2024-03-28T14:19:13Zhttps://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/oai/requestoai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/128992019-04-01T10:40:05Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Enforced change at work, the reconstruction of basic assumptions and its influence on attribution, self-sufficiency and the psychological contract
Randall, Julian
McKinley, Alan
HD58.8R2
Organizational change.
Industrial relations.
The theoretical underpinning of Human Resource Management assumes the existence of individual motivation, which can be manipulated or managed in a way that enables organisational objectives to be achieved with the compliance and commitment of the individual worker. However, the increasing incidence of mergers, takeovers and reengineering has imposed on the individuals caught up in it change and challenge, which leaves even those retaining their employment doubtful of the benefits of HRM proclaimed by employers. Job insecurity has been well researched by those who wish to examine how enforced change affects the survivors both within the organisation and those who move on to alternative employment elsewhere. Charting the change undergone by individuals suffering such enforced change at work has traditionally involved attempts to measure the antecedents of change and correlating it to the consequences of the change. In this way the effects of imposed change on individuals can be linked to organisational consequences like intention to leave or job satisfaction. The present research allows individuals to reflect on their own confirmed and disconfirmed expectancies following the experience of enforced change at work. It allows them to examine what assumptions they had about their employer's behaviour during enforced change and how far they have accepted or rejected the legitimacy of that behaviour. For each of them this has involved interpreting events occurring during enforced change. Such interpretation may reinforce the meaning of work and its inherent value or threaten continued belief in the value of employers' promises of employment and career development. Identifying expectancies enables the researcher to examine the different responses to questions of attribution, self-sufficiency and the traditional elements of loyalty and trust together with the individual's assessment of how he or she would respond to a repeat of such enforced change. The conclusions of the present research indicate that individuals who maintain traditional beliefs of loyalty and trust are more likely to experience alienation than those who evince an independence who seek to use working experience to gain more knowledge and skill and so increase their own employability. The future dependence of employers on traditional promises of career development and life long learning would seem to have been circumscribed by the many individuals whose experience of enforced change has convinced them they need to take ownership of their own destiny in which different employers will play but a fleeting part.
2001
2018-03-12T09:53:38Z
2018-03-12T09:53:38Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/12899
en
application/pdf
lv, 283 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/151142019-04-01T10:40:07Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
A philosophical systematisation of the psychological concepts of Jung in relation to Neoplatonic tradition
Mori, Masaki
Hall, G. B.
BF173.J8M7
Psychoanalysis
Jung developed various psychological concepts (for example, the 'archetypes') in an attempt to explain the special modalities of relationship between the noumenal (unconscious) realities, or between the noumenal (unconscious) and phenomenal (conscious) realities. However, in so doing, he left any coherent structural relationships between these concepts ambiguous. In this dissertation, therefore, I will attempt to shape the innate structural relationships of these concepts into a more philosophically-oriented, psycho-cosmological scheme. I will first devote my attention to two cosmogonic principles, the 'pleroma' and 'Abraxas', which occur in Jung's VII Sermones ad Mortuos. Then, after examining the structural similarities between these cosmogonic principles of Jung and the concepts articulated in the philosophical systems of pagan and Christian Neoplatonic thinkers, I will propose the possibility of an organic link between the two cosmogonic principles and the other psychological concepts in the main body of Jung's works, together with their formation into a complete psycho-cosmological scheme akin to the philosophical systems of the Neoplatonists. Secondly, I will give an exposition and analysis of the overall concepts of Jung, based on his own writings, on the interpretations placed on them by Jungian scholars such as von Franz, and on my own interpretations of Jung's concepts. Finally, I will examine in greater detail the philosophical system developed by Proclus, and, after comparing his concepts with the parallel but fragmentary concepts of Jung (fragmentary since they lack any clear structural interrelationships), I will conclude that Proclus' highly systematic philosophical system provides an ideal model, or philosophical schematisation, for the psychological concepts of Jung.
1989
2018-07-09T10:48:37Z
2018-07-09T10:48:37Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/15114
en
application/pdf
519 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/42122019-07-01T10:04:28Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Psychological antecedents of suicidal behavior
Cameron, Shri
Brown, Verity Joy
Suicide
Personality
Depressed mood
Autobiographical memory
Neuroticism
Trait aggression
Rumination
Impulsivity
RC569.C2
Suicidal behavior--Risk factors--Testing
Depression, Mental
Personality
Neuroticism
Aggressiveness
Autobiographical memory
While research highlights a number of risk factors for suicide, not all individuals displaying these characteristics will go on to attempt suicide. Depressed mood is a proximal indicator of suicide, with deterioration in already depressed mood increasing the likelihood of a suicide attempt. The overall aim of this thesis was to empirically test the Cognitive Model of Suicide by Wenzel and Beck (2008). This model proposes that each of the three components, dispositional vulnerabilities, mood disturbance and suicide related cognitions, may influence each other to enhance the propensity for a suicidal crisis. The thesis starts by examining the relationship between two personality characteristics (neuroticism and trait aggression) and current depressed mood, and then focuses on the relationship between suicidality and current depressed mood. Although autobiographical memories have been implied as a possible risk factor for suicidality, meta-analytical studies have highlighted discrepancies between sampling techniques which may limit interpretablity. Therefore, the first series of studies aimed to establish a protocol for assessing autobiographical memories. The second and third series of studies aimed to investigate whether the relationships between current depressed mood and specific personality factors (neuroticism and trait aggression) were indirectly influenced by other known risk factors that may affect cognitive processing of information (rumination, overgenerality, impulsivity). Moreover, these studies aimed to determine whether the same cognitive processing factors effected current depressed mood in non-suicidal and suicide attempt groups. The final series of studies aimed to determine whether these risk factors (neuroticism, trait aggression, brooding, impulsivity, and overgenerality) mediated the relationship between suicidality and current depressed mood. Findings indicated that compared to the non-suicidal group, individuals in the suicide attempt group was more likely to be influenced by the effects of trait aggression and brooding, and that the combination of these factors were positively associated with current depressed mood. In contrast, neuroticism and impulsivity appeared to influence individuals who had experienced suicidal ideation more than individuals who report never having suicidal thoughts or attempting suicide. Compared to the non-suicidal group, however, neuroticism and impulsivity did not show a significant association for current depressed mood in the suicidal ideation group. Findings supported the Interacting Sub-Systems model and are discussed in relation to the Cognitive Model of Suicide model.
2013-11-29
2013-11-19T16:08:25Z
2013-11-19T16:08:25Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/4212
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/
application/pdf
306
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
Psychological Therapies, NHS Tayside
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/94792019-04-01T10:40:08Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Detecting a visual object in the presence of other objects : the flanker facilitation effect in contour integration
Gillespie, Christopher
Vishwanath, Dhanraj
Harris, Julie
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
BF293.G5
Form perception
When an observer views a complex visual scene and tries to identify an object, his
or her visual system must decide what regions of the visual field correspond to the
object of interest and which do not. One aspect of this process involves the grouping of the local contrast information (e.g., orientation, position and frequency) into
a smooth contour object. This thesis investigated whether the presence of other
flanking objects affected this contour integration of a central target contour.
To test this, a set of Gaborized contour shapes were embedded in a randomised
Gabor noise field. The detectability of the contours was altered by adjusting the
alignment of the Gabor patches in the contour (orientation jitter) until a participant
was unable to distinguish between a field with and without a target shape (2-AFC
procedure). By varying the magnitude of this jitter, detection thresholds were determined for target contours under various experimental conditions. These thresholds
were used to investigate whether contour integration was sensitive to shared shape
information between objects across the visual field.
This thesis determined that the presence of flanking contours of a similar shape
(as the target) facilitated the detection of a noisy target contour. The specific results suggest that this facilitation does not involve a simple template matching or
shape priming but is associated with integration of shape level information in the
detection of the most likely smooth closed contour. The magnitude of this flanker
facilitation effect was sensitive to a number of factors (e.g., numerosity, relative
position of the flankers, and perimeter complexity/compactness). The implication
of these findings is that the processing of highly localised contrast and orientation
information originating from a single object is subject to modulation from other
sources of shape information across the whole of the visual field.
2015
2016-09-12T11:56:54Z
2016-09-12T11:56:54Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/9479
en
application/pdf
xii, 230 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/131222019-04-01T10:40:09Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Inhibitory processes in the misinformation effect : negative consequences of an adaptive process
Saunders, Jo
MacLeod, Malcolm
Quinn, Gerry
BF378.I6S2
Inhibition.
Memory.
Recent research has suggested the seemingly ironic possibility that in order to be able to remember effectively, we must be able to forget. Despite the fact that forgetting is typically conceived of as a wholly negative experience it may, nonetheless, have adaptive consequences for the efficient updating of memory. Without a method for setting aside out-of-date or unwanted information, we may be unable to satisfy current memorial goals. Recent research suggests that inhibitory processes operating during retrieval may be responsible for the temporary forgetting of unwanted information so that desired memories can be successfully retrieved (referred to as retrieval-induced forgetting, M.C. Anderson, Bjork & Bjork, 1994).
The present thesis attempts to enhance our understanding of the basic mechanisms that underlie our ability to update our memories by examining the role of inhibitory processes in the misinformation effect. The misinformation effect is a form of memory error whereby individuals mistakenly report post-event misleading information rather than information that was originally encoded during an initial study phase (e.g., E.F. Loftus, 1979a). In order to examine whether the underlying mechanisms in the misinformation effect (and more generally in memory updating) are inhibitory in nature, five theory-driven experiments were conducted and reported in this thesis.
An inhibitory account of misinformation effects assumes that significant misinformation effects should only be detected when information from an initial event has been inhibited, and therefore is unavailable to conscious inspection. A new paradigm was designed for investigating the memorial processes responsible for the misinformation effect, which combined key features from the retrieval practice paradigm with that of the misinformation paradigm (cf. E.F. Loftus, Miller & Burns, 1978). In Experiments 1 and 2, the boundary conditions of varying the retrieval status of target items within this new paradigm were explored. More specifically, in Experiment 1, significant misinformation effects were found only when misleading information was presented on items that were subject to retrieval-induced forgetting, i.e., the original information was unavailable to conscious inspection, leaving only the post-event information available for retrieval. A further test of the retrieval-induced forgetting account was examined in Experiment 2 whereby the presence of retrieval induced forgetting was manipulated through the insertion of a delay. Experiment 2 indicated that the production of misinformation effects was dependent on retrieval-induced forgetting remaining active (i.e., under condition of no delay, or where a delay occurred between study and retrieval practice). In contrast, significant misinformation effects were not found when retrieval-induced forgetting dissipated over a retention interval (i.e., when a delay was inserted between retrieval practice and final test).
Despite Experiments 1 - 2 suggesting that retrieval-induced forgetting may play an influential role in the production of misinformation effect, the new misinformation paradigm cannot differentiate between the possible inhibitory and non-inhibitory processes that may underlie retrieval-induced forgetting. This is primarily due to the new paradigm employing a free recall test rather than using a memory test that can separate the actions of inhibitory from non-inhibitory processes.
However, as the ‘independent probe’ method (M.C. Anderson & Spellman, 1995) can perform this task, it was modified for use in Experiments 3 - 5 , which more closely examined whether inhibitory processes were indeed responsible for both retrieval-induced forgetting and misinformation effects. More specifically. Experiment 3 found that inhibitory processes were the primary mechanism behind retrieval-induced forgetting, while Experiment 4 demonstrated that any item that competes with target material for retrieval is subject to inhibition (referred to as cross-category and second-order inhibition). Experiment 5 extended the findings of Experiment 3 and 4, and found that inhibitory processes were not only responsible for misinformation effects, but that all inhibited information is susceptible to the effects of post-event information. The present studies suggest that that an adaptive function on inhibition
(i.e., the updating of memory) may be responsible for unwanted and undesired effect in memory under certain circumstances (i.e., the production of misinformation effects and eyewitness errors).
In order to examine more fully the role of inhibitory processes in the production of misinformation effects, and more generally, in memory updating, the present thesis considers both classical and modern research on forgetting. Chapter 1 outlines recent theorising that forgetting should not be considered an exclusively negative phenomenon, and that it should, in fact, be considered an essential and necessary process that keeps our memory systems running optimally. This possibility is examined in more thorough detail in Chapters 2 and 3. Chapter 2 considers both classical interference research, and the more recent inhibitory accounts of intentional forgetting, while Chapter 3 examines how successful these inhibitory accounts have been applied to research concerning unintentional forgetting. In contrast. Chapter 4 examines a rather different approach to memory updating as viewed through misinformation studies. A new paradigm for investigating misinformation effects is introduced in Chapter 5, and the empirical Chapters 5 - 9 discuss the application of this new paradigm to the investigation of misinformation effects. Finally, the conclusions and implications of unintentional forgetting for theories of memory updating are discussed in Chapter 10. The work presented in this thesis suggests that not only can inhibition promote the updating of memory, but it can also leave our memories vulnerable to the unintentional integration of incorrect information.
2004
2018-04-12T10:47:31Z
2018-04-12T10:47:31Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/13122
en
application/pdf
v, 466 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/166242022-08-29T13:49:57Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Exploring how object shape and binocular vision interact to make or break camouflage
Cammack, Philip
Harris, Julie
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews. School of Psychology and Neuroscience
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
BF469.C26
Depth perception
Movement, Psychology of
Camouflage (Biology)
Depth perception is a major component of 3D vision. There are many cues to depth; one
particularly sensitive aspect is the vivid perception of depth created from having eyes with
overlapping visual fields (binocular vision). As the eyes are located at different points in
space, they see different views of the scene – these slight differences (called binocular
disparity) can be used to obtain depth information. However, extracting depth from
disparity requires complex visual processing. So why use binocular vision?
Julesz (1971) proposed an explanation – camouflaged animals can fool the perception of
some cues to 3D shape, but camouflage is ineffective against binocular vision. We would
expect that animals with binocular vision could see the 3D shape of animals, despite their
camouflage. Whilst commonly accepted, this hypothesis has not been tested in detail. In
this thesis, we present experiments designed to establish how depth from binocular vision
interacts with camouflage and object shape. Two main questions were addressed:
First, we explored how the visual system represented depth information about 3D objects
from binocular disparity. Objects with smooth depth edges (hill-shaped) were perceived
with less depth than sharper edged objects. A computational model that segregated the
object, then averaged the disparity over the segregated region emulated human
performance. Finally, we found that disparity and luminance cues interacted to alter
perceived depth.
Secondly, we investigated if binocular vision could overcome camouflage. We found that
camouflaged objects defined by luminance were detected faster when also defined by
depth from disparity, thus reduces the effect of camouflage. Smooth objects were detected
slower than sharp objects: an effect that was replicated in the real world, suggesting a
camouflage technique to counter binocular vision.
In summary, binocular vision is useful because it can detect camouflaged objects. However,
smoother shapes take longer to spot, forming binocular (or stereoscopic) camouflage.
2017-06-20
2018-12-04T15:31:54Z
2018-12-04T15:31:54Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/16624
en
application/pdf
227 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/148432019-04-01T10:40:10Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Bayesian analysis for quantification of individual rat and human behavioural patterns during attentional set-shifting tasks
Wang, Jiachao
Bowman, Eric MacDonald
University of St Andrews. St Leonard's College Scholarship
BF322.W2
Attention
Rats--Behavior
Human behavior
Set (Psychology)
Bayesian statistical decision theory
Attentional set-shifting tasks, consisting of multiple stages of discrimination learning,
have been widely used in animals and humans to investigate behavioural flexibility.
However, there are several learning criteria (e.g., 6-correct-choice-in-a-row, or 10-out-
of-12-correct) by which a subject might be judged to have learned a discrimination.
Furthermore, the currently frequentist approach does not provide a detailed analysis of
individual performance. In this PhD study, a large set of archival data of rats
performing a 7-stage intra-dimensional/extra-dimensional (ID/ED) attentional set-
shifting task was analysed, using a novel Bayesian analytical approach, to estimate
each rat’s learning processes over its trials within the task. The analysis showed that
the Bayesian learning criterion may be an appropriate alternative to the frequentist n-
correct-in-a-row criterion for studying performance. The individual analysis of rats’
behaviour using the Bayesian model also suggested that the rats responded according
to a number of irrelevant spatial and perceptual information sources before the correct
stimulus-reward association was established. The efficacy of the Bayesian analysis of
individual subjects’ behaviour and the appropriateness of the Bayesian learning
criterion were also supported by the analysis of simulated data in which the
behavioural choices in the task were generated by known rules. Additionally, the
efficacy was also supported by analysis of human behaviour during an analogous
human 7-stage attentional set-shifting task, where participants’ detailed learning
processes were collected based on their trial-by-trial oral report. Further, an extended
Bayesian approach, which considers the effects of feedback (correct vs incorrect) after
each response in the task, can even help infer whether individual human participants
have formed an attentional set, which is crucial when applying the set-shifting task to
an evaluation of cognitive flexibility. Overall, this study demonstrates that the
Bayesian approach can yield additional information not available to the conventional
frequentist approach. Future work could include refining the rat Bayesian model and
the development of an adaptive trial design.
2018-06-29
2018-07-03T12:39:59Z
2018-07-03T12:39:59Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14843
en
Bayesian analysis for quantification of individual rat and human behavioural patterns during attentional set-shifting tasks (thesis data) Wang, J., University of St Andrews, 3 July 2018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17630/38f4d940-d16d-4250-a845-c0f43d524a2f
https://doi.org/10.17630/38f4d940-d16d-4250-a845-c0f43d524a2f
application/pdf
v, 161 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/36162019-04-01T10:40:10Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Context-dependent decision making in wild rufous hummingbirds
Morgan, Kate
Healy, Sue
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
QL785.M7
Rufous hummingbird--Behavior
Decision making in animals
Context effects (Psychology)
Conventional models of decision making assume that animals and humans will evaluate
available options based on the benefit that they provide and then choose the option that
provides the largest benefit. However, there is evidence that the choices of both animals
and humans violate this assumption as the choices that are made can be altered by the
context in which decisions are presented. In this thesis I used free–living, foraging rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus) to investigate the effect of context on the decisions they make. Firstly, I gave birds choices between two preferred options and found that the addition of a third non-preferred option changed their preference when options varied in
either two dimensions simultaneously (volume and concentration of sucrose), or in only a
single dimension (volume or concentration). I also manipulated the learning context and
found that hummingbirds have stronger preferences when options are learned
simultaneously than when those same options are learned about sequentially. I also
manipulated the experience that birds had of the options prior to the choice and found that birds with prior experience did not make different choices than hummingbirds without prior experience. In addition to work with hummingbirds, I also completed experiments with humans looking at the effect of context on decisions about health of others. I manipulated the yellowness of faces and found that when participants choose between two preferred options the addition of non-preferred options changed their preference. These data demonstrate humans and hummingbirds make irrational choices as the decision making context can change the choices that they make. Current theories of decision making are insufficient to explain context-dependent choices made by hummingbirds.
2013
2013-06-06T10:43:59Z
2013-06-06T10:43:59Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
uk.bl.ethos.574820
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3616
en
application/pdf
VI, 168
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/188462022-08-29T13:53:52Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
What drives bias? : an investigation into the anatomy of extra-oculomotor proprioception and its role in spatial neglect
Mitchell, Alexandra Grace
Harris, Julie
Ales, Justin Michael
Wellcome Trust. Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF)
Funds For Women Graduates (FfWG)
University of St Andrews. School of Psychology and Neuroscience
QP454.M5
2019-12-03
2019-11-05T10:55:13Z
2019-11-05T10:55:13Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/18846
https://doi.org/10.17630/10023-18846
en
2024-07-10
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Print and electronic copy restricted until 10th July 2024
335 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/289442024-01-05T14:03:28Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Commonalities and group differences in the communicative efficiency of chimpanzee gesturing
Safryghin, Alexandra
Hobaiter, Catherine
European Research Council (ERC)
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
Primates
Efficiency
Communication
Gestures
Linguistics
Group differences
Chimpanzees
QL737.P94S2
Chimpanzees--Behavior
Chimpanzees--Behavior--Uganda
Chimpanzees--Behavior--Guinea
Animal communication--Psychological aspects
In animal communication research, there is a keen interest in assessing and comparing the efficiency of communication systems with human languages. Yet, the gestural communication of our closest relatives, chimpanzees, remains underexplored. This thesis addresses this gap by investigating communicative efficiency in gestural communication across three chimpanzee communities: Sonso and Waibira in East Africa (Uganda) and Bossou in West Africa (Guinea). Employing a novel coding scheme and diverse gesture duration metrics, I examine the presence of Zipf's law of brevity and Menzerath's law, commonly expressed principles of communicative efficiency in human language, in chimpanzee gesturing. In addition, I directly assess the optimality of chimpanzee gestures using a novel linguistic metric from human language comparisons. I explore variations in gesture durations and sequence usage based on individual and social characteristics, such as familiarity, gender, age, and rank. Across these measures, a clear pattern emerges: Each chimpanzee community exhibits a distinct communicative style closely tied to their socio-ecological context. Remarkably, gestures in Bossou, the most cohesive community, demonstrate the first confirmed presence of Zipf's law of brevity and Menzerath's law, along with gesture repertoire optimisation reaching the lower bound of the distribution represented in human languages. Conversely, Waibira, the largest but least cohesive community, employs gestures with redundancy, favouring short sequences and lengthy single gestures. Sonso falls between these extremes, both in community dynamics and communicative efficiency. A consistent finding is that, as familiarity increases, gesture durations also lengthen, suggesting closer social connections lead to reduced pressure to communicate quickly or efficiently. Ultimately, each community employs a different communication style, highlighting the flexible potential of chimpanzee gestures.
"This work was supported by the European Research Council (European Union's 8th Framework Programme, Horizon 2020, under grant agreement no 802719) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) via the award of a FY2022 JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research in Japan (short-term) (fellowship code: PE22721)."--Funding
2024-06-10
2024-01-03T12:18:18Z
2024-01-03T12:18:18Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/28944
https://doi.org/10.17630/sta/686
802719
PE22721
en
Commonalities and group differences in the communicative efficiency of chimpanzee gesturing (thesis data) Safryghin, A., University of St Andrews, 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17630/bd5bf1a2-30d6-48e5-a7e0-1d5d82999726
https://doi.org/10.17630/bd5bf1a2-30d6-48e5-a7e0-1d5d82999726
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
2026-12-20
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Restricted until 20 December 2026
application/pdf
application/msword
442
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/26562019-07-01T10:04:51Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The psychology of sharing: an evolutionary approach
Erdal, David Edward
Whiten, Andrew
BF701.E8
Evolutionary psychology
Behavior evolution
This thesis takes an evolutionary perspective on human psychology. To
the extent that inherited tendencies shape behaviour, their design will be
fitted to the social environments prevailing as Homo sapiens evolved, in
foraging groups, the nearest modem equivalent being hunter-gatherers.
From ethnographies of hunter-gatherers, food-sharing and counterdominance
were identified as universal. Food-sharing was more thorough
than is explicable purely by kinship or reciprocation; one functional effect
was to even out the supply of valuable high-variance food. In contrast with
the social systems of the other great apes, counter-dominance spread
influence widely, preventing the emergence of dominant individuals who
could obtain resources disproportionately. Potential paths for the evolution of
egalitarian tendencies are discussed.
Two falsifiable hypotheses were generated from this perspective. First,
sharing will facilitate risk-taking. The predicted effect was confirmed at high
risk levels, similar to those faced by hunters. Given that during evolution risk
was reduced primarily by social means, social as well as rational factors are
treated by the evolved brain as relevant to risky decisions. It is argued that
this result may suggest a new perspective on the Group Polarisation
experiments.
The second hypothesis tested was that an egalitarian environment will
produce beneficial effects on individual and social behaviour. The data
collected were consistent with the hypothesis: a comparison between three
Italian towns showed that measures of health (including cardiovascular
mortality), education, social involvement, crime and social perceptions were
significantly more positive where co-operatives employed a larger percentage
of the population.
The evolutionary perspective showed its value as a means of generating
novel testable hypotheses.
2000
2012-06-05T15:29:30Z
2012-06-05T15:29:30Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2656
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
application/pdf
247
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/146962019-04-01T10:40:12Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Event-related potential studies of explicit retrieval from memory
Allan, Kevin
Rugg, M. D. (Michael D.)
QP406.A6
Memory
In six studies, Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) were employed to investigate the neural basis of conscious (explicit) retrieval from long term memory. The studies provide the first detailed reports of ERP effects associated with explicit retrieval on tests of word-stem (e.g. TRE) cued recall and stem completion. The relationship between the cued recall ERP effects and those previously observed on other tests of memory was also investigated. This was done by directly contrasting ERP correlates of explicit retrieval on the cued recall and recognition memory tasks. Two features of the cued recall and recognition memory ERP effects were found to be highly similar: ERP effects for each task were comprised of parietally and frontally distributed components which differed, as a function of task, only in two respects. First, the parietal effect for cued recall appeared to be somewhat delayed in onset latency relative to that for recognition memory. Second, the hemispheric asymmetry of the frontal effect for cued recall was less marked than that for recognition memory. The two ERP components were interpreted in terms of processes contributing to the recollection of previous episodes in which words were presented for study. A basic distinction between retrieval and post-retrieval processes was invoked to provide a functional account for the two components. The parietal component was related to retrieval processing associated with 'old/new' judgements. The frontal component was related to post-retrieval processing of retrieved information, which may be more under strategic control, and therefore sensitive to factors extrinsic to those affecting retrieval success per se. In conjunction with the findings of other ERP studies of long term memory, the present results suggest that similar electrophysiological and cognitive processes may be involved in retrieval and post-retrieval processing on a wide range of memory tasks. It is proposed that, under certain conditions, a common feature of these tasks may be the requirement to engage working memory, to monitor explicit retrieval processing.
