Emotions and Emotion Regulation in Economic Decision Making

By employing the methodology of experimental economics, the thesis examines the influence of emotions on decision making in electronic auction markets. Subjects\u27 emotional processes are measured by psychophysiological indicators, helping to decipher the coherence of information, emotion (regulation) and decision making. Four chapters build the main body of the thesis and all are constructed similarly: introduction, design, method, results, limitations, theoretical and managerial implications

Temperamental Influences on Risk-taking during Middle Childhood

This thesis concerns temperamental qualities and their influence on risk-taking behavior during middle childhood (7–11 years of age). Contemporary research generally agrees upon the notion that temperament constitutes two motivational systems, sensitive to punishment and reward respectively, together with a third system that is responsible for regulating the motivational systems. Risk-taking is generally regarded as the tendency to engage in potentially harmful or dangerous behaviors that at the same time provide opportunities for positive outcomes (Leigh, 1999). Study 1 of this thesis provides a psychometric evaluation of the Temperament in Middle Childhood Questionnaire (TMCQ; Simonds & Rothbart, 2004), one of the temperament questionnaires used in the other two studies. We also tested the ability of the punishment and reward sensitivity factors from the r-RST, as measured by the Sensitivity to Punishment, Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire for Children (SPSRQ-C; Colder et al., 2011), to validate the corresponding factors from the TMCQ. Our second study examines the interaction effects between temperamental traits fear, drive, and activation control on risk-taking. Fear and drive represent the punishment sensitivity system and the reward system respectively, and activation control is the ability to control the reactions in these two systems. Results from this study suggest that the joint influence of the temperamental systems is of great importance in risk-taking, and also that activation control abilities provide a good protection for children prone to risk-taking behavior. Lastly, our third study examines how children’s temperamental qualities interact with incentive contexts in risky decision-making. Results suggest that incentive-related contextual factors have a strong influence on risky decision-making and that temperament modifies this influence, thereby reducing or increasing children’s proneness to take risks. The findings supported predictions based on the revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (r-RST; Gray & McNaughton, 2000), regarding how temperament and incentive context jointly determine behavior in risk-taking situations. The results from our studies provide a better understanding of how temperamental qualities interact in children’s risk-taking, and of how the effects of temperament on risky decision-making can be moderated. This is highly relevant information, since research suggests that effortful control abilities are possible to improve through training

The Impact of Computerized Agents on Immediate Emotions, Overall Arousal and Bidding Behavior in Electronic Auctions

The presence of computerized agents has become pervasive in everyday live. In this paper, we examine the impact of agency on human bidders’ affective processes and bidding behavior in an electronic auction environment. In particular, we use skin conductance response and heart rate measurements as proxies for the immediate emotions and overall arousal of human bidders in a lab experiment with human and computerized counterparts. Our results show that computerized agents mitigated 1) the intensity of bidders’ immediate emotions in response to discrete auction events, such as submitting a bid and winning or losing an auction, and 2) the bidders’ overall arousal levels during the auction. Moreover, agency affected bidding behavior and its relation to overall arousal: whereas overall arousal and bids were negatively correlated when competing against human bidders, we did not observe this relationship for computerized agents. In other words, lower levels of agency yield less emotional behavior. The results of our study have implications for the design of electronic auction platforms and markets that include both human and computerized actors

Active Learning: Effects of Core Training Design Elements on Self-Regulatory Processes, Learning, and Adaptability

This research describes a comprehensive examination of the cognitive, motivational, and emotional processes underlying active learning approaches, their effects on learning and transfer, and the core training design elements (exploration, training frame, emotion-control) and individual differences (cognitive ability, trait goal orientation, trait anxiety) that shape these processes. Participants (N = 350) were trained to operate a complex computer-based simulation. Exploratory learning and error-encouragement framing had a positive effect on adaptive transfer performance and interacted with cognitive ability and dispositional goal orientation to influence trainees’ metacognition and state goal orientation. Trainees who received the emotion-control strategy had lower levels of state anxiety. Implications for developing an integrated theory of active learning, learner-centered design, and research extensions are discussed

Temperament in the Classroom

Variance in academic performance that persists when situational variables are held constant suggests that whether students fail or thrive depends not only on circumstance, but also on relatively stable individual differences in how children respond to circumstance. More academically talented children generally outperform their less able peers, but much less is known about how traits unrelated to general intelligence influence academic outcomes. This paper addresses several related questions: What insights can be gleaned from historical interest in the role of temperament in the classroom? What does recent empirical research say about the specific dimensions of temperament most important to successful academic performance? In particular, which aspects of temperament most strongly influence school readiness, academic achievement, and educational attainment? What factors mediate and moderate associations between temperament and academic outcomes? What progress has been made in deliberately cultivating aspects of temperament that matter most to success in school? And, finally, for researchers keenly interested in better understanding how and why temperament influences academic success, in which direction does future progress lie?

