean of the scores of the un-timed multiple-choice test being significantly higher than the timed multiple-choice test and the constructed response format. The data also showed that for the MID GEFT students the mean of the scores for the un-timed multiple-choice test was significantly higher than the means for the timed multiple-choice test scores and the constructed response test scores. However, no significant mean difference was found between the timed multiple-choice test scores and the constructed response test scores. For the HIGH GEFT students, significant mean difference existed only between the un-timed multiple-choice and the timed multiple- choice scores. The means of reading comprehension test scores on the three formats between the LOW GEFT, MID GEFT, and HIGH GEFT students indicated significant mean difference between the timed multiple choice test scores but not between the means of the scores for the constructed response and the un-timed multiple-choice test scores.Demographically, when the means of the reading test scores were analyzed with ethnicity as the controlling variable, the Hispanic students had a significantly higher mean on the scores for the constructed response test format. No other significant mean differences were found between the scores of the African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, or Native American students. When the means of the reading test scores were analyzed with gender as the controlling variable, no significant mean difference was found between the reading comprehension scores of the men and women. This study indicated that cognitive style had more impact on students' performance on a standardized test of reading comprehension than did ethnicity or gender. The un-timed multiple-choice format also had an equalizing effect on the means of the scores for these students.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: CFE0000055, ucf:46085
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000055

Title: The influence of trait anxiety on information processing: An elaboration likelihood study.
Creator: Appelbaum, Michael, Miller, Ann, Weger, Harry, Rubenking, Bridget, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study explored the influence of trait anxiety on information processing in persuasive situations, and investigated cognitive load as a mediator of this relationship. The research presented was based off DeBono and McDermott's (1994) framework for exploring trait anxiety and persuasion. The theoretical lens used to explore information processing, the elaboration likelihood model (Petty (&) Cacioppo, 1986) posits that motivation and ability are necessary components to elaborate on a...
Show moreThis study explored the influence of trait anxiety on information processing in persuasive situations, and investigated cognitive load as a mediator of this relationship. The research presented was based off DeBono and McDermott's (1994) framework for exploring trait anxiety and persuasion. The theoretical lens used to explore information processing, the elaboration likelihood model (Petty (&) Cacioppo, 1986) posits that motivation and ability are necessary components to elaborate on a message. However, very little research has addressed ability variables like trait anxiety. I predicted that students high in trait anxiety would be persuaded by the attractiveness of the source (peripherally) whereas students low in trait anxiety would be persuaded by the strength of the arguments presented (centrally).Undergraduate students were asked to view a picture of a policy presenter and listen to a recording of the student's proposed policy statement. After listening to the recording participants wrote down their thoughts during the presentation and were tested on their ability to recall the arguments presented. They then completed a few scale items assessing their attitudes toward the policy as well as questions to maintain the cover story.Findings showed no difference in processing between low and high trait anxious individuals. However, there was a significant effect of anxiety on attitudes. Additionally, cognitive load was not found to be a mediator of the relationship between anxiety and attitudes.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005572, ucf:50262
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005572

Title: EPISODIC MEMORY MODEL FOR EMBODIED CONVERSATIONAL AGENTS.
Creator: Elvir, Miguel, Gonzalez, Avelino, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Embodied Conversational Agents (ECA) form part of a range of virtual characters whose intended purpose include engaging in natural conversations with human users. While works in literature are ripe with descriptions of attempts at producing viable ECA architectures, few authors have addressed the role of episodic memory models in conversational agents. This form of memory, which provides a sense of autobiographic record-keeping in humans, has only recently been peripherally integrated into...
Show moreEmbodied Conversational Agents (ECA) form part of a range of virtual characters whose intended purpose include engaging in natural conversations with human users. While works in literature are ripe with descriptions of attempts at producing viable ECA architectures, few authors have addressed the role of episodic memory models in conversational agents. This form of memory, which provides a sense of autobiographic record-keeping in humans, has only recently been peripherally integrated into dialog management tools for ECAs. In our work, we propose to take a closer look at the shared characteristics of episodic memory models in recent examples from the field. Additionally, we propose several enhancements to these existing models through a unified episodic memory model for ECAÃ‚Â's. As part of our research into episodic memory models, we present a process for determining the prevalent contexts in the conversations obtained from the aforementioned interactions. The process presented demonstrates the use of statistical and machine learning services, as well as Natural Language Processing techniques to extract relevant snippets from conversations. Finally, mechanisms to store, retrieve, and recall episodes from previous conversations are discussed. A primary contribution of this research is in the context of contemporary memory models for conversational agents and cognitive architectures. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt at providing a comparative summary of existing works. As implementations of ECAs become more complex and encompass more realistic conversation engines, we expect that episodic memory models will continue to evolve and further enhance the naturalness of conversations.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003353, ucf:48443
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003353

Title: AN ART TEACHER'S GUIDE TO A COGNITIVE TEACHING PROCESS: PROMPTING STUDENT'S CREATIVE THOUGHT.
Creator: Warskow, Kristen, Brewer, Thomas, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This paper seeks to further explore stages an artist moves through that can be applied to teaching art, and helping students understand how to access their creativity. This project involved observation and an auto-ethnographic approach in order to best determine stages artists naturally move through when creating art. In order to most effectively suggest a teachable creative process for secondary art students, this paper will further explore cognitive and disciplinary categories in art...
Show moreThis paper seeks to further explore stages an artist moves through that can be applied to teaching art, and helping students understand how to access their creativity. This project involved observation and an auto-ethnographic approach in order to best determine stages artists naturally move through when creating art. In order to most effectively suggest a teachable creative process for secondary art students, this paper will further explore cognitive and disciplinary categories in art education by applying principles and stages to a curricular guide (or lesson plans) for secondary art educators. Topics and studies of design thinking, creative inquiry, studio habits, creative processes, the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP, 2008), and National Core Art Standards will be reviewed and expanded upon in this paper. Using these inputs, a series of 4 recursive, creative stages were observed and applied to teaching art at the secondary (6th-12th grade) levels.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004692, ucf:45238
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004692