1997
2018-06-28T10:17:36Z
2018-06-28T10:17:36Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14696
en
application/pdf
296 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/169542023-03-31T02:01:06Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Experimental studies of behavioural flexibility and cultural transmission in chimpanzees and children
Harrison, Rachel Anne
Whiten, Andrew
Templeton Foundation
BF311.H288
Cognition and culture
Chimpanzees--Behavior
Child psychology
Social evolution in animals
Social learning
In this thesis, I explore two subjects of importance to the study of cultural evolution and cumulative culture; behavioural flexibility in chimpanzees, and social transmission in human children. In Chapter 1, I give an overview of current literature on the cognitive requirements of cumulative culture, with a focus on behavioural flexibility as a capacity which facilitates cumulative culture. I also explore a current discussion in the field of cultural evolution; namely the debate between “standard” and cultural attraction-based approaches to the study of cultural evolution. Chapter 2 is an experimental investigation of the capacity of chimpanzees to respond flexibly to a changing foraging task. This study found that chimpanzees did alter their behaviour, but to a limited degree. In Chapter 3 I provide the same artificial foraging task to two further groups of chimpanzees, at a sanctuary in Zambia. This study again found that chimpanzees altered their behaviour in response to task constraints, but also found a significant difference in performance between the two groups tested. Chapter 4 explores one potential factor which may contribute to these group differences; social tolerance. Data on social tolerance from all three groups of chimpanzees is presented. In Chapter 5, I turn to another key factor in the study of culture and also address the cultural attraction approach, by conducting a transmission chain study of four- to eight-year-old human children, comparing the transmission of a symbolic and non-symbolic image. I found that neither image was reliably transmitted along transmission chains. Finally, in Chapter 6, I discuss the findings of the thesis, and suggest that future work considers multiple demographic groups, whether this means the inclusion of multiple groups of apes in studies of non-human primate cognition, or the consideration of how cultural behaviours might be transformed when transmitted by human children rather than adults.
2019-06-28
2019-01-29T15:49:28Z
2019-01-29T15:49:28Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/16954
https://doi.org/10.17630/10023-16954
en
application/pdf
xii, 249 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/270772023-03-14T12:00:41Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The functional significance of the sodium-potassium pump in motor control and movement disorders
Sorrell, Francesca Leigh
Miles, Gareth Brian
Wellcome Trust
Motor control
Spinal cord
Movement disorder
BF295.S7
Motor ability
Spinal cord
Movement disorders
The sodium-potassium pump (NKA) is a ubiquitously expressed membrane protein. Mammalian neurons express two isoforms of the NKA’s catalytic α-subunit, the ubiquitous α1, and the neuron-specific α3. Mutations in the α3-NKA encoding protein ATP1A3 result in a spectrum of neurological disorders with pronounced motor deficits, including Rapid-Onset Dystonia Parkinsonism (RDP). The NKA has also been shown to facilitate activity-dependent changes in spinal motor networks via an ultra-slow afterhyperpolarisation (usAHP) which is thought to be an α3-NKA mediated current.
First, we provide a comprehensive characterisation of a novel mouse model of RDP harbouring the T613M mutation of ATP1A3 most commonly found in patients. We show that T613M animals are hyperactive and hyperambulatory. We show involvement of spinal motor circuit pathology in this behaviour via a complete lack of usAHPs in T613M-affected motor neurons, and a reduced capacity for isolated spinal cords to regulate rhythmic motor output in response to large increases of intracellular sodium. We show that this deficiency is likely caused by a reduced capacity for T613M-affected α3-NKA to extrude sodium and therefore maintain sodium homeostasis.
Next, we characterised post-discharge activity more generally in motor neurons from wildtype mice. We show that usAHPs are more commonly observed in the second postnatal week which may be due to an upregulation of α3-NKA protein expression in motor neurons alongside the development of weight-bearing locomotion. While the heterogenous distribution of usAHPs amongst populations of neurons was previously thought to be due to mosaicism of α3-NKA expression, we show that all lumbar motor neurons express α3-NKA. We present an alternative to this hypothesis, showing that usAHPs can be masked by competing conductances. Finally, we show that the post-discharge activity of a neuron can be modulated by extrinsic and intrinsic modulators to enhance or unmask certain post-discharge activity subtypes.
2022-11-29
2023-02-28T12:08:16Z
2023-02-28T12:08:16Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/27077
https://doi.org/10.17630/sta/313
en
2024-10-20
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Restricted until 20th October 2024
application/pdf
application/msword
206
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/173082023-10-13T02:01:01Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Out of Many, One: An Exploration of Shared Identity in Crowds
Anderson, Philip Thomas
Reicher, Stephen
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Crowds
Social identity
Shared identity
HM871.A6
In a crowd, people sometimes experience a feeling of togetherness and one-ness in which the crowd comes to be seen as ‘we’ and ‘us’ rather than ‘they’ and ‘them’. This thesis explores the psychological process that underlies this feeling of one-ness through the shared identity model of crowd behaviour.
Part of the social identity tradition, the shared identity model makes a key distinction between a social identity that is shared, and a shared identity. The former is instantiated in the representational sense that ‘I am an X’ where X stands for a social category, while the latter is instantiated in the meta-representational sense that ‘We are all Xs together’, a reciprocal recognition of the identity of the self and others.
Qualitative methods, including immersion in crowd events, participant observation, semi-structured interviews both in the field and otherwise, audio diaries, photo-elicitation and focus group discussions were used to explore shared identity in political crowds and in music festival crowds. Field interviews were conducted at three climate change protests, and three focus groups were recruited to discuss their experiences at Scotland’s Climate March 2015. Eighteen participants were recruited for semi-structured interviews about their music festival experiences. All interviews and group discussions were transcribed and analysed using a form of thematic analysis. The results showed evidence of shared identity in the form of participants’ descriptions of ‘we-ness’ and ‘one-ness’, feelings of belonging and feelings of love for others, including strangers, in the crowd.
Factors which lead people to perceive themselves as sharing identity, such as synchronised behaviours and shared emotions, and factors that may be consequences of shared identity, including relational and emotional transformations were identified. The results demonstrate that shared identity is by no means an automatic state, but a nuanced, sometimes subtle and often variable process.
"This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council, grant
number 1358748." - Acknowledgements
2019-06-28
2019-03-18T15:38:03Z
2019-03-18T15:38:03Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/17308
https://doi.org/10.17630/10023-17308
en
Out of many, one: An exploration of shared identity in crowds (thesis data) Anderson, P.T., University of St Andrews, 29 January 2019 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17630/b70f34e0-feb4-4fda-b733-03da1fab4935
https://doi.org/10.17630/b70f34e0-feb4-4fda-b733-03da1fab4935
Embargo period has ended, thesis made available in accordance with University regulations.
application/pdf
iv, 260 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/145942019-04-01T10:40:13Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Encoding of relative location of intensity changes in human spatial vision
Paterson, Ian R.
QP491.P2
Space perception--Physiological aspects
The psychophysical experiments and numerical modelling reported in the present study are an investigation into the encoding of relative location of intensity changes in the human visual system. The study attempted, successfully, to explain some geometric illusions resulting from closely spaced image features ('crowding'), and determined the nature of information necessary for making judgments about the separation of intensity changes for different stimulus configurations. Experiments performed fell into two basic categories; those concerned with spatial interference, and studies of spatial interval judgments. The first set of experiments, studying spatial interference with relative localisation for intensity changes, was based on measurements made with stimuli composed of lowpass filtered bars and edges. The most successful model, which accounted for all of the data, was Watt and Morgan's (1984, 1985) MIRAGE; the results suggest that a good explanation of some geometric illusions can be derived using the principles of low-level vision. Spatial interference is strong evidence for combination of information across spatial scales, and the MIRAGE algorithm makes some highly accurate predictions. Relating the separation of image features is a fundamental task for the visual system, but there is no clear understanding of what information the system has available to perform this task. The second set of experiments explored the perception of separation, and precision of judgments of separation, for bars with a variety of orthoaxial contrast profiles. The data indicate that information is combined across spatial scales (as in MIRAGE) under certain circumstances in making separation judgments; this combination of information across scale occurs when the information on the scales combined is in agreement (ie. all scales have some task-related information), but when variance is added on coarser scales which is not relevant to the task, the system is capable of selecting the finest scales of filters available, and using only the information in the finest scale. This adaptive scale-selection process operates even at very brief exposure durations.
1992
2018-06-26T10:27:38Z
2018-06-26T10:27:38Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14594
en
application/pdf
[ca 280] p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/3682019-07-01T10:14:18Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Human use of horizontal disparity for perception and visuomotor control
Scarfe, Peter
Hibbard, Paul
Binocular vision
Three-dimensional shape
QP491.S3
Space perception
Binocular vision
Perceptual-motor processes
Our eyes are horizontally separated in the head by approximately 6.5cm. As a result of this separation there are subtle differences in the position of corresponding image points within the two eyes. The horizontal component of this binocular positional difference is termed horizontal disparity. Horizontal disparity is an important visual cue as once scaled with an estimate of the viewing distance, it can theoretically provide full metric information about the structure of the world. This thesis will address the issue of how binocular visual cues are used by the human visual system for the estimation of three-dimensional (3-D) shape for perception and visuomotor control. The research presented is particularly focused on understanding why biases in the perception of 3-D shape from binocular cues are found, their importance for perception and visuomotor control and how these biases may be overcome by combining binocular cues with other sources of visual information.
2007-11-30
2007-09-14T15:16:50Z
2007-09-14T15:16:50Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/368
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
6912081 bytes
application/pdf
application/pdf
266
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/6802019-04-01T10:40:13Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Developmental mechanisms influencing decision-making
Escalante-Mead, P. R.
Astell, Arlene Jean
Russell Trust
Decision-making
Social problem solving
High risk behaviour
Adolescent
Inhibition
BF724.3D47E8
Decision making in adolescence
Risk-taking (Psychology) in adolescence
Problem solving in adolescence
Social skills in adolescence
Developmental psychology
The main aim of this thesis was to investigate decision making from a broad developmental perspective to clarify the role of the underlying mechanisms influencing it. Problem solving and cognitive inhibitory capacity were chartered initially through the use of hypothetical vignettes depicting socially relevant situations and through the use of the Stroop task, to tap into automatic inhibitory capacity. Initial assumptions that prefrontal cortical refinement would denote enhanced social problem ability were not confirmed. Experience emerged as distinct factor in problem solving/decision-making, with the youngest participants equally as effective in producing solutions to situations that they had the most experience in. A shift in development is observed with maturation denoting greater experience and this being applied directly to problem solving and decision-making situations. Education was identified as a possible contributory factor in decision-making and this was explored in a cross-cultural study that tapped into a non-schooled population. The results reinforced the centrality of experience in shaping decision-making.
Decision-making in regards to the use of experience was then looked at through real life decision-making situations, where adolescents were asked to provide their knowledge or experience of situations where risk was involved. Adolescents possessed the necessary knowledge to distinguish between optimal and sub-optimal decisions in terms of the consequences that risk behaviours carried with them. However, many still chose to engage in risky behaviours. This paradox could also be explained by actual experience, with the suggestion that positive experience in a peer group was serving as a pool from which adolescents drew to make future decision-making. If risk behaviours were not experienced adversely, the likelihood of their repetition was high.
Taken together the findings suggest that adolescents are well equipped with the cognitive skills to make decisions. Compared to younger children, they have more experience of a greater range of situations from which to extrapolate responses from. They also have a great deal of knowledge and information about the negative consequences associated with a range of challenging situations and risk-taking behaviours. However, when faced with decisions in the social domain, the behaviour of friends and perceptions of what other people are doing are powerful influences on adolescent decisions.
2009-06-24
2009-04-24T15:34:02Z
2009-04-24T15:34:02Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/680
en
2675 bytes
application/pdf
application/pdf
364
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/273802023-04-12T12:00:09Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Enhancing vision : a project on audio-visual decision-making, and a project on strengthening the visual system by short-term monocular patching
Chua, Siu Fung Andrew
Harris, Julie
Otto, Thomas
University of St Andrews. St Leonard's College Scholarship
Decision-making
Multisensory
Computational modelling
Eye-patching
Amblyopia
Adult neuroplasticity
Contrast sensitivity
Stereovision
BF241.C5
Visual perception
Decision making
Amblyopia
Neuroplasticity
Contrast sensitivity (Vision)
Vision is important; two projects were conducted to explore the enhancement of vision (multisensory combination, novel procedure to improve visual functioning). In the first project, audition was combined with vision, to examine if the conjunction of two sensory modalities benefits sensory decision-making in the context of looming – a potentially dangerous motion requiring quick responses (e.g., Neuhoff, 2001). Four behavioural experiments were conducted, testing responses towards auditory, visual, or audio-visual motion-in-depth signals (i.e., looming or receding). From behavioural data, the decision-making mechanism was explored in two separate analyses: 1) a comparative approach (e.g., Innes & Otto, 2019) which compared empirical data to predictions made using probability summation (Raab, 1962), and 2) a computational modelling approach which determined the best permutation of an interactive probability summation rule (Otto & Mamassian, 2012) to fit the empirical data. Altogether, the first project revealed that decision-making had a speed benefit when auditory and visual signals were both present, compared to either modality alone, and this benefit could be explained by a probability summation rule with simple audio-visual interactions. Not found was evidence of especially quick processing uniquely towards audio-visual looming signals. For the second research direction, a pilot study was conducted to test a novel short-term monocular patching technique which purportedly induces eye dominance via latent neuroplasticity (e.g., Lunghi, Burr, & Morrone, 2011), with the idea that it could become a procedure for improving amblyopic visual functioning. In one small-scale experiment (n=4), a significant dominance effect on the patched eye was found, but the effect was short-lived. Two single-participant experiments indicated that patching durations should not be too short (10 minutes) and stereopsis sensitivity may slightly change after patching. This pilot study offered a preliminary look into patching effects, on the back of which further experiments are suggested.
"This work was supported by the St Leonards Research Scholarship. The earliest experiments were supported by the Experimental Psychology Society's Undergraduate Research Bursary." --Funding
2023-06-15
2023-04-11T09:05:26Z
2023-04-11T09:05:26Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/27380
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
282
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/120102019-04-01T10:40:14Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Interactions via electrical coupling in axial and appendicular motor networks during metamorphosis in Xenopus laevis tadpoles
Wagner, Monica Anne
Sillar, Keith T. (Keith Thomas)
Xenopus laevis tadpole
Locomotion
Development
Central pattern generator (CPG)
Gap junction / electrical coupling
Metamorphosis
QL668.E265W24
Xenopus laevis--Development
Tadpoles--Locomotion
Amphibians--Metamorphosis
The spinal locomotor networks in Xenopus laevis frog tadpoles undergo a remarkable transformation during metamorphosis to accommodate a switch from axial-based swimming to a limb-based kicking locomotor strategy. For a brief period during ontogeny, both the axial- and limb-based systems are present and functional, but reliant on different central pattern generators (CPGs) that are simultaneously active. However, the mechanisms controlling the functional coupling both within and between these locomotor networks are unknown. At metamorphosing larval stages (52-58), retrograde motoneuron (MN) backfilling from both axial (11th-12th post-otic segments) and hindlimb muscles with fluorescent rhodamine- and fluorescein-conjugated dextran dyes revealed two discrete MN populations (axial and appendicular) within the spinal cord. The co-labelling of both axial and appendicular cells provides evidence that the two MN pools in the lumbar enlargement are coupled. Electrophysiological data from animals at the same larval stages suggest that axial CPG excitability is modified as burst durations were increased by gap junction (GJ) blockers (18-β-glycyrrhetinic (18-β-GA) acid 100µM; CBNX 200µM), however, limb CPG burst parameters were not altered by GJ block. For spontaneous fictive locomotor bouts, the number of axial episodes initially increased, but then sharply decreased from control levels ~15-30 minutes after drug application. Coordinated and simultaneous axial and limb CPG output was observed with electrical stimulation to the optic tectum, an axial ventral root (VR), and a limb VR; GJ block did not affect the coordinated output from optic tectum stimulation, however, it decreased simultaneous output when the axial VR was stimulated. This novel finding that antidromic stimulation of an axial VR is sufficient to activate a different CPG for the limbs suggests there is synaptic coupling in the direction of axial to limb. These data suggest that axial CPG output is in part regulated by GJs. The anatomical data also suggest a connection exists between the axial and limb MN pools, and may be involved in the initial cycle-by-cycle coupling of the two CPG outputs. Thus the rhythm of the appendicular CPG is initially highly dependent on that of the axial CPG, which in turn is dependent on its own GJ connections within the spinal circuit. It appears that the immature limb MN pools in the lumbar spinal cord possess functional connections via electrical synapses to the axial locomotor system, which are presumably “pruned” as metamorphosis proceeds, and eventually lost completely by the adult stages when the limb network has become completely independent.
2017-06-20
2017-11-06T16:00:38Z
2017-11-06T16:00:38Z
Thesis
Doctoral
MPhil Master of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/12010
en
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
application/pdf
104 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/34462019-04-01T10:40:14Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Cognitive and brain function in adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus : is there evidence of accelerated ageing?
Johnston, Harriet N.
Astell, Arlene Jean
Scottish Imaging Network (SINAPSE)
University of St Andrews
University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Anonymous Trust
Type 1 diabetes mellitus
Microvascular disease
Cognitive function
Brain function
Cognitive ageing
Brain ageing
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Functional connectivity
Mild cognitive impairment
Psychological well-being
HbA1c
Adults
Depression
Anxiety
Retinopathy
Hypoglycaemia
Diabetes well-being
Self-management
Resting state
Accelerated ageing
BOLD
Physical health
fMRI
Insulin resistance
RC660.J7
Diabetes
Brain--Aging
Mild cognitive impairment
Microcirculation disorders
Magnetic resonance imaging
The physical complications of Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) have been understood as an accelerated ageing process (Morley, 2008). Do people with T1DM also experience accelerated cognitive and brain ageing? Using findings from research of the normal cognitive and brain ageing process and conceptualized in theories of the functional brain changes in cognitive ageing, a combination of cognitive testing and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques were used to evaluate evidence of accelerated cognitive and brain ageing in middle-aged adults with T1DM.
The first part of this thesis comprises a cognitive study of 94 adults (≥ 45 years of age) with long duration (≥ 10 years) of T1DM. Participants completed cognitive assessment and questionnaires on general mood and feelings about living with diabetes. Findings highlighted the importance of microvascular disease (specifically retinopathy) as an independent predictor of cognitive function. The incidence and predictors of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were then explored. Results indicate a higher percentage of the group met criteria for MCI than expected based on incidence rates in the general population, providing initial evidence of accelerated cognitive ageing. Psychological factors were explored next. The relationship between the measures of well-being, diabetes health, and cognitive function highlighted the need for attention to patient’s psychological well-being in diabetes care. Finally, a subgroup of 30 participants between the ages of 45 and 65 who differed on severity of retinopathy were selected to take part in an fMRI study. Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) activity was evaluated while participants were engaged in cognitive tasks and during rest. The findings provided evidence that the pattern of BOLD activation and functional connectivity for those with high severity of retinopathy are similar to patterns found in adults over the age of 65. In line with the theories of cognitive ageing, functional brain changes appear to maintain a level of cognitive function. Evidence of accelerated brain ageing in this primarily middle-aged group, emphasizes the importance of treatments and regimens to prevent or minimize microvascular complications.
2013-06-25
2013-03-28T10:54:08Z
2013-03-28T10:54:08Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3446
en
application/pdf
384
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews School of Psychology and Neuroscience
University of Dundee Ninewells Hospital and Medical School
Ninewells Hospital and Medical School Clinical Research Centre
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/143352023-10-24T08:15:30Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Social and environmental influences of smoking behaviour among female nurses and teachers in Scotland : the role of social capital
Dutchak, Jacqueline J.
Boyle, Paul
Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom
University of Leeds. School of Geography
University of St. Andrews. School of Geography and Geosciences
HV5748.D8
Cigarette smoking is one of the most important causes of morbidity and premature mortality in developed countries. Since almost one-third of women in Scotland smoke, the health implications are paramount. Smoking rates among female professionals have decreased in recent years in the UK but they have not fallen equally for all occupations within this group. Historically, female nurses have had higher rates of smoking than other women in the general population while female teachers have had much lower rates. Recent work has revealed that smoking prevalence among nurses has declined in the UK and has reached levels similar to or lower than that of other women. The aims of this thesis are to gain a recent estimate of smoking prevalence among female nurses and teachers in Scotland, to find out why some of these women smoke, why others never started, and why others stopped. This endeavour considers their work and home environments, their interactions with colleagues within and outside the workplace, and their levels of trust, networks, and co-operation in the workplace and neighbourhood. In addition to their current circumstances, this thesis also examines retrospective social capital and deprivation. This study revealed that 31% of nurses and 7% of teachers were smokers, with prevalence of the former much higher than that of other women in the same social class and the latter prevalence much lower. The significant predictors, following multivariate analysis, of smoking and its cessation are varied and include individual, social, economic, and environmental factors. Of particular interest to this study is iv that each of the constructs of social capital have significant and independent effects on smoking and its cessation but that the relationship is neither entirely positive nor completely linear. Furthermore, smoking is often used by women in order to create space and time for oneself in order to break from reality. It is also used to by many women as a means of exerting control over their life. Policies to prevent smoking or aid in its cessation must therefore recognise the important roles of social, economic, environmental and biological influences and how these vary during the lifecourse.
2002
2018-06-20T12:32:47Z
2018-06-20T12:32:47Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14335
en
application/pdf
362 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/33682019-07-01T10:13:46Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Attention cues in apes and their role in social play behavior of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
Mayhew, Jessica A.
Gómez, Juan-Carlos
Western lowland gorilla
Attention
Social play
White sclera
QL737.P96M28
Gorilla--Behavior
Attention
Play behavior in animals
Sclera
The research aims of this thesis are to investigate the attention cues available to and used by apes, especially gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), to ascertain the direction of conspecific attention during social interactions with a special reference to social play. Minimal research has been conducted on the role of attention cues - eye gaze, head, and body orientation - to regulate natural social interactions, such as social play, in non-human primates. This thesis begins with an investigation of the "cooperative eye hypothesis", which poses that humans have evolved a unique white sclera adaptation for advertising and detecting gaze direction. Chapter 2 reports the existence of a natural white sclera variation in a proportion of gorilla eyes - contradicting the widely held assumption that white sclera is an exclusively human characteristic - and analyzes the presence of white sclera in relation to other morphological changes in the human eye. The study concludes that the morphological elongation of the eye might be a more important and unique change than the white sclera coloration. Chapter 3 experimentally explores the contribution of white sclera in both great ape and human eye gaze to the perception of gaze direction detection by human observers. This chapter concludes that although white sclera contributes to the accuracy and speed of gaze direction detection (an assumption that this thesis has put to experimental test for the first time), this merely adds to the already efficient gaze cues available in the eye areas of the ape face. Chapter 4 investigates the role of eye gaze, head, and body orientations during gorilla social play behavior, and more specifically, introduces a novel analysis of "vigilance periods" (VPs), in which gorillas may use the interaction between attention cues to gauge the attention and intentions of play partners to successfully navigate play. The final study (Chapter 5) complements Chapter 4 and investigates the role of gorilla postures, behaviors, and movements during changes in attentional cue orientations. This chapter concludes that gorillas often engage in physical rest during VPs but maintain attentional engagement and can assemble and impart socially relevant information based on the behaviors, movements, and attention orientations of their partner. Together, these studies suggest that attention orientation is conveyed and assessed by gorillas through a variety of interacting cues to navigate and modify social play interactions.
2013-06-25
2013-02-28T14:06:10Z
2013-02-28T14:06:10Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3368
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
application/pdf
271
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
School of Psychology
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/163812023-03-21T09:54:01Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
An investigation into the benefits of musical training on cognitive control and emotional processing abilities
Fisher, Nina K.
Jentzsch, Ines
University of St Andrews. School of Psychology and Neuroscience
ML3830.F58
Music--Instruction and study--Psychological aspects
Executive functions (Neuropsychology)
Emotions
Cognition
Evidence suggests that engagement in musical activity may confer cognitive
control advantages though it is not clear why this may be. Here it was explored why such
advantages may be observed, exploring a potential underlying mechanism which may
be responsible for these enhancements using EEG, behavioural, and self-rating methods.
Chapters two and three were unable to replicate previous research which report an
association between musical training and enhanced cognitive control, though the results
suggest that musical training may heighten emotional responses to errors. Considering
that musical performance and training involves active, frequent, and repeated
engagement with emotional material, chapters four and five aimed to investigate
whether musical training can lead to enhancements in emotional processing abilities
using a variety of questionnaires and behavioural tasks. Chapter four found significant
associations between musical training and enhanced emotional sound recognition
accuracy and empathic abilities, although these effects were not replicated in the
subsequent chapter, which detected only similar numerical trends. Chapter six was
carried out to investigate if the potential association between musical training and
enhanced empathy could be observed in a larger and more diverse sample.
Furthermore, activities which use similar higher order processes were included to
investigate if they could confer the same potential advantages. This study again failed
to find a relationship between musical training and enhanced empathy, though dance
and sport were significant predictors of higher empathy levels. Considering that all
studies reported in this thesis are cross-sectional, these fragile results could be partially
due to individual differences between groups and studies. In sum, the results of this
thesis provide limited evidence that musical training may enhance specific emotional
processing abilities and affective responses to errors which may lead to both enhanced
cognitive control, and improved social awareness and interactions with others.
2018-03-09
2018-11-02T12:09:13Z
2018-11-02T12:09:13Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/16381
https://doi.org/10.17630/10023-16381
en
application/pdf
180
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/291442024-02-03T03:01:12Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The representational systems for object and agent in new world monkeys
Zhang, Da
Seed, Amanda Madeleine
Gomez, Juan-Carlos
China Scholarship Council (CSC)
Object individuation
Squirrel monkey
Capuchin monkey
Causal agent
Representing the environment in its most basic components, namely objects and agents, is a fundamental feature of human cognition which we may share to different extents with nonhuman animals. This thesis explored some manifestations of these abilities in two new world monkey species, squirrel monkeys and capuchin monkeys.