Therapeutic Benefits of Online Psychological Screening for Depressive Symptomology

Research has suggested that participating in in-person psychological testing is related to therapeutic benefits including: reduction in depressive symptomology, self-awareness, self-verification, self-esteem, and hope (Allen, 2001; Poston & Hanson, 2010). This study explored whether these findings applied with a more accessible asynchronous computerized format and examined the effects of computerized testing procedures (i.e., rapport-building video, self-disclosing personal information on questionnaires, receiving a feedback report) on therapeutic benefits (i.e., self-esteem, hope, self-awareness, self-verification, reduction in depressive symptomology). In addition, this study compared participants’ experiences receiving a computerized feedback format and an in-person feedback format. Undergraduate students aged 17 to 45 years (N = 126) participated in a two-part concurrent triangulation design study. In Part 1, participants watched a rapport-building video, completed online screening tools for depression, and measures of therapeutic benefits. For Part 2, participants came into the lab one week later and watched a second rapport-building video before receiving a feedback report (i.e., a summary of their reported symptomology on the screening tools). The test administrator showed 63 participants a paper copy of their feedback report and read it to them. The remaining participants (n = 63) received a computerized feedback report and read through it independently. Participants then completed the measures of therapeutic benefits again in addition to qualitative questions about their experience answering the screening questions and receiving feedback. Quantitative analyses revealed that, after receiving the feedback report, participants reported significant gains in new self-awareness and reductions in depressive symptomology, anxiety, and stress. The feedback format did not contribute to score differences for most measures administered. When specific groups of participants were examined, those with high feedback satisfaction reported less hopelessness than those with low feedback satisfaction. Participants with high self-verification reported greater gains in self-esteem and reductions in hopelessness in Part 2. Similarly, those with high new awareness and high rapport with the test administrator reported less hopelessness over time. Potential reasons for these changes in scores were examined using thematic analysis of qualitative responses. Participants reported on their self-disclosure tendencies; feelings and experiences participating in the current study; gains in new awareness; self-verification and perceived accuracy of the feedback; and perceptions of the test administrator. Findings suggest that completing online screening tools for depressive symptomology and receiving feedback has the potential to be a useful format for intervention. Additional practical applications and participant preferences regarding the use of online screening tools are discussed

Brain Injury in Children: Assessment and School-based Interventions

A traumatic brain injury is an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment that adversely affects a child\u27s educational performance. It is considered the leading cause of mortality and disability among children with estimates of over one million occurrences each year. The 1990 revision of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act included Traumatic Brain Injury as a special education diagnostic category. Although this allowed students greater access to appropriate services, it pointed out the need for additional knowledge and training for educators working with this population. Therefore, a review of published studies on assessment and school-based interventions for students with TBI was conducted. Assessment included both formal, standardized measures and informal methods. Despite the apparent need, few empirical studies have examined rehabilitation for children and adolescents who have sustained a head injury. Treatment approaches were divided into three categories: cognitive remediation, social/behavioral interventions, and the impact of the family on child outcome. Evidence was found supporting all three areas, but more studies are needed to confirm the findings as well as study the duration of effects over time. Finally, recommendations for components of a school based intervention program are outlined

Computerizing Social-Emotional Assessment for School Readiness: First Steps toward an Assessment Battery for Early Childhood Settings

The transition into formal schooling is a crucial foundation that can set children on a cycle of success or failure in both academic and social domains. A child’s abilities to express healthy emotions, understand emotions of self and others, regulate emotion, attention, and behavior, make good decisions regarding social problems, and engage in a range of prosocial behaviors, all work together to promote a successful school experience. However, many children have deficits in these skills by school entry, and educators lack the requisite tools to identify, track and assess skills these children need to learn. Thus, because social-emotional learning (SEL) is so crucial, assessment tools to pinpoint children’s skills and progress are vitally necessary. Previous work by the authors and other researchers has led to the development of strong assessment tools; however, these tools are often developed solely for research use, not practitioner application. In the following, using our assessment battery as an example, we will discuss the steps necessary to adapt SEL assessment for computer-based administration and optimal utility in early childhood education programs

Developing Interpretation Training for Modifying Thought-Action-Fusion Associated with Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms

In obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), obsessions are in part caused by the belief that simply having a thought can increase the chance of an event occurring or represents a person’s morality. This phenomenon is Thought-Action-Fusion (TAF) and is common in OCD. Challenging these beliefs through Interpretation Training (IT) has been used in past research to modify negative interpretations, and lessen the distress and grief associated with them. The current study examined whether three sessions of computerized IT, challenging TAF obsessional thoughts, can impact TAF strength and OC symptoms. Thirty-nine non-clinical students were randomized to either: (1) an active condition (TAFMOD), where participants are presented with a sentence reducing the impact of the obsessional thoughts, or (2) a neutral condition (TAFMAN), in which a non-disconfirming sentence is provided. Among the primary outcomes, an interaction of group (TAFMOD vs TAFMAN) by time (pre-training to post-training) was non-significant, but there were significant reductions by time alone in TAF scores, OC symptoms, primary obsessions, and general anxiety and distress. Overall, the findings from the current study do not support a difference between groups as a result of training, but there did appear to be a general reduction of symptoms over time. Results of the study are discussed in terms of the cognitive theory of obsessional thoughts, and future research directions are suggested

Emotions in auctions: When and why bidders overbid

The objective of this thesis is to identify situations in which bidders overbid in auctions and to explain overbidding behavior with emotionally motivated bidding behavior. The specific challenge is to identify the comprehensive range of types of emotions that influence bidding behavior based on approaches in emotional psychology. A standard procedure is developed to discuss emotions in auctions and to identify emotional pattern. A special focus is on the design of experiments with real goods