Title: Treatment Matching in PTSD: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Based On Therapeutic Mechanisms of Action.
Creator: Trachik, Benjamin, Bowers, Clint, Beidel, Deborah, Jentsch, Florian, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The current study takes an initial step toward deriving a method for empirically based, theory-driven treatment matching in a military population suffering from PTSD. Along with the more overt symptoms of PTSD (e.g., persistent hyperarousal), secondary cognitive symptoms have also been shown to be significantly associated with avoidance and intrusive symptoms, as well as contribute to functional impairment. Based on the factor analytic and treatment literature for PTSD, it appears that there...
Show moreThe current study takes an initial step toward deriving a method for empirically based, theory-driven treatment matching in a military population suffering from PTSD. Along with the more overt symptoms of PTSD (e.g., persistent hyperarousal), secondary cognitive symptoms have also been shown to be significantly associated with avoidance and intrusive symptoms, as well as contribute to functional impairment. Based on the factor analytic and treatment literature for PTSD, it appears that there are two central mechanisms associated with beneficial therapeutic change that underlies both CPT and PE treatments (i.e., habituation, changes in cognitions). Additionally, different traumatic events and peritraumatic responses may be associated with unique symptom profiles and may necessitate targeted treatment. The present study proposes a novel approach to treatment matching based on the factor structure of PTSD and underlying mechanisms of treatment response. More broadly, this paper provides evidence for a broader understanding of peritraumatic responses and the potential implications of these responses for symptom profiles and illness trajectories.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005727, ucf:50126
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005727

Title: Metaphoric Competence as a Means to Meta-Cognitive Awareness in First-Year Composition.
Creator: Dadurka, David, Scott, John, Marinara, Martha, Wallace, David, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: A growing body of writing research suggests college students' and teachers' conceptualizations of writing play an important role in learning to write and making the transition from secondary to post-secondary academic composition. First-year college writers are not blank slates; rather, they bring many assumptions and beliefs about academic writing to the first-year writing classroom from exposure to a wide range of literate practices throughout their lives. Metaphor acts as a way for...
Show moreA growing body of writing research suggests college students' and teachers' conceptualizations of writing play an important role in learning to write and making the transition from secondary to post-secondary academic composition. First-year college writers are not blank slates; rather, they bring many assumptions and beliefs about academic writing to the first-year writing classroom from exposure to a wide range of literate practices throughout their lives. Metaphor acts as a way for scholars to trace students' as well as their instructors' assumptions and beliefs about writing. In this study, I contend that metaphor is a pathway to meta-cognitive awareness, mindfulness, and reflection. This multi-method descriptive study applies metaphor analysis to a corpus of more than a dozen first-year composition students' end-of-semester writing portfolios; the study also employs an auto-ethnographic approach to examining this author's texts composed as a graduate student and novice teacher. In several cases writing students in this study appeared to reconfigure their metaphors for writing and subsequently reconsider their assumptions about writing. My literature review and analysis suggests that metaphor remains an underutilized inventive and reflective strategy in composition pedagogy. Based on these results, I suggest that instructors consider how metaphoric competence might offer writers and writing instructors an alternate means for operationalizing key habits of mind such as meta-cognitive awareness, reflection, openness to learning, and creativity as recommended in the Framework for Success in Post-Secondary Writing. Ultimately, I argue that writers and teachers might benefit from adopting a more flexible attitude towards metaphor. As a rhetorical trope, metaphors are contextual and, thus, writers need to learn to mix, discard, create, and obscure metaphors as required by the situation.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004303, ucf:49475
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004303

cognition (2)	+ -
Africa (1)	+ -
Anxiety (1)	+ -
Cognition (1)	+ -
Cognitive Load (1)	+ -

Cognitive Processing Therapy (1)	+ -
Combat (1)	+ -
Confirmatory Factor Analysis (1)	+ -
ECA (1)	+ -
Elaboration Likelihood Model (1)	+ -
Embodied Conversational Agent (1)	+ -
Exposure Therapy (1)	+ -
Information Processing (1)	+ -
Information processing (1)	+ -
Kenya (1)	+ -
Mechanisms of Action (1)	+ -
Moral Injury (1)	+ -
Motivation (1)	+ -
OEF (1)	+ -
OIF (1)	+ -
PTSD (1)	+ -
Persuasion (1)	+ -
Persuasive Communication (1)	+ -
Physiological Arousal (1)	+ -
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (1)	+ -
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (1)	+ -
Sustained Attention (1)	+ -
Trait Anxiety (1)	+ -
Treatment Matching (1)	+ -
Veterans (1)	+ -

ETD Collection (8)	+ -
Honors Collection (2)	+ -

English (9)	+ -
Engilsh (1)	+ -

University of Central Florida (10)	+ -
Jentsch, Florian (2)	+ -
Appelbaum, Michael (1)	+ -
Beidel, Deborah (1)	+ -
Biraimah, Karen (1)	+ -

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