We first investigated squirrel monkeys’ ability of individuating object by spatiotemporal and property/kind information with a “magic box” paradigm using both manual search and looking time measures (chapter 2). The squirrel monkeys failed both tasks with both measures, whereas capuchin monkeys showed individuating competence with exactly the same tasks and apparatus in a previous study.
Chapter 3 tested and explored the possibility that squirrel monkeys failed the “magic box” tasks that capuchin monkeys passed because they acted so fast that they didn’t form or use this type of object representations to guide their actions. In fact, in a touchscreen-based object tracking/catching game (Whack-a-cricket task), the squirrel monkeys were slower to “catch”
a moving “cricket” compared to capuchin monkeys.
In chapter 4, we tested squirrel monkeys with another individuation task that included two separate barriers instead of a single box. The squirrel monkeys preferred to search the last- visited-location first when either spatiotemporal or property/kind information suggested that only one object was present. This preference disappeared when either information indicated that there were two objects, one behind each barrier. We conclude that squirrel monkeys are therefore able to individuate objects using both kinds of information when tested with an appropriate task.
In the last chapter, we investigated whether capuchin monkeys can locate a causal agent based on an event that he initiated from a hidden location. Capuchin monkeys located the hidden agent when they saw an object pushed, raked, rolled, or thrown across a table seemingly by the experimenter behind one of two screens (agentive trials), but not when they saw an object roll down a ramp or fall off a block after a shake of the table (arbitrary control trials) that contained no information about the agent’ location. This result suggests capuchin monkeys can use motion events to infer the location of a causal agent, an ability also demonstrated by human infants.
Taken together, our studies show that squirrel monkeys and capuchin monkeys have some core abilities to represent some of the fundamental properties of objects and agents, comparable to those demonstrated by human infants, which supports the core knowledge view that such representational systems may have a long evolutionary history and exist widely in primates.
2021-11-30
2024-02-02T15:42:34Z
2024-02-02T15:42:34Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/29144
https://doi.org/10.17630/sta/727
201603780022
en
application/pdf
172
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/171422019-04-01T10:40:18Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Attending and knowing together : a new look at joint attention and common knowledge and their role in coordination
Siposova, Barbora
Carpenter, Malinda
Tomasello, Michael
BF323.J63S5
Joint attention
Joint attention—the ability to coordinate attention to an object or event—is a key feature of human social cognition. Without joint attention, we would not be the cooperating species we are now. Most developmental studies focus on when joint attention emerges, rather than what joint attention actually is, and what consequences it has for different types of interactions. To address this gap, Part I of the thesis provides a new look at joint attention, presenting a systematic framework of four attention levels (from monitoring, to common, mutual, and shared attention) with corresponding distinctions for the knowledge states associated with each level. Cognitive, behavioral, and phenomenological aspects of the different levels are discussed, as well as the functions and consequences the levels have in terms of what kinds of obligations they can support. Part II of the thesis follows on from this in investigating the role of joint attention in facilitating coordination. In two studies, 5- to 7-year-old children played a Stag Hunt coordination game in which they needed to decide whether to cooperate or play individually. During the decision-making phase, the children’s partner either shared attention with them—she made ostensive, communicative eye contact—or looked non-communicatively at them. In Study 1, results showed that communicative looks produced an expectation of cooperation in children. In Study 2, children normatively protested when their partner did not cooperate, thus showing an understanding of the communicative look as a commitment to cooperate. This is the first experimental evidence, in adults or children, that in the right context, communicative, but not non-communicative, looks can signal a commitment. Thus the thesis highlights the special importance of the shared attention level in supporting cooperation
2018-11-05
2019-02-22T15:31:06Z
2019-02-22T15:31:06Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/17142
en
application/pdf
132 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/170672019-04-01T10:40:19Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Investigation of molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning the neurotoxicity of homocysteine and its metabolites in models of neurodegeneration
Strother, Lisa
Doherty, Gayle H.
Wellcome Trust. Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF)
University of St Andrews. 600th Anniversary Scholarship
RC632.H65S8
Homocysteine--Pathophysiology
Neurotoxicology
Elevated levels of homocysteine (HCy) are a known risk factor in several disease states (1).
HCy has several other metabolites, homocysteine thiolactone (HCy-T) and homocysteic acid
(HCA). Whilst HCy-mediated neurotoxicity has been extensively studied, the underlying
mechanisms of HCy-T and HCA mediated neuronal damage remain largely unknown. This
thesis aims to explore the underlying mechanisms, triggered by HCy and metabolites which
result in neuronal cell death, and may be appropriate targets for future research on disease-modifying interventions in neurodegenerative disorders. As ageing is the greatest risk factor for neurodegeneration, a novel model of human neuronal ageing was established, permitting
investigation of the pathways triggered by HCy in ageing.
Using SH-SY5Y cells, a novel differentiation protocol was established and categorised, once
fully differentiated, these cells were shown to be fully functional neurons and could be
maintained for a month in culture. Using a range of concentrations of HCy and HCy-T, the
concentration cell death occurs at was determined using crystal violet and lactate
dehydrogenase assays. Mechanisms of toxicity were determined using pharmacological
intervention at the NMDA receptor, nitric oxide scavengers and antioxidants. Using a
combination of immunocytochemistry, live cell imaging and ELISA, alterations in markers of
cell damage could be examined.
The results showed HCy and HCy-T have distinct mechanisms of toxicity. Whilst both are
neurotoxic, HCy directly acts via the NMDA receptor, however HCy-T appears to be less
potent. Additionally, HCy-T caused a greater increase in reactive oxygen species generation
than HCy, and each metabolite also displayed distinct mitochondrial network abnormalities.
Finally, using the long-term culture methods, the chronic effects of HCy, HCy-T and HCA
were examined. However, extensive cell death was apparent at low doses in all metabolites therefore no definitive mechanisms could be determined. This culture method was deemed not
appropriate for toxicity experiments.
"This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust ISSF studentship 105621/Z/14/Z; and the
600th anniversary scholarship" -- Acknowledgements
2018-12-06
2019-02-14T12:43:58Z
2019-02-14T12:43:58Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/17067
en
Investigation of molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning the neurotoxicity of homocysteine and its metabolites in models of neurodegeneration (Thesis data) Strother, L., University of St Andrews, 26 November 2018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17630/1d605514-d601-4391-92b9-61b473733c9e
https://doi.org/10.17630/1d605514-d601-4391-92b9-61b473733c9e
application/pdf
xx, 190 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/31122020-07-28T02:02:31Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The experience of participating in crowds : shared identity, relatedness and emotionality
Neville, Fergus Gilmour
Reicher, Stephen
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Crowd
Collective action
Emotion
Identity
HM753.N4
Group identity
Crowds
Collective behavior
Emotions
The aim of this thesis is to extend the social identity model of crowd behaviour (Reicher, 1984,
1987, 1996) by exploring the experience of collective participation, with an emphasis upon
quality of within-crowd social relations (‘relatedness’) and collective emotionality. A multi-method research strategy is employed to study these topics at a variety of crowd events. Studies 1
and 2 use ethnography and retrospective interviews at a student protest and public screenings of
football matches to generate hypotheses for subsequent testing. Study 3 then tests these
hypotheses by means of questionnaire data collected during Study 2. Using an experimental
‘visualisation’ paradigm, Study 4 demonstrates the role of shared identity (and not simply self-categorization) in generating relatedness. Studies 5 and 6 present evidence that groups of high
relatedness participants experience identity-relevant stimuli as more emotionally intense than low
relatedness groups. Study 7 concludes the empirical work by using questionnaire data collected at
political protests to test a model of collective experience based upon the findings of the previous
studies. The thesis argues that a perception of shared identity with co-present others can
positively transform social relations towards relatedness (connectedness, validation and
recognition). Relatedness may then be experienced emotionally, and facilitate the realisation of
group goals which may also have emotional consequences. Strength of social identity is also
noted as an antecedent to group-based emotion. In this way the analysis offers three ways in
which social identity may lead to emotionality of collective experience, contradicting ‘classic’
crowd psychology in which crowd emotion was rooted in a loss of identity. Preliminary evidence
is also presented suggesting that the experience of collective participation may have a role to play
in determining future social identification and participation in co-action.
2012-06-19
2012-09-20T20:47:23Z
2012-09-20T20:47:23Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3112
en
application/pdf
386
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/36192021-02-26T03:01:35Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Factors influencing the motivational salience of faces
Hahn, Amanda C.
Perrett, David
Scottish Imaging Network: A Platform for Scientific Excellence
BF323.S63H2
Social perception--Sex differences--Experiments
Face perception--Sex differences--Experiments
Masculine beauty (Aesthetics)--Psychological aspects--Sex differences
Feminine beauty (Aesthetics)--Psychological aspects--Sex differences
Mate selection--Psychological aspects--Sex differences
Motivation (Psychology)--Sex differences
My research utilizes a behavioral key-press task adapted from the classic bar-press technique employed in many rodent studies of reward to explore the incentive salience of beauty among humans. In Chapter 2, I replicate previous findings indicating that gender differences exist for the incentive salience of beauty. I extend past findings with regard to the incentive salience of
heterosexual beauty by investigating the role of additional aspects of facial appearance. Here, I find that apparent health holds incentive salience. This may serve an adaptive function by
driving motivation to seek out healthy potential mates while avoiding infectious individuals.
In Chapter 3, I explore gender differences in the incentive salience of adult and infant faces. I show that women demonstrate greater motivation, overall, to view infant faces while both men and women differentiate between the high-cute and low-cute versions of infant faces,
suggesting that infant cuteness may hold incentive salience for both men and women but that infants in general have higher incentive salience for women.
In Chapters 4 and 5, I investigate individual differences and variation across the menstrual cycle for women viewing adult faces. Women's own attractiveness was found to influence motivation to view attractive individuals, especially same-sex individuals. Within-subject variations in motivation across the menstrual cycle were apparent for the incentive salience of same-sex
beauty. Taken together, the results of these experiments suggest that the incentive salience of same-sex faces among women may be partially driven by intrasexual competition – a novel
explanation for women’s motivation to view same-sex individuals. Overall my research has indicated that infant cuteness, adult attractiveness and apparent health influence the
motivational value of faces, while individual differences also exist among women with respect to own attractiveness and fertility. The key-press paradigm offers an exciting new method for
exploring inter- and intra-sexual behavior in humans.
2013
2013-06-07T08:39:28Z
2013-06-07T08:39:28Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3619
en
application/pdf
202
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/161412019-04-01T10:40:22Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Cholinergic modulation of spinal motoneurons and locomotor control networks in mice
Nascimento, Filipe
Miles, Gareth Brian
Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation
Locomotion
Spinal cord
Central pattern generator
Muscarinic receptors
Motoneurons
QP369.5N2
Motor neurons
Muscarinic receptors
Cholinergic mechanisms
Locomotion--Regulation
Locomotion is an innate behaviour that is controlled by different areas of the central nervous system, which allow for effectiveness of movement. The spinal cord is an important centre involved in the generation and maintenance of rhythmic patterns of locomotor activity such as walking and running. Interneurons throughout the ventral horn of the spinal cord form the locomotor central pattern generator (CPG) circuit, which produces rhythmic activity responsible for hindlimb movement. Motoneurons within the lumbar region of the spinal cord innervate the leg muscles to convey rhythmic CPG output to drive appropriate muscle contractions. Intrinsic modulators, such as acetylcholine acting via M2 and M3 muscarinic receptors, regulate CPG circuitry to allow for flexibility of motor output. Using electrophysiology and genetic techniques, this work characterized the receptors involved in cholinergic modulation of locomotor networks and the role and mechanism of action of a subpopulation of genetically identified cholinergic interneurons in the lumbar region of the neonatal mouse spinal cord.
Firstly, the effects of M2 and M3 muscarinic receptors on the output of the lumbar locomotor network were characterised. Experiments in which fictive locomotor output was recorded from the ventral roots of isolated spinal cord preparations revealed that M3 muscarinic receptors are important in stabilizing the locomotor rhythm while M2 muscarinic receptor activation seems to increase the irregularity of the locomotor frequency whilst increasing the strength of the motor output. This work then explored the cellular mechanisms through which M2 and M3 muscarinic receptors modulate motoneuron output. M2 and M3 receptor activation exhibited contrasting effects on motoneuron function suggesting that there is a fine balance between the activation of these two receptor subtypes. M2 receptor activation induces an outward current and decreases synaptic drive to motoneurons while M3 receptors are responsible for an inward current and increase in synaptic inputs to motoneurons. Despite the different effects of M2 and M3 receptor activation on synaptic drive and subthreshold properties of MNs, both M2 and M3 receptors are required for muscarine-induced increase in motoneuron output. CPG networks therefore appear to be subject to balanced cholinergic modulation mediated by M2 and M3 receptors, with the M2 subtype also being important for regulating the intensity of motor output.
Next, using Designer Receptor Exclusively Activated by Designer Drug (DREADD) technology, the impact of the activation or inhibition of a genetically identified group of cholinergic spinal interneurons that express the Paired-like homeodomain 2 (Pitx2) transcription factor was explored. Stimulation of these interneurons increased motoneuron output through the activation of M2 muscarinic receptors and subsequent modulation of Kv2.1 channels. Inhibition of Pitx2⁺ interneurons during fictive locomotion decreased the amplitude of locomotor bursting. Genetic ablation of these cells confirmed that Pitx2⁺ interneurons increase the strength of locomotor output by activating M2 muscarinic receptors.
Overall, this work provides new insights into the receptors and mechanisms involved in intraspinal cholinergic modulation. Furthermore, this study provides direct evidence of the mechanism through which Pitx2⁺ interneurons regulate motor output. This work is not only important for advancing understanding of locomotor networks that control hindlimb locomotion, but also for dysfunction and diseases where the cholinergic system is impaired such as Spinal Cord Injury and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
2018-12-06
2018-10-04T09:01:49Z
2018-10-04T09:01:49Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/16141
en
application/pdf
211 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/195902021-04-19T15:06:13Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Title redacted
Holiday, Alison Ruth
Doherty, Gayle H.
Alzheimer's Research UK. Scotland Network Centre
"... supported by the ARUK Scotland
Network Centre [grant number 3003_ag]." -- Funding
2019-12-03
2020-03-03T17:04:30Z
2020-03-03T17:04:30Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/19590
https://doi.org/10.17630/10023-19590
en
Data Underpinning Alison's Ruth Holiday thesis. Holiday, A.R., University of St Andrews. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17630/93223636-78f4-4452-a4f5-d248dd25f9e2
https://doi.org/10.17630/93223636-78f4-4452-a4f5-d248dd25f9e2
2024-11-08
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Print and electronic copy restricted until 8th November 2024
325 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/3442019-04-01T10:40:22Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The effect of rumination on social problem-solving and autobiographical memory retrieval in depression : a cross-cultural perspective
Kao, Chih-Mei
Dritschel, Barbara
Rumination
Depression
Autobiographical memory
Social problem solving
BF378.A87K2
Autobiographical memory
Depression, Mental
Problem solving
Thought and thinking
Previous research has indicated that depression and thinking style (rumination versus distraction) interact to influence cognitive processing. Depressed ruminators produce more categoric autobiographical memories (AM) (i.e., a summary of repeated memories), and also demonstrate poorer SPS performance than depressed distracters and matched controls. The quality of AM retrieval during SPS is also related to the effectiveness of SPS solutions such that categoric AM retrieval during SPS contributes to poorer SPS. Therefore, the first aim of this thesis was to extend previous work by further investigating how an induced rumination/distraction influences subsequent AM retrieval during SPS and SPS performance. The first two studies examined how thinking style influences SPS and AM retrieval during SPS in a dysphoric (study 1) versus clinically depressed sample (study 2). The results indicated that rumination has a detrimental effect on SPS in both dysphoric and clinically depressed samples, with more pronounced effects in the clinical group. Rumination also appeared to influence AM retrieval during SPS for the clinically depressed group but not the dysphoric group. Moreover, in both samples, SPS performance was associated with the type of AM retrieval involved in the SPS process. As most studies investigating cognitive processes in depression have focused on Western people, a second aim of this thesis was to examine the association between thinking style, AM
retrieval and SPS performance in depression from a cross-cultural perspective. The first cross-cultural study (Study 3) looked at AM retrieval on the AMT cueing task and the second cross-cultural study (Study 4) investigated whether these associations between thinking style, SPS and AM retrieval would vary across different cultures. Culture interacted with depression to influence AM retrieval on the AMT cueing task. However study 4 demonstrated that there seemed to be no interaction between culture, rumination and depression on SPS performance and AM retrieval during SPS.
2007-02
2007-06-11T13:40:45Z
2007-06-11T13:40:45Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/344
en
1108480 bytes
application/pdf
application/pdf
300
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/270662023-04-28T21:57:06Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The ontogeny of pant hoot vocalisations and social awareness in wild chimpanzees
Soldati, Adrian
Zuberbühler, Klaus
Call, Josep
Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
University of St Andrews. St Leonard's College European Inter-University Doctoral Scholarship
Swissuniversities
Santander-St Leonard's College Research Mobility Scholarship
Language evolution
Vocal behaviour
Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii
Social learning
Vocal development
Audience effects
Communication
Chimpanzee
Display
Call combinations
QL737.P94S7
Chimpanzees--Vocalization
Chimpanzees--Behavior--Uganda--Budongo Forest Reserve
Animal communication--Psychological aspects
Sound production by animals
While some scholars have regarded primate vocal communication as innate, inflexible, and insensitive to the context, recent advances suggest instead that vocal behaviours can be flexible, insofar as they are affected by individual and situational factors, notably the social context. However, whether the same is true for the acquisition of communicative capacities remains largely unknown, particularly in great apes. In my thesis, I address this by examining the ontogeny of vocal behaviours in the pant hoots of immature chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of the Budongo Forest, Uganda. Furthermore, I investigate audience effects on pant hoot sequences used during displays to determine the extent to which these vocal structures are flexibly modulated depending on the social environment.
Pant hoots are a multi-phase vocal sequence typically used to maintain contact and coordinate movements between individuals and groups over long distances. The question of how this complex and flexible vocal signal develops is key for a better understanding of how chimpanzees navigate dynamic social interactions in fission-fusion societies from both an ontogenetic and a comparative perspective.
Results from my thesis show that chimpanzees produced rudimentary pant hoot sequences since birth, suggesting that vocal repertoires are largely innate. However, these sequences presented some structural and acoustic differences when compared to those of older individuals, suggesting they also undergo ontogenetic changes. In addition, the vocal usage and responses to pant hoots in immature chimpanzees was enhanced by greater vocal and social exposure to key group members, such as the mother and adult males, when compared to the development of less gregarious immature individuals. Finally, social context modulated the use of pant hoot phases during vocal displays, likely enhancing the communicative capacities of a species with limited vocal production learning and relatively small vocal repertoire. Taken together, findings from my thesis suggest that the ontogeny of complex chimpanzee vocalisations is socially mediated and that chimpanzee vocal communication is flexibly adjusted depending on the social environment.
2023-06-15
2023-02-27T12:35:05Z
2023-02-27T12:35:05Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/27066
https://doi.org/10.17630/sta/307
Swiss National Science Foundation grant number 310030_185324
Swissuniversities Contract N° GB 19/02
en
27-01-04
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Restricted until 4th January 2027
application/pdf
application/msword
274
The University of St Andrews
University of Neuchâtel
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/156502019-04-01T10:40:24Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Vocal combinations in guenon communication
Coye, Camille
Zuberbuhler, Klaus
QL737.P93C7
Cercopithecus
Animal communication
It is generally accepted that comparative studies on animal communication can provide insights into the
coevolution of social life, vocal communication, cognitive capacities and notably the emergence of
some human language features. Recent studies suggested that non-human primates possess
combinatorial abilities that may allow a diversification of vocal repertoires or a richer communication
in spite of limited articulatory capacities. However, the functions of combined calls and the information
that receivers can extract remain poorly understood. This thesis investigated call combination systems
in two species of guenons: Campbell’s monkey (Cercopithecus Campbelli) and Diana monkey
(Cercopithecus Diana). Firstly, I studied the combinatorial structure and relevance to receivers of
combined calls in of both species using playback experiments. Results confirmed the presence of a
suffixation mechanism reducing the emergency of danger signaled by calls of male Campbell’s
monkeys. Also, they showed that combined calls of females Diana monkeys convey linearly
information via their two units, which signal respectively caller’s emotional state and identity.
Secondly, focusing on the context associated with the emission of simple and combined female
Campbell’s monkey calls, results revealed flexible use of combination reflecting the immediate need to
remain cryptic (i.e. simple calls) or to signal caller’s identity (i.e. combined calls). Finally, I compared
females’ communication systems of both species to identify their similarities and differences. As
predicted by their close phylogenetic relatedness, their repertoires are mostly based on homologous
structures. However, the females differ strongly in their use of those structures. In particular, the great
number of calls combined by Diana monkeys increases considerably their vocal repertoire compared to
Campbell’s monkeys. Given that the combinations are non-random, meaningful to receivers and used
flexibly with the context, I propose a parallel with a rudimentary form of semantic morphosyntax and
discuss more generally the possible existence of similar capacities in other non-human animals.
2016
2018-07-23T13:49:17Z
2018-07-23T13:49:17Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/15650
en
application/pdf
351 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/26972019-04-01T10:40:24Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Cognitive aspects of travel and food location by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of the Budongo Forest Reserve, Uganda
Bates, Lucy
Byrne, Dick
QL737.P96B2
Chimpanzees--Behavior--Uganda--Budongo Forest Reserve
Pan troglodytes--Behavior--Uganda--Budongo Forest Reserve
Cognition in animals
Finding food in tropical forests poses a potentially major problem for chimpanzees, whose
ranging is thought primarily to be directed at locating suitable food resources: (1)
chimpanzees are frugivorous, large bodied and live in large home ranges; (2) they lack
specialised sensory or locomotor abilities, and terrestrial travel is known to be costly; but
(3) fruits are randomly distributed in space and time. Evidence from studies of captive
individuals suggests chimpanzees are capable of remembering the locations of out of sight
resources and can compute least distance routes to these resources, but whether this ability
translates to the natural foraging behaviour of wild chimpanzees has never been
investigated. My observational study was designed to assess how the chimpanzees (Pan
troglodytes schweinfurthii) of Budongo Forest, Uganda, locate these patchy resources.
I mapped the routes of 14 focal individuals over a 12-month period. I considered how
these foraging routes were structured by breaking the path into segments of travel between
resources. Consecutive segments of travel between resources were found not to be
independent, but assembled into "super-segments" that take in a number of resources along
one trajectory. These super-segments are not necessarily directed towards feeding
resources, however: travel is not always food directed. Comparisons of actual chimpanzee
routes with randomly generated simulations suggest most individuals do not attempt to
minimise their travel distances. There is evidence to suggest energetically stressed
individuals can remember the locations of recently visited food resources and return to
these patches in order to minimise travel distances when necessary, but overall, food is not
difficult to find for this community of chimpanzees. I propose this is because males defend
a territory with super-abundant food resources, meaning availability is not a limiting factor
of foraging. Male chimpanzees can be characterised as convenience feeders, taking food
whilst satisfying other, social needs.
2005
2012-06-08T13:19:15Z
2012-06-08T13:19:15Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2697
en
application/pdf
255
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/151452019-04-01T10:40:25Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The development of spatial knowledge and orientation
Conning, Alison M.
Byrne, Richard William
Science Research Council (Great Britain)
BF723.S75C7
Stress in children
This thesis describes a series of experiments which investigate preschool children's spatial abilities. To overcome the problems of extrapolating from traditional laboratory task to abilities in the real world, the children were tested in 'natural' environments, such as buildings and streets, and which were large-scale, that is, they could not be viewed in their entirety from one position but instead had to be constructed from successive views. The measure of spatial knowledge chosen was direction estimation, a task which has been successfully used by other authors with older subjects, and which avoids the problems of interpretation and comprehension inherent in more traditional methods of investigating spatial representation such as map drawing and model building. The findings are discussed in relation to Piaget's distinction between topological and Euclidean spatial knowledge (Piaget et al. 1960; Piaget and Inhelder 1967; Piaget 1977), but traditionally used interpretations of his theory are avoided (e.g. Siegel and White 1975) as being based upon methodologically problematical experimentation. The results are interpreted in terms of Byrne's (1979, 1982) network-map/vector-map theory of spatial knowledge, which has only previously been applied to adults. It was found that preschool children can show both network-map knowledge (topological), and vector-map knowledge (Euclidean). Piaget's stage theory of development is inappropriate as within the age and ability range tested here, the type of spatial knowledge shown was more dependent upon qualities of the environment than of the child. Preschool children are most likely to show vector-map knowledge in small, over-learned, and actively explored environments than in larger passively explored but familiar environments, and lastly in novel large environments. Preschool children's network-map knowledge, built up by walking in natural environments, is coded in one direction only; and two separately learned but overlapping routes are encoded as an integrated network.
1985
2018-07-09T15:33:25Z
2018-07-09T15:33:25Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/15145
en
application/pdf
240 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/158832019-04-01T10:40:26Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Learning to focus and focusing to learn : more than a cortical trick
Dhawan, Sandeep Sonny
Brown, Verity Joy
Tait, David Scott
University of St Andrews. St Leonard's College Scholarship
Cognition
Executive functioning
Behavioural neuroscience
Attention
Set-shifting
QP405.D5
Cognition
Executive functions (Neuropsychology)
Attention
Set (Psychology)
Subthalamus
The consequence of many psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia, is an impairment in ‘executive functioning’; an umbrella term for several cognitive processes, including the focussing and shifting of attention and the inhibition of responding. The ability to form an ‘attentional set’ involves learning to discriminate qualities of a multidimensional cue, and to subsequently learn which quality is relevant, and therefore predictive of reward. According to recent research, the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and possibly the adjacent zona incerta (ZI) may mediate the formation of attentional set. Dysregulation of the STN as a result of Parkinson’s disease contributes to characteristic motor symptoms, and whilst deep-brain stimulation of this region may treat gross motor impairments, it may also impair cognition. The work in this thesis aimed to expand our understanding of the mechanisms of attentional set-formation, and the role of the STN in this process.
This thesis evaluates new methods for examining set-formation in the attentional set-shifting task; rather than inferring this behaviour solely from the cost of shifting set, modifications to the task design in Chapters 3 & 4 explored several hypotheses designed to exploit a deficit in this behaviour. Chapter 6 revealed that inhibition of this region with designer receptors leads to a disruption in attentional selectivity, which compromises the ability to form an attentional set. This manifested as an inability to parse relevant information from irrelevant, and instead, animals learned the stimuli holistically. The findings in this thesis also suggested that reversal and attentional shifting processes do not operate independently, but rather in a hierarchy, and that consequently, the STN is a region that may be crucial in selecting appropriate responses during associative learning that leads to the formation of an attentional set.
2018-12-06
2018-08-27T13:19:59Z
2018-08-27T13:19:59Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/15883
en
Learning to focus and focusing to learn: more than a cortical trick (Thesis data) Dhawan, S.S. University of St Andrews, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.17630/0d90f281-6448-46ae-8b29-1d2d4ca2dbe8
https://dx.doi.org/10.17630/0d90f281-6448-46ae-8b29-1d2d4ca2dbe8
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
application/pdf
270 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/141992019-04-01T10:40:26Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Father absence, attraction and development
Boothroyd, Lynda
Perrett, David
HM1151.5B7
Interpersonal attraction
Paternal deprivation
Sex (Psychology)
Evolutionary psychology
Masculinity
Femininity
Since Draper & Harpending (1982) proposed that father absence would be associated with a shift in reproductive strategy, a body of literature has accumulated supporting their claims. This thesis explores further aspects of father absence theory, utilising computergraphic facial processing. It opens with an overview of both father absence theory (Chapter 1) and the Evolutionary Psychology of attraction (Chapter 2). Part 1 Part 1 explores the meaning of masculinity in partner choice scenarios. Male facial masculinity co-varied with facial age but not apparent facial health both in tenns of women's preferences (Study 1) and women's direct perceptions (Study 2). This suggested that masculinity in male faces is not a cue to immunocompetence health status as other authors have suggested, In Study 3, while masculine faces were perceived as more dominant than feminised faces, they were otherwise considered poorer quality partners. It was suggested that masculinity was attractive because of a 'sexy son' mechanism (dominance increasing offspring reproductive success), which was traded off against the anti-social traits associated with masculinity. Part 2 Studies 4, 5 and 6 found that father absence or poor relationships with the parents generally reduced masculinity preference and age preference (although in Study 5, this effect was moderated by relationship status). This contradicted predictions made from traditional father absence literature (that father absence should be associated with a short term strategy and therefore masculinity preference). Sociological explanations were discounted as family background did not relate to the traits women said they desired in a partner (Study 7). Altogether these results raised questions about the attractiveness and self-esteem of father absent females. Part 3 therefore investigated the physical development of these females. Part 3 Study 8 found that marital difficulties between parents were associated with an increase in perceived facial masculinity in both male and female offspring's faces, a decrease in facial attractiveness and increased weight and waist-hip ratio in women. Study 9 found that levels of progesterone were inversely related to quality of parental relationship. The overarching conclusions of the thesis were that there appears to be an effect' of physical masculinisation which is associated with father absence. This masculinisation may be the predicator for previously observed father absence effects, and the results in Part 2. As such, attachment based explanations of father absence effects (such as Belsky et al, 1991) may be redundant.
2004
2018-06-18T12:52:13Z
2018-06-18T12:52:13Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14199
en
application/pdf
173 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/131442019-04-01T10:40:27Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The role of apparent health in face preferences
Jones, Benedict Christopher
Perrett, David
BF859.J7
Interpersonal attraction.
Face perception.
This thesis describes a series of empirical studies that investigated the role of apparent health in face preferences. Chapter 1 summarises previous work showing that facial symmetry, averageness and sexual dimorphism influence judgements of facial attractiveness. Chapter 2 describes studies demonstrating that consideration of the role of apparent health in face preferences offers insight into the motivations that underpin attraction to symmetric faces. Chapters 3-5 describe studies demonstrating that, while people generally prefer faces that appear healthy to those that appear unhealthy, characteristics of the judges (e.g. hormonal, health and developmental factors) contribute to systematic variation in women's preferences for apparent health. In the final chapter, a positive link between lifestyle health (e.g. exercise behaviour) and facial health was demonstrated. The findings described in this thesis are evidence that preferences for healthy faces are influenced by biological factors and evidence for accuracy in attributions of health to faces.
2005-06
2018-04-16T13:34:49Z
2018-04-16T13:34:49Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/13144
en
application/pdf
160 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/189352021-02-16T15:03:46Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The visual processing of speed in two and three dimensions
Lee, Abigail Rachael Ingle
Harris, Julie
Ales, Justin Michael
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Motion perception
Speed discrimination
Motion in depth
Speed change discrimination
QP493.L4
Motion perception (Vision)
As animals that move in a 3D world and interact with 3D objects, it is very important for our survival that our visual systems provide two- and three-dimensional motion perception. Over 4 experimental chapters, we used psychophysical methods to consider several questions about how the human brain processes speed information in two and three dimensions.
In Chapter 2, we investigated whether making three-dimensional motion more realistic than in many previous human vision studies, by adding accelerations on the retina to our stimuli, improved our ability to discriminate speed changes. We found that adding retinal acceleration to our stimuli did not offer performance enhancement.
In Chapter 3, we wanted to understand whether monocular or binocular cues were more important for discriminating speed changes for motion in depth. Our results were inconclusive, but the apparent difficulty of the speed change discrimination task led us to compare performance in these tasks to that for speed discrimination: we found speed change discrimination to be more difficult. It is often possible to use distance or duration information for speed discrimination, but not for speed change discrimination, so we also investigated whether participants use speed information for speed discrimination. Participants used a range of cues, and may have changed the cue they used from trial to trial.
In Chapter 4, we investigated with novel experimental designs whether participants used speed, distance, duration or a combination of cues to make speed and speed change discrimination judgements. We found participants used speed information alone for both tasks.
Finally, in Chapter 5 we considered whether speed change discrimination was difficult because speed information was combined over space or time. Neither combination of speed information across time, or across space, was responsible speed change discrimination difficulty. Overall, our findings contribute to our understanding of speed perception for moving objects.
"This work was supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research
Council (BBSRC; https://bbsrc.ukri.org/) [grant number BB/M010996/1 to Abigail R I
Lee, BB/N018516/1 to Justin M Ales and BB/M001660/1 to Julie M Harris]." -- Funding
2020-06-26
2019-11-15T11:07:22Z
2019-11-15T11:07:22Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/18935
https://doi.org/10.17630/10023-18935
en
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
2022-11-07
Print and electronic copy restricted until 7th November 2022
294 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/111152019-04-01T10:40:29Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Neural mechanisms of executive function : the role of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus and medial prefrontal cortex in delayed spatial win-shift behaviour in the rat
Taylor, Claire L.
Winn, Philip
Brown, Verity Joy
QP383.17T2
Prefrontal cortex
The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) has been argued to be involved in mediating neural processing relating to executive functions (Winn, 1998). Since it
shares connections with fronto-striatal circuitry this proposal is not surprising. However, research examining the functions of structures within this system has frequently ignored the contribution of PPTg. The delayed spatial win-shift (DSWS)
task is a task that measures spatial working memory and, as such, has been used by
Phillips and colleagues to reveal the involvement of ventral striatal structures in this
form of "executive" behaviour. This suggests that structures interconnected with PFC share in some way frontal functions. As might be expected from its connections, the
involvement of PPTg in the same task has also been demonstrated (Keating & Winn,
2001). The current research was designed to assess further the involvement of PPTg in the DSWS task, and to compare this directly to the involvement of prefrontal cortex (PFC). In order to achieve this, rats with excitotoxic lesions of PPTg and medial PFC were assessed on the DSWS task, in addition to rats with crossed unilateral disconnection of medial PFC/PPTg. Statistically, results demonstrated both PPTg and medial PFC lesions produced similar impairments in the test phase of DSWS, characterised by increased errors, earlier error occurrence, and slower latencies. In contrast, disconnection lesions of medial PFC/PPTg produced an impairment that was fundamentally different. It was concluded that while this supports the importance of PPTg functioning within fronto-striatal systems, the pattern of impairment shown by disconnected rats suggested that this function
may not be executive per se but might be necessary for executive functions to influence behaviour.
2002
2017-06-29T12:52:07Z
2017-06-29T12:52:07Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
uk.bl.ethos.536560
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/11115
en
application/pdf
371 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/146982019-04-01T10:40:29Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The assessment of behavioural deficits following focal cerebral ischemia
Ward, Nicholas M.
Brown, Verity Joy
Medical Research Council (MRC)
QP385.W2
Brain--Localization of functions
Evaluating the efficacy of neuroprotective drugs in rat models of focal cerebral ischemia has involved histological and behavioural batteries to examine pathology and sensorimotor function. However, the behavioural tests used provide little insight into the nature of the neurological impairments. In an effort to gain further insight into the behavioural impairment following ischemic lesions, a battery of tasks were used. The tasks included tests of sensorimotor, motor (paw use), motivation, sensory and attentional function. The use of the potent vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 has allowed cerebral arteries to be occluded. This can be used to occlude the MCA (which is a common target of ischemia research), as well as other arteries, such as the ACA. Typically quantitative volumetric analysis has used nissl stains to assess lesion extent. However, alternative markers of tissue dysfunction are available including GFAP to assess the astroglial response to ischemia. Consequently cresyl violet and GFAP were compared along with different methods for calculating lesion volume. The boundaries of the lesion identified using the two stains corresponded closely providing care was taken when calculating lesion volume to avoid distortion from histological procedures and edema. Following MCA occlusion the rats displayed unilateral somatosensory and motor deficits, however there was no evidence of attentional dysfunction. Performance in the covert orienting task was compared with striatal dopamine depletion and with a posterior parietal cortical lesion. Neither of these manipulations resulted in deficits of covert orienting. Furthermore, the behavioural consequences of ACA occlusion were studied in two experiments using reaction time tasks designed to dissociate response impairments from dysfunction of motivation and attention. The ACA ischemic damage did not disrupt motivation or attention, however, the results were consistent with an impairment in selecting and initiating responses.
1997
2018-06-28T10:26:23Z
2018-06-28T10:26:23Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14698
en
application/pdf
213 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/191582021-04-19T14:07:01Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Testing the predictive coding account of temporal integration in the human visual system : a computational and behavioural study
Aitken, Fraser
Ales, Justin Michael
Wellcome Trust. Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF)
A major goal of vision science is to understand how the visual system maintains behaviourally
relevant perceptions given the level of uncertainty in the signals it receives. One proposed solution is
that the visual system applies predictive coding to its inputs based on the integration of prior
knowledge and current stimulus features. However, support for some vital aspects of predictive
coding in the temporal domain is lacking and simpler accounts of temporal integration also exist. The
aim of this thesis was to test two key attributes of predictive coding in time a) does the visual system
apply adaptive weighting to prediction errors and b) can the visual system apply probabilistic
information learnt from stimulus sequences when making predictions. In chapters 3 & 4, we tested
predictive coding’s ideas of how prediction errors are weighted under the theoretical guidance of a
temporal integration model linked to predictive processing, called the Kalman filter. Here, both
experiments supported predictive coding. We showed that, consistent with the Kalman filter, visual
estimates and the way estimation errors were corrected, adapted to stimulus behaviour and viewing
conditions. In chapter 5, we assessed the ability of the visual system to integrate conditional
relationships present in sequences of stimuli when making predictions. To do this, we inserted a
stimulus sequence that changed and omitted trials based on Markov transition probabilities that made some transitions more or less probable and assessed reaction times and omission trial responses.
Reaction time data was consistent with predictive coding, in that more predictable changes elicited
faster responses. Omission trials data, was though, less clear. When faced with no stimulus,
participants did not apply the conditional probabilities in their decisions optimally, instead applying
non optimal decision strategies, inconsistent with predictive coding. In summary, this thesis supports
the predictive coding of temporal integration but questions its application in all situations.
2019-12-03
2019-12-18T14:30:01Z
2019-12-18T14:30:01Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/19158
https://doi.org/10.17630/10023-19158
en
Testing the predictive coding account of temporal integration in the human visual system - a computational and behavioural study - Chapter_3 (thesis data) Aitken, F., University of St Andrews, 13 Nov 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17630/de1452f3-e75e-4df9-8780-bdee39678108
Testing the predictive coding account of temporal integration in the human visual system - a computational and behavioural study - Chapter_4 (thesis data) Aitken, F., University of St Andrews, 13 Nov 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17630/2f2868c9-03e1-4f11-b116-7df1ab5bc8d4
Testing the predictive coding account of temporal integration in the human visual system - a computational and behavioural study - Chapter_5 (thesis data) Aitken, F., University of St Andrews, 13 Nov 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17630/c6697f39-7bd1-4766-b666-d394aeeb717b
https://doi.org/10.17630/de1452f3-e75e-4df9-8780-bdee39678108
https://doi.org/10.17630/2f2868c9-03e1-4f11-b116-7df1ab5bc8d4
https://doi.org/10.17630/c6697f39-7bd1-4766-b666-d394aeeb717b
application/pdf
v, [8], 197 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/21432019-07-01T10:04:55Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Gestural communication in wild chimpanzees
Hobaiter, Catherine
Byrne, R. W.
Chimpanzee
Gesture
Great ape
Wild
Pan
Communication
QL737.P96H73
Chimpanzees--Behavior
Animal communication
Gesture
Great ape gesture is an elaborate, flexible system of intentional communication. It has been suggested that human language originated in gesture, thus, the gestural communication of great apes is of great interest for questions on the origin of language. To date, systematic studies of great ape gesture have been limited to restricted captive settings, supplemented by the study of a few specific gestures in wild populations. To address questions about gestural communication from an evolutionary perspective it is necessary to extend the systematic study of gesture into a wild ape population. I therefore undertook a 22-month study of gesture in the wild Sonso chimpanzee community in Budongo, Uganda.
Sonso chimpanzees employ a large repertoire of species-typical gestures in intentional communication; a proportion of this repertoire appears to be ape-typical, as would be expected with a biologically given trait. Chimpanzees can acquire new behavioural patterns through imitation; however, this apparently does not represent a significant means of acquiring gestures. Gesturing was employed regularly in an intentional manner from the end of the first year, and was used by chimpanzees of all ages to communicate across a range of contexts, including the evolutionarily urgent context of consortship. Immature chimpanzees used a wide range of gestures, which they combined into rapid sequences. With maturity, use of the repertoire was ‘tuned’ to focus on the most effective gestures, which were then used individually. Despite the evidence for referential pointing in captive chimpanzees, there was little evidence for the regular use of it in wild chimpanzees. Gestures were used to communicate a range of imperative requests that regulated social behaviour. Chimpanzee gestures vary from the ambiguous to the highly specific in meaning; and, while gestures were used flexibly, they tended to be associated with a single dominant meaning.
2012-06-21
2012-01-04T11:59:53Z
2012-01-04T11:59:53Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
uk.bl.ethos.552539
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2143
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
application/pdf
293
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/145812019-04-01T10:40:30Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The perception of motion
Brown, Kenneth Scott
QP493.B8
Movement
Extracting a motion signal for a two-dimensional contour requires the human visual system to derive a velocity vector from the spatially limited receptive fields of motion sensitive cortical cells. An individual cell's response may not specify the contour's true velocity. Models of motion often combine the outputs of different classes of receptive fields to generate a reliable motion signal. Their efficacy was tested by comparing their predictions with human psychophysical performance. The perceived speed of co-linear inclined line segments in horizontal translation was subject to a bias in favour of the local components of the contour. Single tilted lines were also subject to a bias in perceived speed. Experiments investigated the effects of grouping, co-linearity, eccentricity, terminator proximity and stimulus uncertainty on perceived speed and clearly showed that the perceived velocity of line segments is not obtained by a simple averaging process of local velocity signals and veridical velocity signals of line terminators. Variation of the spatial position of terminators was sufficient to abolish the bias in perceived speed of horizontally drifting inclined lines. Neither "vector-average" nor "winner-take-all" rules are sufficient to account for this. The method of integration of one-dimensional components into two-dimensional plaid patterns was explored in two experiments recording thresholds for perceived rotation of drifting plaids. Type II plaids are not subject to the oblique effect found for rotation discrimination thresholds for type IS plaids. Plaid rotation induced by a speed change in one of the components showed that direction perception does not follow a strict interpretation of the "intersection of constraints rule". As current models of motion integration fail to provide a full account of the perceived speed and direction of two-dimensional patterns; higher-order attentional processes should be incorporated into models of motion perception.
1996
2018-06-26T09:04:32Z
2018-06-26T09:04:32Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14581
en
application/pdf
175 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/36042019-04-01T10:40:31Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Development of a neurophysiological sensory gating model in the rat to aid in the preclinical identification of possible treatments of sensory flooding in schizophrenia
Bloomfield, Andrew
Bowman, Eric MacDonald
RF294.5E87B6
Auditory evoked response--Physiological aspects
Auditory evoked response--Testing
Sensory disorders
Schizophrenia--Physiological aspects
Objective: It has been widely hypothesized that a failure to properly filter, or ‘gate’, incoming auditory information occurs in schizophrenic patients. This can be observed in a reduced event-related potential response to the second of a pair of clicks, and this is referred to as
P50 suppression after the name of the component that is attenuated to the second click. Our aim was to develop a model of gating failure in rats by measuring event-related potentials at different intervals between the clicks to validate that apparent gating in rats looks like P50 suppression in humans. We also sought to determine the relationship between two of the most commonly used assays of auditory gating: the mismatch negativity (an event-related potential evoked when a series of standard tones is followed by a deviant or oddball tone) and neurophysiological suppression in the double-click paradigm.
Methods: Male outbred Lister Hooded rats (N=8) were tested using electrophysiology
to record P50-like event-related potentials (ERPs) to assess the overall competence of the rats' sensory gating. The rat N40 potential, thought to be equivalent to the human P50 potential, was measured after each of two 85-dBZ paired (conditioning and test) 0.1msec duration clicks separated by inter-stimulus intervals of 250msec, 500msec, 1000msec, and 2000msec presented at 10second inter-trial intervals. If the N40 potentials are similar to the human P50, then the magnitude of the potential of the second click should be attenuated (a measure of gating of the repetitive stimulus). Additionally, we were interested in whether the suppression of the rat N40 to the second click was similar to the suppression of the human P50 in being vulnerable to disruption by amphetamine. We measured N40 suppression in four conditions: pre-drug, after saline injection, after 6 dextroamphetamine
injection, and post-drug. Finally, we correlated the N40suppression with another neurophysiological measure of gating, the mismatch negativity.
Results: We determined that as the inter-stimulus interval increased in duration, the degree of N40 suppression decreased linearly. The administration of d-amphetamine had a non-significant effect, although our results indicate that further testing with a slightly larger sample size would be relevant. Finally, the relationship between the MMN and N40 suppression was weak, which is similar to the relationship between the human P50 suppression and mismatch negativity.
Conclusions: These data are a relevant initial step towards a neurophysiological sensory gating model to aid in preclinical identification of possible treatments of sensory flooding in schizophrenia. The characteristics of the rat N40 suppression match those of the human P50 suppression with the apparent exception of vulnerability to disruption by amphetamine.
2011
2013-06-04T15:40:24Z
2013-06-04T15:40:24Z
Thesis
Doctoral
MPhil Master of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3604
en
application/pdf
44
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/179682023-05-06T02:01:45Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Targeting benefits and interactions in multisensory processing : a novel modelling framework for exploring the redundant signal effect
Innes, Bobby Richard
Otto, Thomas
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Reaction times
Multimodal integration
Perceptual decision-making
Probability summation
Redundancy gain
Context independence
Logic gates
Serial dependence
Miller's inequality
Interactive race model
Coactivation model
BF317.I6
Reaction time
Senses and sensation
Decision making--Psychological aspects
An overarching goal of multisensory research is to understand the rules by which multiple sensory signals are combined to produce behavioural benefits. One example of a multisensory benefit is that response times (RTs) to multisensory signals are faster than RTs to either component unisensory signal (the redundant signal effect). In contrast to other areas of multisensory research, a common explanatory model framework (and thus the basic combination rule) has yet to emerge for multisensory RT benefits. One key reason for this lack of progress would seem to be that additional processing interactions are infrequently quantified, and are rarely incorporated into a formal model of RTs. In this thesis, I assess the ability of a previously-neglected model class – so called race models – to account for both benefits and interactions. To do so, I develop and apply a comparative approach to RT analysis. This approach tests different experimental factors which attempt target sources of benefits and interactions. The effect of these manipulations is compared across 3 key analytical steps. First, the size of the multisensory benefit (i.e. the redundant signal effect) is computed, and compared to the basic prediction of the race model combination rule. Second, indicators of processing
interactions beyond the basic combination rule are quantified. Third, a formal race model is applied to explain benefits and processing interactions. By consistently applying this comparative approach, I demonstrate that the race model framework offers a simple yet powerful account of multisensory benefits across participants. This suggests a basic combination rule for multisensory RT benefits. In addition, a new interpretation of interactions emerges by applying a race model framework, which highlights an important role of context. This approach suggests a common foundation for future studies of multisensory RTs, which can implement the same analytical steps within a wide range of experimental contexts.
2019-06-28
2019-06-26T11:55:39Z
2019-06-26T11:55:39Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/17968
https://doi.org/10.17630/10023-17968
en
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
application/pdf
202, [10] p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/145902019-07-15T10:16:30Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Perception and recognition of computer-enhanced facial attributes and abstracted prototypes
Benson, Philip J.
Perrett, David
University of St Andrews
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
QP492.B3
Form, solidity, size
The influence of the human facial image was surveyed and the nature of its many interpretations were examined. The role of distinctiveness was considered particularly relevant as it accounted for many of the impressions of character and identity ascribed to individuals. The notion of structural differences with respect to some selective essence of normality is especially important as it allows a wide range of complex facial types to be considered and understood in an objective manner. A software tool was developed which permitted the manipulation of facial images. Quantitative distortions of digital images were examined using perceptual and recognition memory paradigms. Seven experiments investigated the role of distinctiveness in memory for faces using synthesised caricatures. The results showed that caricatures, both photographic and line-drawing, improved recognition speed and accuracy, indicating that both veridical and distinctiveness information are coded for familiar faces in long-term memory. The impact of feature metrics on perceptual estimates of facial age was examined using 'age-caricatured' images and were found to be in relative accordance with the 'intended' computed age. Further modifying the semantics permitted the differences between individual faces to be visualised in terms of facial structure and skin texture patterns. Transformations of identity between two, or more, faces established the necessary matrices which can offer an understanding of facial expression in a categorical manner and the inherent interactions. A procedural extension allowed generation of composite images in which all features are perfectly aligned. Prototypical facial types specified in this manner enabled high-level manipulations to be made of gender and attractiveness; two experiments corroborated previously speculative material and thus gave credence to the prototype model. In summary, psychological assessment of computer-manipulated facial images demonstrated the validity of the objective techniques and highlighted particular parameters which contribute to our perception and recognition of the individual and of underlying facial types.
1993
2018-06-26T09:56:14Z
2018-06-26T09:56:14Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14590
en
application/pdf
286 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/144712019-04-01T10:40:32Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Poor readers' use of orthographic information in reading, memory and phonological tasks
McNeil, Alan M.
Johnston, Rhona
Quinn, Gerry
LB1050.5M7
This thesis examined the abilities of 10-12 year old poor readers and reading age controls in phonological processing, printed word learning, reading and memory based tasks. It was found that the poor readers showed little impairment in carrying out phonological segmentation of spoken words, though there was more marked impairment with nonwords. Nonword reading was found to be slower than that of controls and poor readers also demonstrated a tendency to provide letter names rather than sounds in a phoneme identification task. In a study of learning new print vocabulary it was found that the poor readers were slower than controls to learn to read the set of nonwords accurately, and had poorer auditory memory for the items. However, they were much better at identifying these items in a visual recognition task. They also showed a less marked regularity effect and were more influenced by the visual appearance of words in an auditory rhyme judgement task. In a study of their working memories, the poor readers showed a visual bias in their memory codes for serial recall of pictorial stimuli, i.e. they showed no word length effect, a phonemic similarity effect of reduced magnitude, and a visual similarity effect. This indicated the use of a visual strategy to remember pictures, rather than the verbal coding preferred by the controls. When words were presented auditorily or in print form, however, the poor readers showed normal phonemic similarity and word length effects. It was concluded that poor readers rely on visual information where the presented images are highly codable, and verbal recoding is not obligatory, but that they will make use of phonological coding when the stimuli are not easily codable visually in memory. The results of these investigations suggest that these poor readers' visual and verbal coding systems might be poorly linked. Thus, when learning to read new words poor readers might prefer to use visual coding. Accordingly, poor readers may rely on intact visual processes because they need to compensate for inefficient or poorly connected visual and verbal systems, rather than because they have inefficient phonological processing skills as such.
2002
2018-06-22T14:05:39Z
2018-06-22T14:05:39Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14471
en
application/pdf
313 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/72622019-07-01T10:11:56Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Adherence in behavioural interventions for stroke patients : measurement and prediction
Joice, Sara A.
Johnston, Marie
R727.43J7
Patient compliance
Cerebrovascular disease--Patients--Psychology
Medicine and psychology
Background: With the increasing incidence in stroke and the resultant high prevalence of residual disability resources are not adequately meeting the needs of the patients. Furthermore patients continue to express dissatisfaction with their care. New interventions are being developed and evaluated. However, when offered these new interventions, patients may refuse or not participate fully. A stroke workbook intervention was developed through a line of research examining the role of perceived control in recovery. During the randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluating its efficacy patients failed to fully participate in the activities proposed in the workbook. Why, when there is such a dearth of treatment available, do stroke patients not fully participate in or adhere to the interventions offered?
Methods: Three studies were conducted, a predictive study using the intervention group of the RCT exploring the demographic, clinical and psychological factors predicting adherence; a predictive study using one of the intervention groups from a larger 2x2 RCT to examine the predictors of adherence to an easier intervention (video); and a third longitudinal study examining the efficacy of an even simpler intervention (letter) on increasing adherence to the video. The theoretical framework of Leventhal’s Self Regulation Model was used to develop the letter intervention and to explain the findings.
Results: Five types of adherence behaviours emerged from the three studies, all with their own difficulties of definition, measurement and their individual predictor variables. Gender, impairment and illness representations were all predictive of adherence. An easier intervention promoted adherence especially for men and the more impaired. Women appeared to adhere more readily to the complex intervention. These gender differences may be associated with illness representations. A theoretical-based letter does not increase adherence per se but may increase the amount of adherence to an easier intervention.
Conclusion: Adherence behaviour is not one type of behaviour and is associated with measurement difficulties. The Self-Regulation model appeared to offer some logical explanations to the findings. The findings have clinical implications and could possibly be associated with patients’ satisfaction with care.
2005
2015-08-18T09:04:15Z
2015-08-18T09:04:15Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
uk.bl.ethos.548605
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7262
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
application/pdf
xviii, 308 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/104832019-04-01T10:40:33Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Attention regulation and behavioural flexibility in rats with relevance to schizophrenia
Whyte, Alonzo
Brown, Verity Joy
University of St Andrews. 600th Anniversary Scholarship
Attention
Schizophrenia
Set-shifting
Bayesian
Cognition
RC514.S5W58
Schizophrenia
Attention
Set (sychology)
Rats--Behavior
Schizophrenia is a neuropsychological disorder in which the neural systems which regulate attention allocation, primarily the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, are dysfunctional, resulting in deficient gating of attention to irrelevant inputs from the environment. This sensory processing dysfunction hinders goal-directed behaviour to the extent that the subsequent cognitive deficits of schizophrenia prevent many chronic patients from leading normal lives. It is the onus of neuroscience to understand the nature of deficits induced by the disorder, thus providing target mechanisms for remediation of those deficits in patients. To accomplish this, manipulations in rats with relevance to schizophrenia are examined in assays with translation to human neurobiology and behaviour. In this thesis, three manipulations with relevance to schizophrenia, were examined for attentional regulation in the attentional set-shifting task, and similar assays, to determine how different forms of schizophrenia-related pathology influence attentional regulation and behavioural flexibility.
The foremost findings of the experiments herein were that manipulations inducing schizophrenia-related neurobiology, resulted in impaired performance in extradimensional set-shifting and reversal learning. These deficits were found following: acute inhibition of the mPFC in adult rats, in adult rats who had been exposed to a glutamate receptor antagonist during the neonatal period of development, and/or in adult rats who had gestational disruption of neuron proliferation. Across all three manipulations, a clear behavioural pattern of deficient sensory gating, evidenced by responding to irrelevant stimuli during the set-shifting task was found.
These findings suggest that at the core of the cognitive deficits in schizophrenia is the ‘loosening of associations’ such that patients suffer the inability to regulate attention, and limit sensory processing to relevant information. The subsequent aberrant learning about irrelevant information then impairs performance during goal-directed behaviours.
2017-06-20
2017-03-16T14:26:59Z
2017-03-16T14:26:59Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
uk.bl.ethos.707266
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/10483
en
application/pdf
x, 181 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/85132019-04-01T10:40:33Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Purinergic and cholinergic modulation of spinal motor networks in mice
Witts, Emily
Miles, Gareth Brian
Motor control
Spinal cord
QP371.W5
Motor control
Motor neurons
Spinal cord
Mice--Physiology
Neuromodulation allows flexibility within networks of neurons controlling rhythmic motor behaviours. This thesis explores how purinergic and cholinergic neuromodulation contributes to the functioning of spinal motor networks in mice.
Purinergic modulation in the spinal cord was investigated using neonatal mouse in vitro spinal cord preparations in which locomotor-related bursts of activity were pharmacologically induced. Ventral root recordings from these preparations showed that glia release ATP, which is broken down to adenosine and binds to A1 adenosine receptors to reduce the frequency of locomotor-related bursts. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings showed that adenosine opens leak potassium channels in ventral horn interneurons, leading to general network inhibition. Interestingly, although adenosine reduces synaptic inputs in interneurons and motoneurons, interneurons show a reversible hyperpolarisation and reduction of miniature postsynaptic currents (mPSCs) in response to adenosine, while motoneurons show a reversible depolarisation and no change in mPSCs. It was therefore concluded that adenosine opens leak potassium channels in ventral horn interneurons which reduces the speed of locomotor-related output from the whole network. However, motoneuron activity is prevented from falling so far as to cause muscle contraction to cease.
Cholinergic modulation of mouse spinal motor networks was also investigated. Pitx2+ cells, known to be the source of cholinergic C-bouton inputs to motoneurons, were selectively transfected with channelrhodopsin and light was used to activate the Pitx2+ cell population. Pitx2+ cell activation was found to reduce rheobase and range of firing in small numbers of spinal motoneurons. The role of Pitx2+ cells in behaviour was also investigated by testing adult mice before and after Pitx2+ cell ablation. No difference in performance was observed in reaching or ladder walking tasks. It therefore seems likely that activation of Pitx2+ cells modulates motoneurons via C bouton synapses, but this modulation is task-dependent and is not critical for goal-directed movements requiring fine motor control.
2016-06-21
2016-03-30T09:16:23Z
2016-03-30T09:16:23Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
uk.bl.ethos.682787
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/8513
en
application/pdf
138 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/119532019-04-01T10:40:34Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Meaning, sociality and dialog in bonobo (Pan paniscus) gestural communication : an observational study at the Milwaukee County Zoo
Orr, Elizabeth
Byrne, Richard
QL737.P96O8
Bonobo--Behavior
Gesture
Apes use gestures in an intentional and highly flexible manner. It has been proposed that human language originated in gestural communication and therefore ape gestures have been of great interest to primatologists and psychologists alike. The extensive, flexible and intentional nature of ape gestural communication may also provide new insights to the study of social regulation as large communicative systems are thought to be useful in navigating complex social landscapes. To date studies of bonobos and their use of gestures has occurred in limited contexts and therefore the known repertoire of bonobos is relatively small. It is also unknown as to what bonobos use gestures for and whether they use those gestures flexibly in order to regulate their social relationships. To investigate these questions I studied a captive population of bonobos for 12 months at the Milwaukee County Zoo, Wisconsin, USA. Milwaukee bonobos used 55 gesture types over the course of the study period. I found that bonobos have particular goals behind their signalling and that bonobos used gestures consistently for specific goals and that the same gestures were used for the same goals across signallers. It was therefore possible to identify to meanings behind over half of the gestures within the bonobo repertoire. Even though the meanings of gestures were consistent across signallers, the age and sex of a signaller influenced what context and for what purpose he or she used gestural communication. Particular types of signallers used gestures for particular goals and directed those gestures towards particular recipients. Bonobos also used gestures within dialog during special circumstances in order to coordinate asymmetrical interactions. These results indicate that gestural communication is an excellent medium for investigating the influence a large, intentional and flexible communication system has on managing a complex social network.
2014-04
2017-10-30T16:31:36Z
2017-10-30T16:31:36Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/11953
en
application/pdf
vii, 152 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/120942022-08-29T13:48:20Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Adolescent stress and social experiences : developmental antecedents of adult behavioural responses to unfamiliar stimuli and the underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms
Emmerson, Michael George
Spencer, Karen Anne
Brown, Gillian R.
University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews. School of Psychology and Neuroscience
Developmental stress
Adolescence
Glucocorticoids
Social environment
Neophobia
HPA axis
QP82.2S8E66
Rats--Development
Zebra finch
Stress (Physiology)
Neuroendocrinology
During adolescence, animals leave the natal home and interact with potentially threatening stimuli (i.e. stressors), e.g. unfamiliar environments and conspecifics. Adolescent stressors can result in fewer interactions with unfamiliar stimuli in adulthood, plausibly due to sustained effects of glucocorticoid exposure on stress physiology (e.g. glucocorticoid secretion and receptor expression). The current thesis tested the hypothesis that adolescent glucocorticoid exposure and social experiences act as stressors by quantifying the effects of the adolescent experiences on behavioural responses to unfamiliar stimuli and the underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms when in adulthood using two captive species, zebra finches and rats. In study one, adolescent zebra finches were dosed with the glucocorticoid corticosterone. In adulthood, birds dosed with corticosterone in early adolescence took longer to enter an unfamiliar environment when tested individually and had lower expression of the glucocorticoid receptor GR in the hippocampus and hypothalamus, brain regions that regulate stress responses. Glucocorticoids therefore appear to be an endocrine mechanism behind the long-term effects of adolescent stress. Subsequent studies explored whether higher social density and more unfamiliar social interactions during adolescence act as stressors. In study two, early adolescent zebra finches were housed in groups varying in conspecific number and density. In adulthood, females raised in larger groups secreted a higher stressor-induced corticosterone concentration and, if raised at lower density, spent more time in an unfamiliar environment when group housed. In study
three, adolescent female rats were housed in familiar pairs or exposed to unfamiliar conspecifics. Unfamiliar adolescent interactions had no effects on responses to unfamiliar environments or stress physiology in adulthood, but heightened ultrasonic call rates. In this thesis, adolescent social experiences do not act like stressors, but modulate (especially female)
social behaviour. Adolescent stressors and social experiences therefore have distinct effects on responses to unfamiliar stimuli and stress physiology that are maintained into adulthood.
2017-12-07
2017-11-15T09:46:43Z
2017-11-15T09:46:43Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/12094
en
Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
application/pdf
xix, 295 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/281092024-01-05T12:27:45Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Investigating the early changes in intrinsic properties and synaptic inputs in the vulnerable fast-type motoneurons of SOD1ᴳ⁹³ᴬ mouse model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Gnanasampanthan, Arauthy Gina
Miles, Gareth Brian
SPRINT-MND/MS (Scottish PhD Research & Innovation Network Traineeships in MND/MS) programme
Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research
Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Government
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Intrinsic properties
Motoneurons
Synaptic inputs
Whole-cell patch clamp
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterised by the deterioration of upper and lower motoneurons (MNs), which leads to paralysis and death. Pathophysiological alterations in MN output have been shown at early postnatal stages in ALS model mice; however, it is unclear whether these changes are due to alterations in synaptic inputs or intrinsic MN properties. Here, we investigated the mechanisms contributing to altered MN output by using whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology to study MN properties and synaptic inputs to MNs during the first two postnatal weeks in the SOD1ᴳ⁹³ᴬ mouse model of ALS. Our study targeted delayed firing, fast- type lumbar MNs that are vulnerable and degenerate in ALS. We observed increases in the frequency of mixed postsynaptic currents (PSCs) received by SOD1ᴳ⁹³ᴬ MNs and application of tetrodotoxin also showed increased frequency of action-potential independent miniature PSCs (mPSCs). When pharmacologically characterising the origin of mPSC, we observed a decrease in excitatory mPSC frequency and increases in both frequency and amplitude of inhibitory mPSC in fast-type SOD1ᴳ⁹³ᴬ MN.
Analysis of MN intrinsic properties, including capacitance, rheobase, persistent inward currents and post-discharge activity, revealed no significant changes in fast-type MNs of SOD1ᴳ⁹³ᴬ mice. However, a significant increase in the hyperpolarisation-activated inward current (Ih), an important factor driving recruitment and rebound depolarisation, was observed in two-week-old SOD1ᴳ⁹³ᴬ mice. Next, we investigated the distribution of excitatory and inhibitory post-synaptic density (PSDs) and their subsynaptic nanoclusters (NCs) in motoneuron rich area of lamina IX of SOD1ᴳ⁹³ᴬ mice. Super-resolution microscopy revealed decreases in both excitatory and inhibitory NCs size in SOD1ᴳ⁹³ᴬ. We found that although the density of inhibitory PSD is lower in the SOD1ᴳ⁹³ᴬ, there was no difference in the excitatory: inhibitory ratio (E:I) in the second postnatal week of SOD1ᴳ⁹³ᴬ mice.
Overall, early postnatal changes observed in synaptic inputs demonstrate an early role for synaptic dysfunction in SOD1 ALS. Changes in Ih and synaptic inputs may both contribute to improper MN output as the disease progresses. These early changes together could set up the neuronal network for failure which could lead to progressive degeneration of spinal MNs in SOD1ᴳ⁹³ᴬ ALS.
“I would like to first thank the organisers of the SPRINT MND/MS programme, the Euan MacDonald Centre, and the Chief Scientist Office for providing funding and support during my PhD.”--Acknowledgements
2023-11-29
2023-08-04T14:02:03Z
2023-08-04T14:02:03Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/28109
https://doi.org/10.17630/sta/565
en
application/pdf
application/msword
150
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/188872021-04-16T08:56:24Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Investigating the pathophysiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using motoneurons and astrocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells obtained from ALS patients
Chouhan, Amit Kumar
Miles, Gareth Brian
Motor Neurone Disease Association (Great Britain)
University of St Andrews. St Leonard's College
Neurodegeneration
Motor Neurone Disease
Motoneuron Excitability
Human Stem Cells
Non-cell autonomous
Human induced pluripotent stem cell derived astrocytes & motoneurons
Functional maturity of motoneurons
2019-12-03
2019-11-08T14:19:41Z
2019-11-08T14:19:41Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/18887
https://doi.org/10.17630/10023-18887
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
2022-11-04
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Electronic copy restricted until 4th November 2022
212 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
School of Psychology and Neuroscience
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/36302019-07-01T10:03:31Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Sex differences in interpretation bias and interpersonal difficulties in adolescence and young adulthood
Gluck, Rachel L.
Brown, Gillian R.
Dritschel, Barbara
Adolescence
Sex differences
Gender differences
Interpretation bias
Depression
Social anxiety
Interpersonal difficulty
Cognitive vulnerability
BF323.S63G6
Social perception--Sex differences
Interpersonal relations--Sex differences
Prejudices--Sex differences
Women--Attitudes
Females are more likely to become depressed and experience social anxiety than are males, and this sex difference emerges during adolescence. A difference in interpretation of ambiguous social scenarios has been posited as a potential causal factor of the sex differences in mood disorders. Females are also thought to place a higher value on social relationships than are males, which may cause them to view interpersonal relationships as more difficult, further affecting their interpretations of ambiguous social events. To test these hypotheses, differences in interpretation of ambiguous events and perception of interpersonal difficulty were measured using the AIBQ in adolescents (aged 12-15) and young adults (22-25). The participants also rated the level of perceived difficulty of different interpersonal relationships using the QIDA, such as romantic, peer, family, etc. Results showed that females were more likely than males to have negative explanations come to mind for ambiguous social and nonsocial scenarios, and had more negative beliefs than males about ambiguous social scenarios. Adolescents were more negative in belief for social events than for nonsocial events, and were more negative in belief for social scenarios than were adults. All participants had more positive interpretations for nonsocial scenarios than social. No sex or age differences in positive interpretations or interpersonal difficulties were found. Future studies could track the changes as adolescents age and transition into young adulthood.
2013-06-25
2013-06-07T11:31:20Z
2013-06-07T11:31:20Z
Thesis
Doctoral
MPhil Master of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3630
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/
application/pdf
75
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/66112019-04-01T10:40:35Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
We are what we remember : an examination of autobiographical memory across the lifespan and the impact of Alzheimer’s disease
Lonson, Celeste Shin-Ru
Astell, Arlene
Dritschel, Barbara
BF378.A87L7
Alzheimer’s disease
Autobiographical memory
“If you could somehow reprogram a person’s brain and change a significant memory in someone’s life, would that individual become someone else entirely?” According to McAdams (1985), a loss of autobiographical memory (AM) can be seen as a loss of identity, as identity is based on our personal experiences. As it is not currently possible to target and then alter specific memories within an individual brain, the AM of a healthy older group were compared to a group with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The main question of this thesis was, “does a loss in AM result in a loss of identity?” This thesis explores AM across the life course through a series of four experiments with young and older adults, including a group with AD. Results support the critical role of the working-self in determining the self-relevance of AM across the lifespan.
2014-10
2015-04-30T15:27:41Z
2015-04-30T15:27:41Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/6611
en
application/pdf
xiii, 228
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/28332019-04-01T10:40:37Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Feeding, ranging and social organisation of the Guinea baboon
Sharman, Martin John
Whiten, Andrew
QL737.P93S2
Baboons
Baboons--Behavior
Before this study, the Guinea or Western baboon, Papio papio, was almost unknown in its natural environment. This thesis reports a nineteen-month field study of two troops of P. papio carried out in south-eastern Senegal. The monkeys were followed on foot, and aspects of their feeding, ranging and social behaviour were recorded.
The troops were censused whenever possible. Both study groups, and other troops in the area, were found to be unusually large by comparison with other known troops in the genus, and although their age-sex compositions were not exceptional, there was some indication that recruitment into the adult population was low.
The activity budgets of both troops were similar, and members of both troops spent more time moving and feeding in the dry season than they did in the wet, when they spent more time in social behaviour. These differences were probably related to seasonal changes in productivity, which were large, since no rain feel in six months of the year.
The home range of one of the study troops covered about 45 to 50 square kilometres, while the other troop, whose home range was less well known, ranged over about 18 to 20 square kilometres. There were no seasonal differences in the mean distance travelled per day by either troop, although there was great daily variation about the mean of roughly 8 kilometres. This distance was greater than that travelled by most other troops of baboons, and was ascribed to low productivity in the dry season and large troops in the wet. The troops visited some habitats more frequently than they did others, and moved more slowly through those that they visited frequently than through those that they visited frequently than through those they visited less frequently. In the dry season both troops visited areas in which there was relatively dense shade more frequently than they did areas with little shade. In the wet season they avoided areas in which variability was poor.
Sleeping sites were found to have a profound influence on the ranging patterns of the baboons, with usage of the home ranges being inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the nearest sleeping site. The baboons apparently chose to sleep in trees which afforded them protection against predation. The sleeping sites were restricted to places in which there was permanent water.
The baboons were largely frugivorous. In this they resembled baboon troops studied in other areas. Their diet changed throughout the year, as various plants fruited or seeded, and was more diverse in the wet season, when a wider variety of foods was available. More than a hundred different food items were known to be eaten, and the number of known food types increased throughout the study. Animals in their diet were mostly invertebrates found beneath boulders, but some vertebrates were also eaten.
The social organisation and mating system of these baboons were compared with those of the other baboons, including Theropithecus gelada. It was unlikely that they lived in a society in which adult females were constrained to mate with only one male, as are females in two other species of baboon. Instead, there appeared to be competition for sexual partners, with the formation of consortships between adults during the time of the female’s oestrus. Adult males groomed each other in this species, which is uncommon in baboons with competitive mating, except at times of stress.
1982
2012-06-21T13:02:30Z
2012-06-21T13:02:30Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2833
en
application/pdf
287
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/146862019-04-01T10:40:38Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Electrophysiological studies of memory for pictures and words
Schloerscheidt, Astrid M.
QP406.S6
Memory
The retrieval of information from explicit memory has been associated with three temporally and topographically dissociable ERP correlates, an early bilateral and late right frontal component as well as a left parietal effect. The three studies in this thesis investigated that material-specificity of these ERP old/new effects to address the question whether the ERP correlates of memory retrieval vary according to the nature of the information that is retrieved. The studies compared the ERP correlates for retrieval of pictures and words, when presented in the same modality at study and test and when presented across modalities (i.e., words at study - pictures at test or vice versa) in the two phases. Results provided little evidence for the engagement of different neural generators for the retrieval of the different types of stimuli. The topographic differences that emerged, suggested the engagement of a common set of generators activated at different levels and with a different time-course, depending on the type of encoding stimulus and retrieval cue. However, the results did provide further evidence regarding the functional interpretations of the established old/new effects. All experimental conditions revealed a left parietal effect which was largest when the encoding stimuli were presented in pictorial form. Given that the rich perceptual information inherent in pictures leads to a greater incidence of episodic retrieval for pictures (picture superiority effect) the current finding provides further support for the functional interpretation of this effect as the neural correlate of recollection. All experimental conditions also revealed a late right frontal effect which showed no differences in magnitude or topography between the different conditions. This insensitivity to the type of encoded material and the type of retrieval cue supports the interpretation of the effect as the neural correlate of post-retrieval monitoring processes. New functional properties of the early bilateral frontal effect emerged. The effect was only present when stimuli were presented in the same modality at study and test. Thus, the effect appears to be highly sensitive to the perceptual similarity of an item between study and test, which suggests a functional correlation to perceptual data-driven processes, proposed to be one of the bases of familiarity-driven recognition.
1999
2018-06-28T09:09:09Z
2018-06-28T09:09:09Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14686
en
application/pdf
241 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/110242019-04-01T10:40:39Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Cognitive and neural processes underlying memory for time and context
Persson, Bjorn Martin
Ainge, James Alexander
O'Connor, Akira Robert
Episodic memory
Temporal memory
Context memory
Cognitive neuroscience
Medial temporal lobe
Lateral entorhinal cortex
QP406.P4
Memory
Cognitive neuroscience
Episodic memory
The aim of this thesis is to examine the underlying cognitive and neural processes at play
during retrieval of temporal and contextual source information. This was assessed across
three experimental chapters. In the first experimental chapter, Chapter 2, the neural loci of
context associations were assessed. Rats trained on an odour-context association task were
given lesions to either the Lateral Entorhinal Cortex (LEC) or sham lesions. After surgery,
performance on the odour-context task was assessed. It was hypothesised that memory for
previously learned odour-context associations would be impaired following LEC lesions but
not sham lesions. The results supported this hypothesis, demonstrating impaired memory for
the previously learned odour-context associations in the LEC lesion group compared to the
Sham lesion. In Chapter 3, the underlying retrieval processes used to retrieve time and
context in human memory was assessed across three experiments. It was hypothesised that
time would be remembered accurately using both recollection and familiarity, while correct
context memory should rely on recollection alone. Two out of the three experiments
supported this hypothesis, demonstrating that temporal information can be retrieved using
familiarity in certain instances. The final experimental Chapter 4 used fMRI to extend
Chapter 3 and examine whether neural activity would be greater in regions associated with
recollection during memory for context, while activity in familiarity-related regions would be
higher during memory for time. Results revealed no support for these predictions with no
regions linked to recollection showing greater context-related activity, and no regions
previously linked to familiarity exhibiting increased activation as temporal information was
retrieved. The results are discussed in relation to established recollection and familiarity
frameworks and previous work examining the neural substrates supporting memory for time
and context.
2017-06-20
2017-06-19T13:18:01Z
2017-06-19T13:18:01Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/11024
en
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
application/pdf
225 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/98922022-08-29T13:52:45Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Virtuous violence : a social identity approach to understanding the politics of prejudice in inter-group relations
Rath, Rakshi
Reicher, Stephen
University of St Andrews. School of Psychology and Neuroscience
Social psychology
Violence
Inter-group relations
Intra-group relations
Leadership
Hate rhetoric
Solidarity discourse
Mobilisation
Politics
Prejudice
Social identity theory
Self categorisation theory
HM753.R28
Group identity
Prejudices
Hate
Race relations--India
Hate speech--India
Social groups--India
The aim of the thesis is to provide a social identity account of the politics of mobilisation: based on hatred mostly, in contrast with accounts of solidarity. The bulk of the thesis concentrates on exploring how and why is prejudice in the form of hatred mobilised in inter-group relations. Three studies parse the structure of hate discourse of Hindu right-wing groups in India. Study 1 and study 2 are qualitative studies that analyse the production of hate in two mediums of communication, while study 3 is an experimental study demonstrating the reception of hate. The studies analyse the structure of hate discourse with the theoretical lens of a social identity framework to explicate a context of categories and category-relations, while colouring in the contents of the categories with data from India. The first contention is, if a virtuous in-group can be construed as under threat from an out-group, then, the annihilation of the other can be justified as the defence of virtue. In the other words, violence becomes virtuous. The second contention is, the process that motivates out-group hate discourse derives from struggles over intra-group authority. That is, out-group threats are invoked in order to condemn political rivals for in-group power as not representing the group and not defending group interests. This sets up the foil for the leader to position ‘self’ as the ideal leader who protects and represents the in-group, while undermining the credibility of the political rival. Study 4 is a qualitative study analysing counter-hegemonic discourse on mobilisations against the rhetoric of hatred. Taken together, the first 3 studies argue that hatred is not an inherent feature of individuals or a natural fall-out of inter-group processes, it is mobilised for specific political aims. The fourth study looks at the dimensions with which other leaders counteract the politics of hate; when hatred can be mobilised, so can solidarity. The theoretical implications and limitations have been discussed.
2016-11-30
2016-11-28T17:02:31Z
2016-11-28T17:02:31Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/9892
en
application/pdf
204, [35] p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/32272019-04-01T10:40:40Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Multiple expressions of hemispheric asymmetry in captive chimpanzees
Braccini, Stephanie
Fitch, Tecumseh
Gomez, Juan-Carlos
QP385.5B83
Laterality
Left- and right-handedness
Chimpanzees--Behavior
Cerebral dominance
The degree to which non-human primate behaviour is lateralized, at individual or
population levels, remains controversial and over the last century, the issue of brain
lateralization in primates has been extensively researched and debated, yet no previous study has reported eye preference or head turning in great apes. This thesis examines three different expressions of hemispheric asymmetry in lateralized behaviours: hand preference for bipedal tool use, eye preference, and auditory laterality.
It is reported that bipedalism induced the subjects to become more lateralized, but not in any particular direction. Instead, it appeared that subtle pre-existing lateral biases, to the right or left, were emphasized with increasing postural demands.
Eye preference was assessed when animals looked through a hole, using one eye, at an
empty box, a mirror, a picture of a dog, a rubber snake, food biscuits, bananas, a rubber duck and a video camera. Main effects of stimulus type were reported for direction of eye preference, number of looks, and looking duration, but not for strength of eye
preference. A left-eye bias was found for viewing the rubber snake and a right eye bias
was found for viewing the bananas. In addition, a significant shift in eye preference took place from the initial look to subsequent looks when viewing the snake. The results reported are not consistent with the literature for other primate studies.
Lastly, auditory laterality was assessed using the Hauser and Andersson (1994) head
turning paradigm. Chimpanzee and American crow calls were broadcast to subjects
from 180° behind them and directional head turning was recorded. No difference in
turning direction or latency was found. This lack of result was attributed to the
methodology and underlying assumption that head turning is directly related to
hemispheric asymmetries and not influenced by any other processes.
2012-11-30
2012-10-25T13:49:17Z
2012-10-25T13:49:17Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3227
en
application/pdf
138
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/169862023-12-01T15:34:04Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
An investigation of the three-tier relationships between
distaste, disgust expression recognition, and moral
responsivity
Uh, Stepheni
Perrett, David
Sprengelmeyer, Reiner
Robert T. Jones, Jr. Fellowship
BF575.A886U5
Disgust is a negative and universal basic emotion that is elicited by a diverse set of sources,
ranging from concrete physical sources (e.g. bad tastes, disease, feces) to abstract social sources (e.g. moral
transgressions and the transgressors). The present study investigated the potential three-tier relationships
between distaste (the proposed evolutionary origin of disgust), disgust sensitivity assessed by facial disgust
recognition measures, and moral responsivity to explore whether: (a) more sensitive bitter tasters had
greater facial disgust recognition accuracy, (b) more sensitive bitter tasters had greater moral responsivity,
and (c) more morally sensitive individuals had greater facial disgust recognition accuracy. The bitter taste
sensitivity test of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), a standard basic Emotion Recognition Task (ERT) (Young
et al., 1997) to measure facial disgust accuracy (“hits”), bias, and false positive errors, and a questionnaire
to assess moral judgments of fairness transgressions from a standardized set compiled by Knuston et al.
(2010) in addition to the moral disgust subscale from The Three Domain Disgust Scale (TDDS) (Tybur et
al., 2009) were administered to 110 participants. Results showed that more sensitive bitter tasters had
greater facial disgust bias rates and a trending association with increased disgust false positive error rates.
There was no significant relationship found between bitter taste sensitivity and moral responsivity.
Interestingly, individuals who found the fairness transgressions less morally inappropriate had a greater
tendency to make more facial disgust false positive errors. These findings indicate that there are different
levels at which distaste, disgust (in the form of facial disgust recognition dimensions), and moral
responsivity are interrelated, providing insight into the multifaceted roles of disgust.
2016-06-21
2019-02-01T17:26:38Z
2019-02-01T17:26:38Z
Thesis
Masters
MPhil Master of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/16986
en
application/pdf
[8], 38 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/151442019-04-01T10:40:41Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Learning how to learn : the development of memory in 3-6 year-olds
Whittaker, Stephen
McShane, John
Social Science Research Council (Great Britain)
BF723.M4W5
Memory in children
The aim of the present study was to investigate the development of children's ability to make use of external sources of information when they are studying or remembering different types of information. More specifically, the research was directed at two recurring problems for theories of memory development: the production deficit; and the problem of change. The production deficit describes children's failure to spontaneously use a strategy which is 'in' their behavioural repertoire. Use of the strategy can be induced with minimal training. The study contains a set of experiments which suggest a number of reasons why children may fail to use available strategies. Another major problem with theories of memory development lies in explaining changes in strategy use. Three experiments address the issue, and suggest two mechanisms which produce such changes. The experiments indicate that feedback may provide one means by which routines already in the cognitive system are generalised to serve memory goals. Monitoring of one's own performance may also produce such changes. These mechanisms are incorporated into a model of how early strategies might develop. Other theories of memory development have stressed young children's lack of knowledge about their own memory processes. This has been invoked to explain both the production deficit and developmental change. Apart from the demonstrations that monitoring may influence strategy generalization, the study found little evidence that knowledge about memory is related to either of these phenomena. Current theories of the development of knowledge about memory are reviewed, and it is suggested that there are major problems with explanations of memory which appeal to such knowledge. One weakness of such theories is that they fail to explain the origins of this knowledge. The present study provides an account of the early development of knowledge about memory. The results of the experiments are also considered in the light of recent speculations about developmental theories and also memory processes in adults. It is suggested that the mechanisms of change demonstrated in this study may well apply to other areas of development. It is also argued that recent theories may have misrepresented the nature of adult memory processes.
1984
2018-07-09T15:22:37Z
2018-07-09T15:22:37Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/15144
en
application/pdf
viii, 377 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/273862024-01-18T16:40:38Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Leadership impression from the face across cultures
Ma, Jing
Perrett, David Ian
Leadership perception
Face perception
Leadership perception from face
Implicit leadership theory
BF242.M2
Face perception
Face--Psychological aspects
Leadership--Psychological aspects
People agree on who should be a leader based solely on static facial images, and this naive judgement is found to predict actual leadership emergence. Although many impressions correlate with leadership success, the perceived characteristics can be mapped onto two or three dimensions: dominance, trustworthiness, and attractiveness. This thesis examines cultural differences in the association of personality judgements and leadership. Chapter 1 reviews the theoretical basis for the association between facial features and leadership, reviewing evolutionary, social identity, and leadership categorization theories. Chapters 2-4 present empirical studies of leadership impressions from the face. Chapter 2 found facial judgements of leadership can be grouped into two dimensions: a prototypical leadership dimension (sensitivity, dedication, charisma, attractiveness, intelligence, strength) and an anti-prototypical leadership dimension (tyranny, masculinity, and strength). Chapter 2 also found that leadership judgments are contextual and depend on the type of leader (business, sports, moral). Averages of faces seen as good sports leaders were rated highest on the anti-prototypical leadership dimension, while averages of faces seen as good moral leaders were rated highest on prototypical leadership dimension. Chapter 3 examined the impact of facial masculinity and prototypicality on leadership perception in UK and Chinese societies. Increase of prototypicality (own ethnicity in face shape) enhanced leadership perception, particularly in Chinese subjects. Increased facial masculinity decreased leadership perception for female faces, particularly in European subjects. Seeing one’s identity as one of a hierarchical group (collectivism) drove preference for masculinity in female leaders. Chapter 4 measured the leadership perception in real-world leadership within a Chinese corporation. The faces of male leaders were judged more mature, trustworthy, and competent looking but not more attractive than the non-leaders.
2022-06-17
2023-04-11T15:16:23Z
2023-04-11T15:16:23Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/27386
https://doi.org/10.17630/sta/397
en
2025-01-18
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Restricted until 18th January 2025
application/pdf
application/msword
169
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/163852019-04-01T10:40:42Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Provide all the details that you can remember : assessing the quantity and quality of autobiographical retrieval
Lucaciu, Irina-Maria
O'Connor, Akira Robert
Robert T. Jones Foundation
Confidence
Memory
Autobiographical memory
Eyewitness testimony
Emotional memory
Personality
Memory accuracy
BF378.E65L8
Episodic memory
Confidence
People asked to recall the memory of an event during testimony are encouraged to prioritize both quantity and quality – "the whole truth and nothing but the truth". Extensive research has shown that people can provide detailed, confident accounts that nevertheless prove to be inaccurate (Loftus, 1996). However, the question remains of how pressuring people to give confident and elaborate accounts of their memories subsequently changes these accounts. We conducted an experiment in which 51 participants provided accounts of autobiographical events and film plots (control condition), and later re-told these accounts under the instruction to retrieve more information. We measured the effects of task demands on the quantity (number of words and number of facts) and quality (confidence ratings) of information retrieved, as well as on the affective and cognitive language used during each account. Task demands at re-telling led to participants providing a greater amount of information, with their likelihood of doing so and their confidence in these newly communicated memory details linked to rumination tendencies and mood. These findings give insights into the cognitive processing of autobiographical memories, and provide a better understanding of the factors affecting eyewitness testimony.
2018-12-06
2018-11-02T14:51:51Z
2018-11-02T14:51:51Z
Thesis
Masters
MPhil Master of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/16385
en
application/pdf
[9], 86 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/128672023-04-25T11:19:12Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Investigating the pathophysiology of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis using human induced pluripotent stem cell technology
Devlin, Anna-Claire
Miles, Gareth Brian
Chandran, Siddharthan
Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research
Motor Neurone Disease Association (Great Britain)
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating, adult onset, neurodegenerative
disease which remains largely untreatable and incurable, reflecting an incomplete
understanding of the key pathogenic mechanisms that underlie motoneuron (MN) loss
in the disease. Through the use of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs) technology,
cells from the human central nervous system can be studied at a range of time points,
including those prior to overt pathology, in order to understand early causative events
in ALS. In the present study, human iPSC-derived MNs and astrocytes were used to
study the pathophysiology of ALS. Whole-cell patch clamp recording techniques
were utilised to investigate whether the functional properties of human iPSC-derived
MNs are altered in cells derived from ALS patients compared to those from healthy
controls. Patient iPSC-derived MNs harbouring C9ORF72 or TARDBP mutations
display an initial period of hyperexcitability followed by a progressive loss of action
potential output due to decreases in voltage-activated Na+ and K+ currents. These
changes occur in the absence of changes in cell viability. Given evidence in support of
non-cell autonomous disease mechanisms in ALS, the potential involvement of
interactions between neurons and astrocytes in the pathophysiological phenotype were
next investigated. Patient iPSC-derived astrocytes harbouring C9ORF72 or TARDBP
G298S mutations cause a loss of functional output in control iPSC-derived MNs, due
to a progressive decrease in voltage-activated Na+ and K+ currents. These data show
that patient iPSC-derived astrocytes can induce pathophysiological changes in control
human iPSC-derived MNs which are similar to those revealed in patient iPSC-derived
MNs. This study also utilizes pharmacological agents and genetic editing to
demonstrate that the pathophysiological phenotype can be altered. Overall, this study implicates MN dysfunction, potentially due to non-cell autonomous disease
mechanisms, as an early contributor to downstream degenerative pathways that
ultimately lead to MN loss in ALS.
2016-06
2018-03-07T09:30:11Z
2018-03-07T09:30:11Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/12867
https://doi.org/10.17630/10023-12867
en
application/pdf
222 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/28352019-07-01T10:13:13Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi yucatanensis) travel patterns in a subtropical forest of Yucatan, Mexico
Valero, Alejandra
Byrne, R. W.
QL737.P9V2
Spider monkeys--Mexico--Yucatán--Behavior
Spatial behavior in animals
A 12-month study of the ranging behaviour of 11 spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi
yucatanensis) was undertaken at the Otochma' ax Yetel Kooh nature reserve in the state
of Yucatan, Mexico. The aims were: 1) to evaluate the relationship between ranging
patterns of the monkeys and ecological features i.e. climate and food distribution, 2) to
assess the efficiency of ranging patterns, and 3) to test the hypothesis that spider monkeys
navigate between important sources through spatial memory of key locations. A focal
animal was followed daily for as long as possible and details of its ranging patterns
recorded by entering positional fixes with a GPS receiver. Behavioural states were
included in the observations to link them with the geographical information recorded
simultaneously. The results revealed that the ranging patterns of spider monkeys at the
study site were determined by the availability of key species of fruit in the area. Ranging
was efficient, as evidenced by the fact that in most instances - particularly in the dry
season when food was scarce - (1) spider monkeys moved in straight lines to distant food
sources, (2) were able to orient their movement toward a food source at distances that
could not have been in sight from the point where directed movement originated, and (3)
the successive organisation of these linear segments was consistently forward, suggesting
an ability to plan ahead of the next food source visited. I present these results as evidence
of the use of spatial memory to move efficiently between important sources in their
environment, and I argue in favour of higher-level spatial abilities in this species of New
World monkeys.
2004
2012-06-21T13:53:10Z
2012-06-21T13:53:10Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2835
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
application/pdf
168
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/270742024-01-06T03:02:25Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Decision-making, environmental enrichment and the mesolimbic dopamine system in adult and aged rats
Li, Yunkai
Bowman, Eric MacDonald
China Scholarship Council (CSC)
Dopamine
Risk-taking
Decision-making
Environmental enrichment
Sex differences
QP364.7L5
Dopaminergic neurons
Risk-taking (Psychology)
Dopamine
Decision making
Environmental enrichment (Animal culture)
Rats--Physiology
The dopaminergic system plays a crucial role in learning, reward-processing, motivation, motor control and attention. The population of midbrain dopamine neurons projects extensively to many areas of the brain. This system is maintained in a homeostatic way, and it can self-regulate to maintain behavioural function in extreme cases such as Parkinson’s disease. However, Huttunen (2016) discovered a significant correlation between midbrain dopamine neuron number in male rats and their behavioural performances in a gambling task. It was unexpected that such non-clinical variation in dopamine neuron number can lead to differences in observable behaviours. Our project aims to investigate the link between dopamine structure and function in risk decision-making, and to explore possible factors that can manipulate the brain and behaviour. Chapter 1 reviewed the dopaminergic system and its adaptive role in conditions such as environmental enrichment and stress. Chapter 2 described the experiment using a modified risk task which failed to replicate the original results from Huttunen (2016). Chapter 3 examined the possible sex difference in the brain of behaviour of rats. Chapter 4 and 5 explored factors that can influence this dopamine-loss-stay relationship, including environmental enrichment and neurogenesis. We demonstrated that dopamine-expressing neurons in the rat midbrain may underlie loss-stay behaviours, which may reflect the animals’ risk-attitude. Moreover, the correlation was significant only when the age of the animal was considered. Therefore, this correlation may be a result of aging, or the compensatory mechanisms that often accompany ageing. Future research may shed light on possible treatment and interventions for neural decline in ageing and other clinical conditions.
2023-06-15
2023-02-28T10:12:38Z
2023-02-28T10:12:38Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/27074
https://doi.org/10.17630/sta/310
201708060006
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
2025-09-28
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Restricted until 28th September 2025
application/pdf
application/msword
282
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/113592019-04-01T10:40:42Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The roles of dopamine and the sodium pump in the spinal control of locomotion
Picton, Laurence
Sillar, Keith T. (Keith Thomas)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
East of Scotland Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership (EASTBIO)
QP364.7P53
Neurotransmitters
Spinal cord
Dopamine--Physiological effect
Sodium/potassium ATPase
Locomotion--Regulation
Rhythmically active, locomotor networks of the spinal cord are subject to both
neuromodulation and activity-dependent homeostatic regulation. I first show that the
neuromodulator dopamine exerts potent inhibitory effects on the central pattern generator
(CPG) circuit controlling locomotory swimming in post-embryonic Xenopus tadpoles.
Dopamine, acting endogenously on spinal D2-like receptors, reduces spontaneous fictive
swimming occurrence and shortens, slows and weakens swimming. The mechanism involves
a TTX-resistant hyperpolarisation of rhythmically active CPG neurons, mediated by the direct
opening of a K+ channel with GIRK-like pharmacology. This increases rheobase and reduces
spike probability.
I next explore how sodium pumps contribute to the activity-dependent regulation of the
Xenopus swim circuit, and possible interactions of the pumps with modulators, temperature
and ionic conductances. I characterise the pump-mediated ultra-slow afterhyperpolarisation
(usAHP), and show that monensin, a sodium ionophore, enhances pump activity, converting
the usAHP into a tonic hyperpolarisation; this decreases swim episode duration and cycle
frequency. I also characterise a ZD7288-sensitive Ih current, which is active in excitatory dIN
interneurons and contributes to spiking. Blocking Ih with ZD7288 decreases swim episode
duration and destabilises swim bursts. Both Ih and the usAHP increase with temperature,
which depolarises CPG neurons, decreases input resistance, and increases spike probability;
this increases cycle frequency, but the enhanced usAHP shortens swimming. I also show that
the usAHP is diminished by nitric oxide, but enhanced by dopaminergic signalling.
Finally, I explore sodium pumps in the neonatal mouse. The sodium pump blocker ouabain
increases the duration and frequency of drug- and sensory-induced locomotion, whilst
monensin has opposite effects. Decreasing inter-episode interval also shortens and slows
activity, a relationship abolished by ouabain, implicating sodium pumps in a feedforward motor
memory mechanism. Finally, I show that the effects of ouabain on locomotion are dependent
on dopamine, which enhances a TTX- and ouabain-sensitive usAHP in spinal neurons.
2017
2017-08-02T15:53:03Z
2017-08-02T15:53:03Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/11359
en
application/pdf
258 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/26542019-04-01T10:40:44Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Depression : cognitive, social, environmental and emotional factors
Holttum, Susan
Burton, Derek
Garraud, Paul
RC537.H7
Depression, Mental
This work examined four issues, in relation to both the
experience of depression, and vulnerability to depression.
There were four empirical studies, each with two parts. The
first study examined the role of cognitions, such as
overgeneralizations (Beck, 1963; Beck et al, 1979), and
causal attributions (Abramson et al, 1978; Alloy et al, 1988).
Their role as symptoms of depression, and as possible
vulnerability factors, independent of current mood, was
examined. In the first part of the study, clinically
depressed patients, recovered subjects, and community control
subjects were interviewed and given questionnaires. In the
second part of the study a larger sample of students, some
of whom became mildly depressed on beginning university
filled in questionnaires at the start of term and again five
weeks later. The same subject groups were the basis for the
study on social factors, and the study on life events. The
fourth study was also in two parts. A different sample of
students were the subjects for the first part, and the same
clinical and control groups participated in the second part.
Factors found to be associated with the state of depression
were: Internal, stable and global attributions for the
causes of bad events, negative view of future outcomes, and
negative view of self; social skill deficits and lack of
social support; recent difficult life events. One factor
failed to show any strong association with the depressed state –
unrealistic goals. Factors associated with vulnerability to depression:
Negative evaluations of future outcomes, and of self, unrealistic goals
and, surprisingly, lower-than-normal goals; deficits in social skill
(especially low self-confidence in social settings) and lack
of social support; history-of difficult life events. Factors
which failed to show association with vulnerability to
depression: Causal-attributions for events; adverse reaction
to depression itself. Deficits in social skill were
associated with lack of social support. Depression proneness itself appeared to be a risk factor for negative life events.
1991
2012-06-05T15:07:04Z
2012-06-05T15:07:04Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2654
en
application/pdf
396
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/129532019-04-01T10:40:45Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
A comparative study of the understanding of invisible object displacements in macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta and arctoides) and children (Homo sapiens)
Southgate, Victoria H.
Gómez, Juan Carlos
BF316.6S7
Psychology, Comparative.
Mental representation.
Cognition in children.
Macaques--Psychology.
Cognition.
The ability to infer the invisible displacement of objects has long been thought to elude most species with the exception of humans and great apes. However, in recent years, a number of researchers have proposed that this elusive capacity, rather than reflecting profound differences in the conceptual abilities of monkeys and other nonprimates, may instead reflect differences in processing capacities (such as inhibition and working memory). This thesis investigated knowledge of occluded object movements involving gravity, in rhesus and stumptail macaques (Macaca mulatta and arctoides), and two- and three-year-old children (Homo sapiens). In the first part of the thesis, using manual search tasks, a behavioural analysis revealed a number of biases that influence search on invisible displacement tasks, but also showed that contrary to the contentions of some authors, these biases do not mask the existence of correct representations. One study did reveal how seemingly mundane differences between tasks might lead to markedly different patterns of search and emergence of biases. In the second part of the thesis, in the first direct test of the prediction-postdiction hypothesis, an analysis of anticipatory eye gaze suggested that an inability to predict the location of an object does not account for the looking-searching dissociation that has become so prevalent in both the developmental and comparative literature. In attempting to bring together the findings from all the chapters, a framework is suggested in which representations are viewed as differing in strength such that the strength of a representation may determine whether or not a pre-existing bias surfaces in behaviour.
2005
2018-03-15T14:40:07Z
2018-03-15T14:40:07Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/12953
en
application/pdf
x, 268 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/6342019-07-01T10:14:37Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Gestural communication in orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus and Pongo abelii) : a cognitive approach
Cartmill, Erica A.
Byrne, Richard W.
Gesture
Evolution of language
Great ape
Primate
Intentionality
Orang-utan
Orangutan
QL737.P96C28
Orangutan--Behavior
Animal communication
Gesture
Cognition in animals
While most human language is expressed verbally, the gestures produced concurrent to speech provide additional information, help listeners interpret meaning, and provide insight into the cognitive processes of the speaker. Several theories have suggested that gesture played an important, possibly central, role in the evolution of language. Great apes have been shown to use gestures flexibly in different situations and to modify their gestures in response to changing contexts. However, it has not previously been determined whether ape gestures are defined by structural variables, carry meaning, are used to intentionally communicate specific information to others, or can be used strategically to overcome miscommunication.
To investigate these questions, I studied three captive populations of orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus and P. abelii) in European zoos for 10 months. Sixty-four different gestures, defined through similarities in structure and use, were included in the study after meeting strict criteria for intentional usage. More than half of the gesture types were found to coincide frequently with specific goals of signallers, and were accordingly identified as having meanings. Both structural and social variables were found to determine gesture meaning. The recipient’s gaze in both the present and the past, and the recipient’s apparent understanding of the signaller’s gestures, affected the strategies orangutans employed in their attempts to communicate when confronted with different types of communicative failure (e.g. not seeing, ignoring, misunderstanding, or rejecting a gesture). Maternal influence affected the object-directed behaviour and gestures of infants, who shared more gestures with their mothers than with other females. These findings demonstrate that gesture can be used as a medium to investigate not only the communication but also the cognition of great apes, and indicate that orangutans are more sensitive to the perceptions and knowledge states of others than previously thought.
2009-06
2009-01-14T16:19:46Z
2009-01-14T16:19:46Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/634
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
40790237 bytes
application/pdf
application/pdf
250
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
School of Psychology
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/25502019-07-01T10:13:42Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Developmental and sex differences in responses to novel objects : an exploration of animal models of sensation seeking behaviour
Cyrenne, De-Laine
Brown, Gillian R.
Sensation seeking
Hormones
Novelty
Sex difference
Novel object recognition
Age difference
QP356.45C8
Sensation seeking
Sensation seeking--Sex differences
Animal behavior--Endocrine aspects
Psychophysiology
Rattus norvegicus
Electronic version excludes material for which permission has not been granted by the rights holder
Human adolescents exhibit higher levels of sensation seeking behaviour than younger or older individuals, and sensation seeking is higher in males than females from adolescence onwards. Data suggest that changes in gonadal hormone levels during adolescence and differences in the dopamine neurotransmitter system are the bases for why some people exhibit sensation seeking behaviour while others do not. However, causal relationships between physiology and behaviour have been difficult to establish in humans. In order to explore the physiological influences on novelty-seeking behaviour, we looked at response to novelty in a laboratory rodent. This research examined responses to novelty in the conditioned place preference (CPP) task and the novel object recognition (NOR) task in Lister-hooded rats, and assessed the benefits and limitations of each methodology. While the CPP task was not found to provide a reliable measure of response to novelty, the NOR task was more successful. In order to understand the ontogeny of sex differences in novelty responses, both males and females were tested from adolescence through to adulthood. While no sex difference was found in adults in the NOR test, mid-adolescent males exhibited higher novelty preference behaviour than either younger or older males, or females at each stage of development. Since gonadal hormones levels rise during adolescence, a pharmacological agent (a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist) was used to suppress gonadal hormone levels from early adolescence before again examining responses on the NOR test at mid-adolescence. Gonadal hormone suppression from early adolescence onwards eliminated the sex difference in the NOR test at mid-adolescence by reducing the male response to novelty, while no difference was measured in the female animals. These findings suggest that gonadal hormones play a significant role in the development of response to novelty, especially in males, and the implications for our understanding of human sensation-seeking behaviour are discussed.
2012-06-19
2012-04-10T10:42:47Z
2012-04-10T10:42:47Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2550
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dev.20542
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.08.015
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
application/pdf
241
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/131732019-04-01T10:40:46Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
An investigation into the relations between association and intelligence
Yule, Ella Pratt
Mace, C. A.
BF441.Y9
Thought and thinking--Psychological aspects.
Problem solving.
Cognition.
1933
2018-04-20T13:07:21Z
2018-04-20T13:07:21Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/13173
en
application/pdf
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/26362019-04-01T10:40:49Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Skills used in food processing by vervet monkeys, Cecropithecus aethiops
Harrison, Kathryn
Byrne, Dick
QL737.P93H2
Cercopithecidae
Cercopithecus aethiops
The principle objective of this study was to describe and record all the gathering
and processing skills of vervet monkeys for a variety of different foods. The study
was conducted on two troops of vervet monkeys living in the Palmiet Valley,
Natal, South Africa. There was sufficient data to analyze the processing of four
foods of differing complexity; termites, leaf shoots, sugarcane and fruit.
Milton (1988) proposed that the intellectual difficulties of finding and processing
food led to the evolution of intelligence. In the only study of food processing skill,
Byrne and Byrne (1993) showed that gorillas use a hierarchical organization
perhaps reflecting imitation at the program-level. The question to be asked in this
study was, would vervets also organize their processing into a few techniques for
specific foods and would it then be possible to identify learning mechanisms used
by the monkeys? The current literature suggests that monkeys use simple solutions
to their foraging problems, there is no evidence for imitation of feeding skills in
monkeys.
At the most detailed level of analysis, grip types used in the processing of foods
were described. Existing definitions in the literature were not adequate to explain
the monkeys' hand use, and new definitions were added. High individual
idiosyncrasy was a feature of grip usage across all four foods, although firm
conclusions are not possible because of the known effects of sample size. Cluster
analysis was considered the most appropriate method to look at individual
variation in grip usage. There was an age effect for leaf shoots and sugarcane,
with juveniles restricting their usage to the necessary core grips.
The hand preferences for individuals across tasks gave no support for the theory of
the evolution of laterality presented by MacNeilage et al. (1987). There was a low
degree of individual preference for five out of six tasks, with only termite feeding
showing a hand preference. There was some evidence for a right hand reaching,
left hand manipulation preference, opposite to MacNeilage's prediction. There was
an age effect in direction and strength for two tasks, adults having a stronger left
hand preference in contrast to a weaker right hand preference in juveniles for leaf
shoots and large fruit.
Matrices of the transitional probabilities between two elements, were used to
construct the common pathways of processing skill for each individual. Flow
diagrams were then created to represent the minimal decision processes used by
the monkeys. The diagrams were used to compare individuals' choice of pathways.
Cluster analysis was used to analyze pathway choice in detail; none of a variety of
independent variables could explain the high individual variation. Whether whole
foods or just parts of foods were eaten did explain some of the variance for
sugarcane and fruit. The most parsimonious explanation is that social enhancement
resulting in trial and error learning best described individuals' acquisition of
processing skill, although a number of other factors may explain the observed
results.
1997
2012-06-05T09:26:45Z
2012-06-05T09:26:45Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2636
en
application/pdf
391
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/9342019-07-01T10:06:34Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Group identification and perceived discrimination : a study of international students in the UK
Ramos, Miguel R.
Cassidy, Clare
Reicher, Stephen
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Perceived discrimination
Well-being
Group identification
Acculturation
International students
HM753.R2
Race discrimination--Great Britain
Group identity
Reference groups
Students, Foreign--Great Britain
This thesis examined how international students experience life in the UK and,
in particular, how these students respond to experiences with discrimination and
social exclusion. Specifically, we drew on the rejection-identification model
(Branscombe et al., 1999) in order to examine the impact of minority group
identification as a coping strategy against perceptions of discrimination. Despite the
number of studies supporting the rejection-identification model (e.g. Schmitt et al., 2002, Schmitt et al., 2003), discrepant findings were found in other research (e.g. McCoy & Major, 2003; Eccleston & Major, 2006). In order to solve these
inconsistencies we proposed to extend this model in two important ways. Firstly,
building on important work on the multidimensionality of social identification (e.g. Cameron & Lalonde, 2001; Ellemers et al., 1999; Jackson, 2002), we argued that a
multidimensional perspective of the rejection-identification model is fundamental
given that different dimensions of social identification (i.e. ingroup affect, centrality, and ingroup ties) have different effects on psychological well-being. Secondly, we hypothesised that the protective effect of the different dimensions of social
identification depended upon individual preferences, beliefs and behaviours towards
own and host group (i.e. acculturation strategies). These two extensions to the
rejection-identification model were tested longitudinally with a sample of 160
international students. Results indicated that none of the dimensions of social
identification serve to protect students from the harmful effects of discrimination.
Indeed, support was found for the argument that it is important to investigate possible
moderators of the rejection-identification relationship. Our results also indicated that
when international students perceive discrimination, a separation strategy allows them to maintain ingroup affect, and in this way protect their self-esteem. Integration,
marginalisation, and assimilation strategies were associated with lower ingroup affect
leaving these students without a successful strategy to cope with discrimination.
Although the aim of this thesis was to examine the experiences of international
students, in Chapter 7 we replicated our previous model with a sample of Polish
immigrants (N = 66) in order to test whether our results could be generalised to other
minority groups. Results supported the previous findings with international students. Finally, the discussion of this thesis focused on the importance of taking into account individual acculturation strategies in order to understand the relation between perceived discrimination, minority group identification, and well-being. We also focused on how the knowledge generated by this research may support international students.
2010-06-23
2010-06-22T14:27:09Z
2010-06-22T14:27:09Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/934
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
application/pdf
429
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/103322023-09-29T02:02:25Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Understanding collective action in repressive contexts : the role of perceived risk in shaping collective action intentions
Ayanian, Arin H.
Tausch, Nicole
University of St Andrews. School of Psychology and Neuroscience
International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
Collective action
Risk
Identity
Moral obligation
Emotions
Efficacy beliefs
HM1101.A8
Risk perception
Risk--Sociological aspects
Social action--Psychological aspects
Identity (Psychology)
Group identity
The aim of the present research is to advance a general predictive model of the social psychological processes underlying collective action in contexts where collective action is met with significant repression by the authorities. The model integrates the recent advancements in the collective action literature and examines the unique predictive role of anger and fear (emotional pathway), political, identity consolidation and participative efficacies (instrumental pathway), politicised identification (identity pathway) as well as moral obligation, over and above past participation. Moreover, the research investigates how perceived risk, due to government sanctions, shapes these antecedents and the willingness to engage in collective action. Five survey studies (Studies 1 to 5) test this model in various repressive contexts (i.e., Egypt, Hong Kong, Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey). In addition, one experimental study (Study 6) examines the causal relation between perceived risk and (a) the antecedents of collective action and (b) the action intentions in a British sample. The results confirm the intensifying role of perceived risk, whereby it indirectly spurs further resistance through shaping the antecedents of collective action. The results also suggest that protesters are intrinsically motivated to engage in collective action when placed under risk. Specifically, although not motivated by political efficacy, protesters are strategic as they are motivated by the likelihood to consolidate the identity of their protest movement and the likelihood of their own participation to incrementally contribute to achieving the desired goals. Moreover, they are emotional, politicised and dutiful as their outrage towards how the authorities treat the protesters, their identification with their protest movement, as well as their sense of moral responsibility encourage them to take action despite the risks.
2017-06-20
2017-02-22T10:35:55Z
2017-02-22T10:35:55Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/10332
https://doi.org/10.17630/10023-10332
en
Ayanian, A.H., & Tausch, N. (2016). How risk perception shapes collective action intentions in repressive contexts: A study of Egyptian activists during the 2013 post-coup uprising. British Journal of Social Psychology, 55(4), 700-721. DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12084
Embargo period has ended, thesis made available in accordance with University regulations.
application/pdf
xiii, 269 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/104822023-04-06T13:23:51Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Practice mentors' attitudes and perspectives of interprofessional working, and interprofessional practice learning for students : a mixed-methods case study
O'Carroll, Veronica
Campbell, Martin
Interprofessional working
Interprofessional practice learning
Case study
Mixed methods
Health and social care
R737.O3
Interprofessional relations--Scotland--Case studies
Mentoring in medicine--Scotland--Case studies
Mentoring in social service--Scotland--Case studies
Continuum of care--Scotland--Case studies
Mixed methods research
The demands on health and social care organisations require professions to work more collaboratively. During pre-registration training, health care and social work students learn within practice settings, supported by practice mentors. These settings are rich learning environments to experience interprofessional working (IPW) and for students to learn together through interprofessional practice learning (IPPL). There is, however, evidence that students’ experiences of both are varied or limited. The value placed on IPW, and IPPL, is therefore of interest. This thesis will investigate practice mentors’ attitudes to IPW and IPPL, and explore their perspectives of the enablers and barriers to these occurring in practice settings.
A mixed-methods case study approach was used to measure the attitudes of practice mentors from health and social work, and to identify enablers and barriers to IPW, and IPPL for students. Online surveys and semi-structured face to face interviews were carried out with a range of professions within one Scottish health board and associated local authority.
Results showed that attitudes to IPW, and IPPL for students were generally positive. Attitudes were not significantly affected by governing body, gender, area of work, years of experience, or prior experience of IPE. IPW was perceived to be enabled by shared processes and policies, IPPL for staff, effective communication, established teams, and shared processes and policies. Proximity to other professions and shared spaces encouraged informal communication and positive interprofessional relationships. Regular structured IPPL opportunities for students were limited. However, where opportunities did occur, this was linked to areas where practice mentors perceived that there was a strong interprofessional team identity.
Although attitudes to IPW, and IPPL for students are positive, further work is needed to identify systems for improving IPW, to strengthen professions’ identity as interprofessional teams, and to increase IPPL opportunities for students.
2017-06-20
2017-03-16T12:47:23Z
2017-03-16T12:47:23Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
uk.bl.ethos.707265
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/10482
en
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
application/pdf
242 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/31832020-03-03T10:32:24Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Linking actions to outcomes : the role of the posterior pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus in instrumental learning
MacLaren, Duncan A. A.
Winn, Philip
Wellcome Trust
University of St Andrews. School of Psychology
Pedunculopontine
Learning
Action-outcome
Cholinergic
Dtx-UII
Basal ganglia
QP408.L2
Operant conditioning--Physiological aspects
Learning--Physiological aspects
Pons Varolii--Physiology
Pons Varolii--Effect of chemicals on
Located in the mesopontine tegmentum, the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) is comprised principally of glutamatergic, cholinergic and GABAergic neurons. In addition to being fully integrated into basal ganglia, PPTg projects to thalamus and motor output sites in the brainstem. Previous studies have shown a range of behavioural changes after PPTg manipulation. Prominent amongst these is an apparent deficit in the ability to learn the consequences of actions. PPTg is divisible into a posterior component (pPPTg) in receipt of rapid polymodal sensory input and projecting into VTA/SNc dopamine neurons and an anterior component (aPPTg) in receipt of basal ganglia outflow and projecting into SNc and lower brainstem structures. The research described here assesses the role of the pPPTg in instrumental learning. Using a contingency degradation paradigm, it was shown that inactivation of the pPPTg (by muscimol microinfusion) specifically blocked the updating of associations between actions and outcomes, without the affecting the ability to re-execute previously learned instrumental actions. Selective bilateral destruction of pPPTg cholinergic neurons (with the fusion toxin diphtheria toxin – urotensin II [Dtx-UII]) resulted in >90% loss of pPPTg cholinergic neurons. These lesions produced no detectable changes on any measured aspect of an instrumental learning task consisting of various fixed and variable ratio schedules of reinforcement and extinction. Subsequent experiments found that the same selective cholinergic pPPTg lesions also produced no changes in the locomotor response to nicotine or rate of nicotine sensitisation. These results are the first to demonstrate a brainstem role in action-outcome learning. Results support the view that PPTg performs a ‘first pass’ analysis on incoming sensory data and interfaces salient aspects of this with appropriate basal ganglia and brainstem circuitry, with glutamatergic pPPTg projections sending an essential signal and cholinergic projections performing as part of a wider modulatory system.
2012-11-01
2012-10-16T15:07:01Z
2012-10-16T15:07:01Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3183
en
application/pdf
265
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/145982019-07-15T10:14:22Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Interocular transfer in the pigeon
Graves, Jefferson A.
Goodale, Melvyn A.
University of St Andrews
QP487.G8
Depth perception
The interocular transfer of simultaneously presented visual discriminations was examined in the pigeon (Columba livia) in several experimental situations. When trained monocularly on a jumping stand, there was no evidence of transfer to the other eye-hemisphere system of either pattern or colour discriminations using retraining and reversal learning measures as well as testing. This failure was not due to any obscuring of transfer consequent upon switching the occluder from one eye to the other, nor was there any suggestion of even a small amount of transfer of information from the trained eye to the untrained eye with extensive overtraining and decoupling trials. Binocular training on the jumping stand also revealed that some of the pigeons were learning a discrimination with only one eye in spite of the opportunity to learn with both eyes. When trained in a key pecking task, pigeons demonstrate perfect transfer. Testing revealed that this discrepancy in results is not due to the number of trials given in the two situations, to separation of the stimuli over a greater distance or by a partition, nor to the distance at which the pigeon makes a decision about which stimulus to approach. When the function of the retinal locus of the stimuli was examined, evidence was found in the literature and in my observations that the pigeons were using a different part of the retina when scanning the stimulus display in a key pecking task than on the jumping stand, even though the stimuli in the two situations were located in the same position relative to the bird's head. Specifically, in the key pecking tasks the red area of the retina, which serves the lower binocular portion of the retina, is used. On the jumping stand this area is not used to scan the stimuli. It was then possible to demonstrate a failure of transfer in a key pecking task and successful transfer on the jumping stand by simply manipulating whether the red area was used in scanning the stimuli. The results are discussed in terms of a consequence of binocular convergence from the red area, and when there is a failure of transfer, when the red area is not used, or prevented from being used, the stimuli fall within the monocular field where there is no necessity of later convergence from the two inputs. Active inhibition mechanisms also might serve to lateralize input to one hemisphere.
1980
2018-06-26T10:56:54Z
2018-06-26T10:56:54Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14598
en
211 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/274322023-04-22T02:02:33Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Title redacted
Francis, Jacob Ridley John
Pulver, Stefan Robert
Smith, V. Anne
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
QL537.D76F8
Abstract redacted
"This work was supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) through an industrial Cooperative Awards in Science and Technology (CASE) studentship awarded through the EASTBIO Doctoral Training Program. Grant code: BB/M010996/1." --Funding
2022-11-29
2023-04-19T13:38:46Z
2023-04-19T13:38:46Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/27432
https://doi.org/10.17630/sta/410
BB/M010996/1
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/
2027-11-07
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Restricted until 7th November 2027
application/pdf
217
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/128492019-04-01T10:40:51Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
At face value : how internet access, pubertal timing, environmental harshness, and population familiarity influence facial preferences
Batres, Julia Carlota
Perrett, David
Faces
Preferences
Adiposity
Masculinity
Attraction
BF859.B2
Adolescence
Internet users
Face perception
Chapter One introduces the field of evolutionary psychology as well as provides a
review of factors influencing facial attractiveness. Chapter Two presents empirical evidence
that online studies may provide a distorted perspective on cross-cultural face preferences
since online samples are not representative of the populations in developing countries. In El
Salvador, participants without internet access preferred more feminine men as well as heavier
and more masculine women when compared to participants with internet access. One
possible explanation for such findings is that the level of harshness in the environment may
be influencing preferences. One individual difference that is influenced by environmental
harshness is age of menarche. Chapter Three thus provides exploratory evidence that age of
menarche also influences masculinity preferences.
Chapter Four further examines this environmental harshness hypothesis by repeatedly
testing students undergoing intensive training at an army camp. Increases in the harshness of
the environment led to an increased male attraction to cues of higher weight in female faces.
Such changes in preferences may be adaptive because they allow for more opportunities to
form partnerships with individuals who are better equipped to survive.
An alternative explanation for the empirical findings in Chapters Two and Four is that
familiarity may also influence preferences. Chapter Five tests this familiarity hypothesis by
examining the faces of participants in different areas of El Salvador and Malaysia. Rural
participants preferred heavier female faces than urban participants. Additionally, the faces of
female participants from rural areas were rated as looking heavier. This finding suggests that
familiarity may indeed influence attractiveness perceptions. Lastly, Chapter Six draws
conclusions from the empirical findings reported in Chapters Two-Five and lists proposals of
future research that could further enhance our understanding of what we find attractive.
2016-04-12
2018-03-05T12:42:02Z
2018-03-05T12:42:02Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/12849
en
application/pdf
142
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/286222023-11-03T03:03:00Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Secondary bystandership: how primary bystanders influence the subsequent responses of others
Rocha Santa María, Carolina Alejandra
Reicher, Stephen
Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (ANID)
Social psychology
Bystander behaviour
Social influence
Social norms
Group norms
The aim of this thesis is providing new insights into the social influence processes that take place between bystanders. Specifically, this manuscript presents research that explores whether the perception of group norms is the key process that allows bystanders’ actions to influence the subsequent behaviour of other bystanders.
This question is addressed with a multi-method approach. Studies 1 and 2 are online-survey experiments conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom (UK). They suggest that seeing ingroup members looking after others does not promote bystanders’ willingness to do the same when group norms already prescribe helping. Studies 3, 4, and 5 are online-survey experiments focused on Britons’ willingness to help asylum seekers and refugees. These studies suggest that when whether to help and how to help are contested issues, active bystandership inspires further solidarity. This phenomenon involves normative influence but also other processes, such as the perceived seriousness of the situation and bystanders’ sense of self-efficacy. Finally, Study 6 is an interview study conducted during a harshly repressed social uprising in Chile. This study shows that the shape and magnitude of social influence between bystanders vary over the evolution of emergencies.
This thesis argues that bystandership involves complex sense-making processes where the behaviour of other bystanders is one of multiple tools that bystanders can use to conclude what is happening, what should be done, whether they should help, and what they are capable of. Their conclusions may also be informed by other inputs, such as lessons from their personal and social history, their social identities, pre-existing group norms, and the resources and skills that they have. Thus, social influence between bystanders is presented here as a phenomenon shaped by history, time, reflexive processes, and socially mediated perceptions of reality.
2023-11-29
2023-11-02T14:47:59Z
2023-11-02T14:47:59Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/28622
https://doi.org/10.17630/sta/646
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
2028-10-31
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Restricted until 31st October 2028
application/pdf
application/msword
444
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/55452019-04-01T10:40:51Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The contribution of the subthalamic nucleus to executive functions in rat
Xia, Shuang
Brown, Verity Joy
Response control
Set-shifting
Inhibition
Subthalamic nucleus
QP383.3X5
Subthalamus--Physiology
Executive functions (Neuropsychology)
Set (Psychology)
Inhibition
Rats--Behavior
Lesions of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) alleviate the cardinal signs of
idiopathic as well as MPTP-induced Parkinson’s disease in primates. For this
reason, the STN is a target for clinical treatment of Parkinson’s disease using
deep brain stimulation. Despite its small size, the STN plays a vital role in the
cortico-basal ganglia-thalamic network. However, the functional features of the
STN have yet to be fully uncovered. The research presented in this thesis
examines the functions of the STN by measuring behavioural changes resulting
from STN lesions in rats performing executive abilities.
In the first experiment, a ‘signal change’ reaction time task was developed
and the performance of humans and rats was compared. The main findings
were that although humans and rats used different strategies in the task, the
task did challenge the ability to inhibit unwanted responses. In the second and
third experiments, the effects of bilateral lesions of the STN on performance of
two variants of the ‘signal change’ task were examined. Rats with the STN
lesions were able to inhibit responses when under stimulus control, but were
less able to inhibit responses that were not under stimulus control. In the final
experiment, the effects of lesions of the STN on inhibitory control in a nonmotor,
cognitive domain were examined. Rats with STN lesions were not
impaired on reversal learning, suggesting intact inhibition of previously
rewarded responses. The rats with STN lesions did show impairments in
selective attention which resulted in an inability to form an attentional set.
Together, these findings challenge the conventional view that the STN
simply plays a global inhibitory role. Rather, the contribution of the STN to
inhibitory control is more complex and neither the motor nor the cognitive
effects of the lesions are easily explained simply as a failure of inhibition.
2014-12-01
2014-10-15T15:26:59Z
2014-10-15T15:26:59Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/5545
en
application/pdf
164
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/168102021-09-05T11:44:40Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Identity information in bonobo vocal communication: from sender to receiver
Keenan, Sumir
Zuberbühler, Klaus
French Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche
Université de Saint-Etienne
European Research Council (ERC)
Vocal communication
Vocalisation
Individual vocal signature
Identity information
Individual vocal recognition
Vocal convergence
Kin vocal signature
Non-human primate
Bonobo
QL737.P94K4
Bonobo--Vocalization
Identity information is vital for highly social species as it facilitates individual
recognition and allows for differentiation between social partners in many contexts,
such as dominance hierarchies, territorial defence, mating and parent-offspring
identification, and group cohesion and coordination. For many species vocalisations
can be the most effective communication channel in complex environments and over
long-distances and are encoded with the stable features of an individual’s voice.
Associations between these individual vocal signatures and accumulated social
knowledge about conspecifics can greatly increase an animal’s fitness, as it
facilitates adaptively constructive social decisions. This thesis investigates the
encoding and decoding of identity information in the vocal communication system of
the bonobo, Pan paniscus. We firstly investigated the stability of vocal signatures
across the five most common call types in the bonobo vocal repertoire. Results
showed that while all call types have the potential to code identity information, loud
calls used during times of high arousal and for distance communication have the
strongest individual vocal signatures. Following the first study, we investigated if
social familiarity and relatedness affect the acoustic features that code individual
information in the bark call type. Overall, we found strong evidence for vocal
convergence, and specifically, that individuals who are related and familiar,
independently from one another, are more vocally similar to one another than
unrelated and unfamiliar individuals. In a final study, we tested if bonobos are
capable of using the encoded identity information to recognise past group members
that they no longer live with. Through a series playback experiments we
demonstrated that bonobos are capable of recognising familiar individuals from
vocalisations alone even after years of separation. Collectively, the results of this
thesis show that the encoding and decoding of identity information in bonobo
vocalisations is a dynamic system, subject to modification through social processes
but robust enough to allow for individual recognition over time. In conclusion, these
studies contribute to a better understanding of the vocal communication system of a
non-human primate species with a unique and complex social network.
2017-06-01
2019-01-09T10:31:15Z
2019-01-09T10:31:15Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/16810
en
2022-06-01
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Print and electronic copy restricted until 1st June 2022
190 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/178952024-01-18T16:01:27Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Stress programming throughout life history : implications for physiological ageing
Walker, David John
Spencer, Karen Anne
Healy, Sue
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
East of Scotland Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership (EASTBIO)
BF575.S75W2
Stress (Psychology)--Physiological aspects
Aging--Physiological aspects
Mind and body
Japanese quail--Effect of stress on
Stress exposure throughout life can shape ageing phenotypes by causing changes
within an individual’s physiology, such that growth, lifespan and many fitness-related
traits are significantly and sometimes permanently affected. Developmental
increases in glucocorticoids (GCs) and subsequent programming of the
Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis, are considered one of the primary
mechanisms that program these age-related physiological changes. However, it is
unclear how stress experienced throughout life interacts on physiological processes
that may influence the trajectory of the ageing process within an individual. In this
thesis, I used the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) to investigate both short and
long-term effects of developmental and adult stress exposure on physiological
processes that are known to be affected by the process of ageing: the neuroimmune
system, neural cell death and survival and maintenance of oxidative balance. I
aimed to establish at which point during life stress elicited the strongest
programming effects; if these effects had physiological costs or benefits for the
ageing individual and if there were cumulative or diminishing effects of repeated
stress exposure on these physiological processes. Within the neuroimmune system,
I found that post-natal stress induced neuroinflammation and caused a reduction in
cell survival in later life within brain regions involved in HPA axis functioning.
Repeated developmental stress also programmed a dampened apoptotic response
in the ageing brain. I also found age and sex-specific effects on apoptosis, cell
survival and oxidative balance measures that depended on the conditions birds
experienced during development. My data show that programmed long-term changes in physiology are most likely driven by elevated GCs during the post-natal
period. My research suggests that these programmed phenotypes may exhibit signs
of accelerated physiological ageing or may be adaptive in promoting swifter and
stronger recovery from subsequent stress exposure in later life.
"The research conducted in this thesis was primarily supported by a Biological and
Biotechnology Research Council (BBSRC) Eastbio Doctoral Training Programme
studentship awarded to myself and my supervisors, Dr Karen A. Spencer (KAS) and
Professor Susan D. Healy (SDH) [Grant number: BB/J01446X/1].
The following awards further supplemented the research conducted in this thesis: a
BBSRC research grant awarded to Dr Cedric Zimmer (CZ), KAS and SDH (Grant
number: BB/LL002264/1) and a David Phillips Research Fellowship awarded to KAS." -- Funding
2019-06-28
2019-06-14T11:09:28Z
2019-06-14T11:09:28Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/17895
https://doi.org/10.17630/10023-17895
en
Data underpinning David Walker's PhD thesis. Walker, D.J., University of St Andrews, DOI: https://doi.org/10.17630/f1952031-5f26-45ff-93a0-a91756ebfd2d
Walker, David & Zimmer, Cedric & Larriva, María & D. Healy, Susan & Spencer, Karen. (2019). Early-life adversity programs long-term cytokine and microglia expression within the HPA axis in female Japanese quail. The Journal of Experimental Biology. 222. jeb.187039. 10.1242/jeb.187039.
Walker, David & Spencer, Karen. (2017). Glucocorticoid programming of neuroimmune function. General and Comparative Endocrinology. 256. 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.07.016. (http://hdl.handle.net/10023/11895)
https://doi.org/10.17630/f1952031-5f26-45ff-93a0-a91756ebfd2d
https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.187039
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/11895
2026-01-18
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Print and electronic copy restricted until 18th January 2026
xxxvi, 400 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/31212019-04-01T10:40:52Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Social learning from video demonstrations in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), children (Homo sapiens), and ravens (Corvus corax)
Price, Elizabeth E.
BF318.P85
Social learning
Learning in animals
Primates--Psychology
Cognition in children
Corvus corax--Psychology
The capacity for cumulatively complex and constructive technologies is a
hallmark of human cognitive ability. Many species use tools, yet the breadth,
adaptability, and inventiveness of human tool use distinguishes us. Such complex
technological adaptations require the causal understanding to invent and perfect new
techniques and the ability to copy perceived behaviours. This has led to considerable
research comparing the social learning abilities of chimpanzees and young children on
tool-using tasks, yet experimental studies directly investigating tool modification are rare.
The studies outlined in this thesis sought to assess the social learning abilities of
chimpanzees and children by manipulating both the complexity of a tool modification
method and the amount of information available in a demonstration. Video
demonstrations of conspecifics were used in lieu of live models, in order to manipulate
the quality and quantity of information directly. Both chimpanzees and children presented
with complete information about the modification process learned to combine two tools
together to make a more efficient tool significantly more than those provided with less
information. Unlike chimpanzees, children presented with a more perceptually opaque
method of tool modification (twisting and extending an internal rod) were also able to
socially learn the task, despite the fact that none of the children in the control condition
successfully solved the task. Both children and chimpanzees who solved the task after
seeing a demonstration also persisted in using the socially learned method two-weeks
later, even when it was no longer necessary. These results identify potent social learning
effects in both chimpanzees and children, however, children proved superior to
chimpanzees in observationally learning finer manipulative techniques.
This thesis also provides the first analysis of video stimuli in ravens. To assess the
feasibility of the methodology, ravens were first presented with different types of video
stimuli, varying in terms of the subject identity. Ravens showed a preference for video
footage of other ravens over different species of birds. In a second study, ravens who saw
a conspecific solve a two-step task were more likely to attempt a solution than those who
had not. This represents the first evidence of social learning from a video demonstration
in ravens and further supports the use of this medium to dissect social learning
mechanisms in a range of species.
2011
2012-09-22T17:46:06Z
2012-09-22T17:46:06Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
uk.bl.ethos.556377
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/3121
en
application/pdf
viii, 147, [12]
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/80992022-08-31T02:02:59Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Experiences of young adult Muslim second generation immigrants in Britain : beyond acculturation
Ashraf, Mujeeba
Reicher, Stephen
Pakistan. Higher Education Commission
Multiple social identity model
Non-shared identity
British Muslims
Ethnicity
Acculturation
Second generation immigrants
Religious identity
DA125.M87A8
Muslim youth--Great Britain--Social life and customs--21st century
Children of immigrants--Great Britain--Social life and customs--21st century
Young adults--Great Britain--Social life and customs--21st century
Acculturation--Great Britain
This research is an attempt to understand the living experiences of young adult Muslim SGIs, in Britain. This research advocates to understand their living experiences from the perspective of social identity approach which discusses multiple dimensions of identity, unlike acculturation theory which focuses on a mono dimension of identity. This research introduced a multiple social identity model for Muslim SGIs. Contrary to the previous literature, the first study, the interview study, revealed that they explained their conflicts with their non-Muslim British peers and with their parents on the basis of non-shared identity. With their non-Muslim British peers they shared cultural (national) identity, therefore, they explained their conflicts in terms of different religious values (practices); with their parents they shared religious identity, therefore they explained their conflicts in terms of different cultural (ethnic) values and practices. They argued that their parents practise various cultural practices in the name of Islam, and Muslim SGIs distinguished Islam from their parents’ culture, and identified with the former, not the latter, and attributed their conflicts to their parents’ cultural values. In addition, they explained that their religious identity enables them to deal with conflicts with peers and parents. The second study, the focus group, successfully validated the findings of the first study, and it broadened the understanding of the fact that SGIs and their parents both explained their religion in their own cultural context. Their religious (Muslim) identity also promotes their relationships with their non-Muslim British peers and parents, which contributes positively towards their British identity, and more specifically they define themselves as British Muslims. In the third study, the survey study, the hypotheses were developed on the bases of the qualitative studies. It was expected and found that British and Muslim identities were positively correlated; they had non-significant identity differences with the Muslim identity and significant identity difference with British and ethnic identities from their parents. Ethnic identity difference from their parents was the only found predictor of their attribution of their conflicts to their parents’ cultural values.
2016-06-21
2016-01-29T16:52:03Z
2016-01-29T16:52:03Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/8099
en
application/pdf
257
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/145962019-07-15T10:13:00Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The exterior-letter advantage in linear multi-letter arrays
De Bruijn, Oscar
University of St Andrews
QP491.D3
Pattern perception
When linear arrays of unrelated letters (e.g., 'sfdthnc') are presented tachistoscopically centred across a fixation point, letters presented at exterior positions (e.g., 's----c') aregenerally reported more accurately than letters presented in interior positions. This "exterior-letter advantage" suggests that processing is more efficient for exterior letters than for interior letters. Previous researchers have argued that the exterior-letter advantage can be fully accounted for by the influences of lateral interference and mask configuration. However, the processes responsible for the exterior-letter advantage are far from resolved, despite the robustness of the phenomenon and its occurrence in numerous investigations into visual information processing. The experiments reported in this study investigated the role of lateral interference and backward pattern masking in the exterior-letter advantage. To investigate the role of lateral interference, performance was compared across complete 7-letter arrays and arrays in which the presence and proximity of flanking letters was varied by (i) presenting only exterior letters and their immediately flanking interior letter, (ii) varying the number blank letter-spaces by which these letter-pairs were separated, (iii) varying the nature of the characters presented in these displays, and (iv) presenting each exterior/interior letter-pair in isolation. The role of backward pattern masking was investigated (i) using different mask configurations which either matched or exceeded the left and right boundaries of complete letter arrays, and (ii) using masks which overlay only the positions of each exterior/interior letter-pair. The findings indicate that while lateral interference and mask configuration each played a part, neither an imbalance in the number of immediately flanking letters for interior and exterior letters nor mask configuration can entirely account for the exterior-letter advantage.
1995
2018-06-26T10:36:45Z
2018-06-26T10:36:45Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14596
en
application/pdf
233 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/146502019-04-01T10:40:53Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Spectral properties of dark-adapted plaice retinal ganglion cells
Hammond, Peter
Horridge, G. Adrian
QP479.H2
Retina
1. The spectral, spatial and temporal properties of receptive fields of dark-adapted, on-off retinal ganglion cells in the intact eye of the plaice, have been analysed by recording responses from their axon terminals in the superficial layers of the contra-lateral optic tectum with indium micro-electrodes. 2 Two cell-types have been identified on criteria of discharge patterns. The first type gives spectrally opponent "on-off" responses to coloured stimuli, with no subdivision of receptive fields into centre and periphery. On and "off" response-components are mutually inhibitory. The second type gives slow-adapting, "on-off" or "off" responses for different stimulus positions within the receptive field, with centre-surround or adjacent field patterns. Only "on-off" centre, off"-surround cells, or "off"-centre, "on-off" surround cells have been found, "On-off" centre cells exhibit mutual antagonism between field centre and surround. "Off"-centre cells possess inhibitory centres. This cell-type gives only weak opponent, or possibly non-opponent responses. 3. Moot cells of each type receive rod input in addition to input from cones. At stimulus intensities suprathreshold for cones, response-components give spectral maxima or more of four wavelength ranges; blue, 440-460 mum; blue-green, 470-490 mum; green, 510-540 mum; and orange, 560-590 mum. No cello give red sensitivity maxima. At low stimulus intensities all cells with rod input give a single spectral peak between 520 and 530 mum.
1967
2018-06-27T08:25:17Z
2018-06-27T08:25:17Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14650
en
application/pdf
128 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/6862019-07-01T10:03:20Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
An investigation into the role of thought suppression in the retrieval of autobiographical memories
Neufeind, Julia
Dritschel, Barbara
Autobiographical memory
Thought suppression
BF378.A87N4
Autobiographical memory
Thought suppression
This program of research was designed to examine the role of thought suppression in the retrieval of autobiographical memories (ABMs). The principal theory proposed here is that thought suppression is an important mechanism in explaining certain ABM retrieval patterns relevant to trauma and self-harm. Study 1 examined the role of thought suppression as a correlate of ABM retrieval in a nonclinical student sample, and showed that higher levels of thought suppression were significantly correlated with the faster recall of negative episodic ABMs as well as the recall of fewer personal semantic memories. Study 2 used a suppression manipulation procedure designed to examine whether this was a causal relationship, and revealed that induced thought suppression directly led to a significant enhancement in the retrieval of negative episodic ABMs as well as significantly fewer overgeneral first responses to negative cues. Furthermore, the induced thought suppression also resulted in the recall of significantly fewer personal semantic memories. Together these results support the theory that thought suppression is an important factor in ABM recall. The enhanced recall of negative memories could be particularly important in individuals who are self-harming, suicidal and/or suffering from PTSD, as enhanced negative recall has previously been observed in these populations. In order to further examine how thought suppression affects ABM retrieval and whether the enhanced negative recall observed in Study 2 was a result of mood-congruent recall, Study 3 used a similar suppression manipulation paradigm to examine the effects of induced thought suppression on mood. The results suggested that the enhanced negative ABM recall was unlikely to have been a by-product of the suppression manipulation resulting in a more negative mood state. Finally, Study 4 examined the role of thought suppression and ABM recall in a clinical sample of self-harming adolescents (who also reported high levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms). The results showed that levels of thought suppression were significantly higher in the self-harmers than the control group, indicating that thought suppression is an important coping mechanism in self-harmers. Furthermore, in terms of the autobiographical memory retrieval, it was found that the self-harmers were significantly faster in their retrieval of negative episodic ABMs and recalled fewer personal semantic memories than the control group. Multiple regression analysis of the data revealed that thought suppression remained as the most important predictor of variability in negative episodic ABM retrieval and personal semantic memory retrieval, even when variability explained by symptoms of depression and PTSD was considered. This program of research extends current theories of ABM retrieval by identifying thought suppression as a cognitive mechanism that directly affects the retrieval of both episodic as well as personal semantic ABMs. The theoretical importance and clinical relevance of this program of research are discussed.
2008-11-27
2009-05-13T14:45:02Z
2009-05-13T14:45:02Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/686
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
994514 bytes
application/pdf
application/pdf
x, 246
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/151402019-04-01T10:40:54Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Parental support of cognitive development in infancy
Moseley, Jean
Whiten, Andrew
BF723.C5M7
Cognition in children
This study examines the nature of parental involvement in the infants' play with objects (toys) and the effectiveness of the various forms of the parent's (mother's) intervention on the infant's cognitive growth. Assessment of the levels of the infants' cognitive competence were obtained through the administration of the Uzgiria and Hunt's "Infants Psychological Development Scales" which provided a formal measure of performance in various tasks that are related to specific areas of sensorimotor intelligence. Videotapes of 15-minute mother-infant play sessions in their homes, involving 6-, 9-, 12- and 15-month-old infants were quantified in terms of maternal and infant categories of behaviour that described variations in the involvement and complexity of the mothers' participation and the cognitive and social components of the infants' orientation to toys in an interpersonal context. Besides this cross-sectional method of data- collection, for each group, a quasi-longitudinal approach was adopted to trace the developmental changes of interpersonal play with objects across a period of three months. Analyses of maternal categories revealed quantitative and qualitative changes in maternal style of interaction as a function of the infant's age, as well as his level of cognitive abilities -relative to age peers. Mothers of 6-manth-olds were different from the mothers in the other groups in that they directed their infants' play into specific channels to an equal extent as their passive participation in the infants' spontaneous manipulative acts. All the other mothers adopted this latter 'enhancing' role to a greater extent than the former 'modifying' one. All mothers engaged in very little structured 'teaching' and very little 'assistance' of their infants. Analysis of the infants' data showed definite developmental changes in all forms of infants' orientation to objects in an interpersonal context. Cooperative play became noticeably more frequent and was more often infant-initiated after age 15 months. Rejection of play with the mother and lack of concentration on the play-task was characteristic of the 9-12 month-old infants. From the data, three conclusions were derived with respect to parental support and its effectiveness. Firstly, parents encourage autonomy and spontaneity in the infant since they 'enhance interaction' with the toys more than they 'modify' it. 'Modifying' is situation-specific in the sense that it increased when the infants' spontaneous manipulations were relatively infrequent, or when they were characterised by a low-level of cognitive complexity, or when the infant was less advanced than his peers on the sensorimotor intelligence scales. However, with age increases the mothers increased their demands from the infants by initiating more tasks for them to reciprocate. The second conclusion is that when the mothers 'modify' interaction they time their activities in accordance with the infants' ongoing behaviour thereby encouraging the infants' attention to the mother and increasing the likelihood of achieving the goal set by her. The third conclusion relates to the effectiveness of parental intervention. Infants whose age was above 9 months seemed to be more dependent on, and more affected by, their mothers' directive intervention. These findings are discussed in terms of the implication for child- rearing practices and pre-school education.
1981
2018-07-09T14:53:34Z
2018-07-09T14:53:34Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/15140
en
application/pdf
495 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/151212019-04-01T10:40:56Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
The effect of social stereotypes on eyewitness behaviour
Frowley, Jason N.
BF311.F8
Cognition and culture
Eyewitness behaviour is a very important issue in social psychology. Recent years have seen a boom in research in this area; however, very little of this research has addressed the important and fundamental issues raised by the social factors that are involved when eyewitnessing takes place. The present thesis reports research which addresses the effect of social- stereotypic information upon a number of aspects of the eyewitness situation. Of particular interest is the effect of stereotypic information upon the judgment of aggressive and violent actions, and face and body stimuli; on memory for information associated with a dramatic staged incident, when presented either before or after target material; and its impact in an eyewitness interview situation. Finally, an interview technique is designed and tested which aims to reduce the negative impact of stereotypic information on eyewitness memory. Throughout, the impact of stereotypic information presented at encoding and at retrieval is contrasted and compared. The effect of delay between encoding and retrieval is also considered. It is concluded that stereotypic information may affect judgments of information relevant to the eyewitnessing situation whether presented before or after target material. Similarly, stereotypic information may affect memory when it is presented before target material. Little effect is however to be expected on memory when stereotypic information is presented at retrieval, although the exact effects may be found to vary with the nature of the target stimuli used. The source-monitoring interview, based on research by Marcia Johnson and her colleagues, appears a promising means of reducing the distorting effect of stereotypes on memory; particularly when a delay occurs between the encoding and retrieval of target material.
1994
2018-07-09T11:25:51Z
2018-07-09T11:25:51Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/15121
en
application/pdf
517 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/183892019-08-30T02:05:55Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Event-related potential correlates of encoding and retrieval processes in human memory
Doyle, Hugh
Rugg, M. D. (Michael D.)
QP406.D7
Evoked potentials (Electrophysiology)
Memory
In
electrophysiological research over the last few years there has been
a
growing tendency to utilise the Event-Related Potential as a tool in the
study of cognitive processes, especially those which are well defined and
understood. Over the last few years too, the study of encoding and
retrieval processes in human memory has achieved a certain measure of
consensus, in that many researchers have suggested that retrieval
performance depends largely upon the type of encoding process performed
upon the item at presentation, in particular it is suggested that the
degree to which the physical characteristics of a stimulus item are
analysed will largely determine whether the item can later be recognised
and that the degree to which the semantic content of the item is analysed
will
largely determine whether the item can later be recalled. The present
series of experiments sought to determine whether there existed ERP
correlates of the two
types of encoding process and of the two related
retrieval processes, recognition and recall.
In the first experiment, ERPs generated by words which were thought to
have been analysed at a physical level, as determined by whether they were
recognised 24 hours later, were compared with ERPs generated by words
thought not to have received such processing, during both initial and
subsequent presentation. The ERP encoding data indicated that enhancement
was seen in late positive activity generated at Fz by words which were
later
recognised with a high degree of confidence. This was taken to imply
that the enhanced positivity was generated by elaborative encoding
processes. The ERP retrieval data indicated: 1) that between 300-500 msec
post stimulus, words which were correctly recognised as "old" generated
potentials of greater positivity than words which were correctly recognised
as "new". This was
interpreted as an ERP index of a retrieval process based
on
familiarity only. 2) Between 500-924 msec post stimulus, items which
may have been recognised due to the retrieval of encoding context generated
greater positivity than items recognised on the basis of familiarity alone.
In experiment 2, the basic design was repeated with the exception that
a
cognitive task was interposed between trials to ensure that all
processing related to subsequent memory performance was restricted to the
recording epoch. ERPs were recorded only during the initial presentation
of stimulus
items, and those generated by words later recognised were again
compared with those generated by items not recognised or recognised with
low confidence. The ERP data revealed the same enhanced late positivity at
Fz
generated by words correctly recognised with a high degree of
confidence, although, as in experiment 1, the effect was small.
In
experiment 3, ERPs were again only recorded to words during the
first
presentation, but were this time compared on the basis of whether
words had been recalled or not. It was
thought that if subsequent recall
of items
depends on elaborative processing at presentation, this
manipulation would ensure that ERPs generated by recalled words would
reflect
activity selective to elaborative encoding. The recording epoch was
also lengthened in order that the ERPs might be sensitive to slow, long
latency effects. The data indicated that words which were recalled
generated ERPs of significantly greater positivity in the region 800-1400
msec at Fz than did words not recalled.
In
experiment 4, ERPs generated by words during retrieval were
recorded, and in this case ERPs generated by words whose experimentally
learned associates were recalled from memory, were compared with ERPs
generated by words whose associates were not recalled. It was suggested
that since recall depends upon retrieval of encoding context, ERPs
generated by words whose learned associates were recalled, should reflect
such
processing. The ERP data showed that words whose associates were
recalled, generated activity of greater positivity than words whose
associates were not
recalled, from 500 msec onwards at all three midline
sites.
It is concluded from these experiments that at encoding, the
activation of elaborative processing is reflected by an enhancement of the
ERP
activity at Fz from approx. 500 msec onwards, and that at retrieval, 1)
the activation of the "familiarity-checking" process generates enhanced
positivity at all midline sites between 300-500 msec, and 2) that the
"retrieval of encoding context" process generates enhanced positivity from
500 msec onwards. These data are related further in the conclusion to both
physiological and cognitive theories of human memory.
1990-03-09
2019-08-29T10:24:12Z
2019-08-29T10:24:12Z
Thesis
Masters
MSc Master of Science
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/18389
en
application/pdf
273 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/270822024-01-06T03:02:49Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Varieties of common ground : common knowledge, common ignorance, and co-presence
Liu, Hao Lucy
Gomez, Juan-Carlos
Carpenter, Malinda
China Scholarship Council (CSC)
University of St Andrews
Common ground
Common ignorance
Coordination game
Strategic ignorance
Co-presence
Video call interactions
BF311.L58
Psychology, Cognitive
Communication--Psychological aspects
Cognition in children
Collective behavior
Common ground is seen as the basis for human communication and cooperation. Within common ground research, the main focus has always been on the knowledge that partners know together, i.e., "common knowledge". However, this neglects the factor of ignorance, which must be considered to be an integral component of common ground. To fill in this gap, different aspects of common ground (common knowledge, common ignorance, common privileged knowledge/ignorance) were investigated with a new coordination game in children between 4 and 8 years old. Results showed that common ignorance and common privileged ignorance were more difficult than common knowledge and common privileged knowledge: It was only by age 6 that children could use common ignorance at an equivalent level with common knowledge, and they had difficulty with “common privileged other knowledge” (i.e. self ignorance) even until age 8. Children’s understanding of ignorance was further probed with a preliminary investigation of strategic ignorance in children. As young as 4 years of age, children reported that they could actively choose not to know something, and from 5 years of age, adult-like reasons were given for things they preferred not to know. Common ground goes beyond common knowledge and ignorance states, and can also involve a feeling of co-presence. Whether physical co-presence in video calls could be simulated by partners using the same virtual background was investigated in an online study of adults. Results showed that using the same, as opposed to a different, background in video calls could enhance partners’ feelings of connectedness to some extent: They used a higher proportion of “we” pronouns, though they did not show a difference on other measurements such as perspective taking or mimicry. Taken together, this thesis contributes new knowledge about neglected aspects of common ground: the importance of common ignorance and its interplay with common knowledge in development, and the importance of markers of co-presence in the shared experience of online social interactions.
2022-11-29
2023-03-01T16:36:02Z
2023-03-01T16:36:02Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/27082
https://doi.org/10.17630/sta/315
201703780013
en
2025-11-01
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Restricted until 1st November 2025
application/pdf
application/msword
192
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/236622021-07-28T14:30:40Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Understanding multisensory processing in a wider context using a model-based approach
Liu, Yue
Otto, Thomas
University of St Andrews
Multisensory decision
Race model
Audiovisual
Space
RT
Precision
Maximum likelihood estimation
An overarching goal of multisensory research is to understand multisensory behaviour in a wider context but still within a unified framework. Modelling has been a useful tool to understand how information from different senses is combined to produce behaviour. For example, different models have been used to understand the improvement in speed or precision of multisensory relative to unisensory decisions (Ernst & Banks, 2002; Raab, 1962). However, these modelling approaches are limited to address a single measure of multisensory decisions, for example, models of speed cannot explain precision and models of precision cannot explain speed. The field is still working towards developing a unified modelling framework that can link the different aspects of multisensory decisions together. In aim of this, I addressed three gaps in research on multisensory decision making, which I believe is essential to address the missing linkage between studies of multisensory behaviour. Firstly, most multisensory modelling work has used an implicit assumption, which states that processing of a unisensory signal and processing of the corresponding unisensory component of a multisensory signals are identical. However, the validity of this assumption, has not been tested. I offered a way to understand this assumption under experimental settings and proved that it is most likely violated. This suggests that studies of multisensory behaviour should rather consider the influence of context in modelling work. Secondly, I addressed that multisensory response at neuronal and behavioural level can be linked. The spatial principle, which is found in neuronal studies, can be mapped to behaviour and accounted for by a race model. Thirdly, I attempt to address the link between speed and precision of multisensory behaviour. In the past, the two have rarely been studied within a unified paradigm. I found that when both measures were required, participants are far from achieving optimality in either speed or precision, and it is possible that they are switching strategies towards favouring one of the measures in such decisions. The race model is a strong candidate to be refined and developed in future research to incorporate more aspects of multisensory decisions, as I have address it is not limited to explain speedup in simple detection task, but also influence of context, space, and precision in more complex experimental tasks.
2021-07-02
2021-07-28T14:12:26Z
2021-07-28T14:12:26Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/23662
https://doi.org/10.17630/sta/117
en
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
2022-06-11
Thesis restricted in accordance with University regulations. Electronic copy restricted until 11th June 2022
191 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/129522019-04-01T10:40:58Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
On social, cultural and cognitive aspects of theory of mind in practice
Loth, Eva
Reicher, Stephen
Gómez, Juan Carlos
BF316.6L7
Philosophy of mind.
Autism.
Theory of mind (ToM) describes the ability to represent internal mental states. We propose that using ToM in practice depends upon the interplay of social, cultural and cognitive factors. The argument is divided into two parts. First, we studied whether people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may have deficits, which impair acquisition of the cultural knowledge necessary to use ToM in practice. The acquisition of shared beliefs, such as social norms, might indirectly rely on metarepresentational capacities. Moreover, a piecemeal processing style - Weak Central Coherence (WCC) - might translate into difficulties in the acquisition of scripts of routine events, which are normally represented as holistic, hierarchically organised knowledge structures. In four experiments we show, first, that WCC may be specific, but not universal to individuals with ASD and that WCC and ToM deficits frequently overlap. Of the ASD group with different levels of ToM abilities, only those with ToM deficits had greater impairments in drawing inferences from social norms than matched control groups. Script abnormalities ranged from a profound lack of event knowledge to more subtle qualitative peculiarities. Especially ASD with WCC and ToM deficits showed a tendency to treat optional and very specific event acts that could occur as should be occurring. The second part of the argument investigated whether power relations affect ToM usage in ordinary adults. A method to track and categorise ToM in ordinary talk was developed to study adults' accounts of real-life experiences in multi-cultural settings. Key findings were that the quality and quantity of ToM talk differed when people accounted for experiences of situated powerlessness (that is, experiences of being discriminated against) compared to when they considered episodes in which power relations were equal. Preliminary data from an experimental study suggests that adults were more inaccurate in inferring the mental states of less powerful as opposed to equally powerful others. We conclude by suggesting that an integrated social, cultural and cognitive framework of ToM in practice may contribute to our understanding of the social phenotype of ASD as well as it provides a new perspective on social phenomena such as intergroup relations.
2003
2018-03-15T14:25:17Z
2018-03-15T14:25:17Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/12952
en
application/pdf
xiii, 464 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/96032019-08-06T11:14:33Zcom_10023_130com_10023_32col_10023_132
Evaluation and characterisation of two zebrafish models of schizophrenia
Daggett, J. M. (Jenny Michelle)
Brown, Verity Joy
Zebrafish
Schizophrenia
Cognitive flexibility
Phencyclidine
Habituation
Set shifting
Motivation
NMDA receptors
RC514.D2
Schizophrenia--Animal models
Zebra danios as laboratory animals
Cognitive deficits are the single strongest predictor of the functional outcome in patients with schizophrenia. Current treatments are largely ineffective in improving cognitive impairments and promising pre-clinical research has mostly failed to translate clinically. Despite the advances provided by rodent models, the neurobiological basis of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia is poorly understood. Therefore, this thesis proposes a zebrafish model for studying cognitive impairments of schizophrenia.
Although more evolutionarily distant to humans compared to the rat, the zebrafish has emerged as a popular vertebrate model of human disorders due to its genetic tractability, complex nervous system and elaborate behavioural repertoire. We investigated the effects of genetic alterations and neurodevelopmental disruption on behaviour and learning in zebrafish. Using both disc1 mutant lines and sub-chronic phencyclidine (PCP) on larvae from 6-10 dpf, we were able to assess behavioural changes as a function of developmental age.
In particular, this thesis aimed to develop appropriate behavioural assays to assess zebrafish learning and executive function relevant to disorders seen in human patients with schizophrenia. It was possible to demonstrate robust learning across several domains, namely, reversal, classical avoidance and non-associative learning, alongside locomotor and anxiety-related behaviours. There were varied deficits associated with each of the two – genetic (disc1 gene mutation) and environmental (sub-chronic PCP) – manipulations, consistent with observations in rat research.
Together, the research in this thesis demonstrates that a zebrafish model exhibits behaviour resembling that of mammalian models of schizophrenia and provides a foundation for the utility of zebrafish in examining cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia.
2016-11-30
2016-10-04T11:16:37Z
2016-10-04T11:16:37Z
Thesis
Doctoral
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
uk.bl.ethos.694560
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/9603
en
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
application/pdf
x, 129 p.
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
oai_dc///col_10023_132/100