Reward processing and decision-making in Posttraumatic stress disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often characterized by difficulty experiencing positive emotion and hyperarousal of negative emotion. Theory suggests that positive emotion is dampened due to frequent re-experiencing of trauma-related stimuli. Although prior research has extended positive emotion experiencing to reward processing research, research has not yet examined how reward processing and decision-making are affected in individuals with PTSD under a trauma prime. The proposed study compared the performance of individuals with PTSD (n = 22) to trauma-exposed controls (n = 24) (between-subjects design) in a passive wheel-of-fortune task and again in a decision-making version of the task, under both neutral and trauma primes (within-subjects). It was hypothesized that, compared to controls, the PTSD group would report a lower expectation of and lower satisfaction with reward in both passive and decision-making tasks. It was further predicted that the PTSD group would make more disadvantageous decisions than the control group in the decision-making task. These effects were expected to be predicted by the type of prime (in the PTSD group, lower following the trauma prime). Results showed that expectation of reward was predicted by the possible outcomes that were presented. Satisfaction of reward was predicted by the type of outcome, as well as the interaction of the group and the type of prime, such that individuals with PTSD rated lower satisfaction following the trauma prime compared to the neutral prime. In addition, those with PTSD made less advantageous decisions compared to controls. These findings suggest that in PTSD treatment, intrusion symptoms may need to be addressed before positive affect can be increased. In addition, individuals with PTSD may make less advantageous decisions (e.g., to engage in social interactions) when the potential gain is not obvious

The role of the principal as viewed by North Carolina assistant principals

The purpose of this study was to investigate the views held by North Carolina assistant principals of the role of the principal. This study investigated the views of the assistant principals about the roles of principals across North Carolina, their current principal, and elementary, middle/junior high, and high school principals. The independent variables considered were the assistant principals' years of administrative experience, level of educational attainment, gender, age, and view held of their current principals as effective or ineffective. Data were obtained from 50 assistant principals from a questionnaire mailed to a stratified, proportionate, random sample of 75 assistant principals across North Carolina. The data were analyzed according to nine research questions asked by the study regarding assistant principals1 perceptions of the role of the principal, the relationship between the principal and assistant principal, and training for the assistant principal. Frequencies and percentages were tabulated to determine group views. Chi-square statistics were used to analyze the relationships between the independent variables and the dependent variable - the assistant principals' perception of the role of the principal. Variables significant at the .05 level of confidence were determined

The relationship between the self-concept, the body-image and the movement-concept of college freshmen women with low and average motor ability

Man has always been concerned about himself. He constantly tries to determine those forces in operation which influence him in the ever-changing process of life; he wonders who he is and what he can be; he wonders how he is influenced and how he can influence. Early in life, man begins to acquire a self - an individuality he will someday call "me" and "I" and connote by these words the unique values, ideals, attitudes, beliefs and feelings that make him what he is. Man learns that his self is not something he alone determines; environmental forces which he cannot always control change and mold his being. His actions take on the characteristics of his immediate environment - he is in action with the family, the socio-educational group of which he is a part, and with the individuals within these groups. He becomes an active participant in the lifelong process of adjustment but all the time his actions and reactions are formulated in terms of self

Moving concrete: development, deployment and consumption of skateboarding in the city

Space, often absent from kinesiological analyses, has significant impacts on how communities operationalize health (Fusco, 2007). The spatial dialogue between bodies and intentional movement directs how bodies are invited, or disinvited, to be physically active (Loukaitou-Sideris & Ehrenfeucht, 2011). As communities re-imagine public spaces in the name of neoliberal health (Ayo, 2012; Fusco, 2007), the challenge becomes distinguishing which forms of physical activity and movement are or are not accepted in those spaces. Thus, as bodies claim space, some bodies are ignored, regulated, or removed, while others are celebrated and designed for (Soja, 1980). Skateboarding offers a unique look at how bodies are navigating the challenging landscape of the postmodern. Particularly, skateboarding claims public space, whether or not that space was intended for its use, placing skateboarding in conversation with the municipality and community in multiple ways. Utilizing the integration of social science frameworks (Lefebvrian Triad, edgework, publicness, and biographies) that focus on spatial relations, this project examined the regulation of human movement by municipalities through the critical reading of Seattle’s Citywide Skatepark Plan (Skatepark Advisory Taskforce, 2007) and Portland’s Skatepark System Plan (Portland Parks & Recreation, 2008). Identifying seven key themes, a description of how cities develop, deploy, and consume skateboarding and related sports (e.g., BMX, inline) and the spaces they occupy is presented. The analyses introduce five major assertions that describe how municipalities manage physical movement through “the city” in the name of the common good. These assertions serve to shape how communities define legal bodies and movement through cityscapes and what this means for the skateboarder and skateboarding. Specifically, the introduction of a Skating Commons and ideas of complacent resistance are explored as challenges facing the municipality and skateboarding in the creation of sociospatial networks within “the city.” The application of these assertions in the “lived” experiences of “the city” has the potential to impact how individuals understand, value, and engage in physical activity and movement

Marxist influences in the United States prior to 1900

Marxian socialism was introduced to America in the 1850*s by German political refugees, among whom were Joseph Weydemeyer, Wilhelm Weitling, Friedrich Sorge, and Victor Berger. Early socialist organizations in America were ineffective and beset with inner struggles. During the depression of 1873-75 which brought many Americans into poverty, communist propaganda began to find a response. Indifference on the part of wealthy classes to the plight of the unemployed and homeless masses, and government patronage of big business, combined to make the situation seem hopeless. The seriousness became evident during the riots of 1877 when hordes of unemployed pillaged and terrorized in many cities for days. Socialist agitation was commonly blamed for the riots

Color preference for black and white in infants and young children

During the past ten years there has been a great deal of research on color preference and color meaning in young children and adults. Emphasis has been on black/white color preference. Investigators in this area have suggested that children and adults prefer the color white to the color black and that this preference for white is a universal one. Some researchers have suggested that the evaluations placed on the colors black and white also influence attitudes toward black and white people. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the preference for the color white was present in infants and young children; and if the preference existed, did the age, race, sex of the subject or the type of toy presented determine the strength of the color preference. A pilot study conducted by the present investigator examined color preference in Afro infants and toddlers, ranging in age from six months to three years. Results indicated that there was a significant tendency toward white preference, that this preference increased as the subjects advanced in age, and that this trend toward white preference should be further investigated

A consideration of some of the aspects of art in relation to fifteen thesis paintings

This paper represents an attempt to shed light on the creative efforts of this artist. Some of the problems which have arisen in the process of creating and explaining the existence of fifteen thesis paintings are presented. Contemplation and soul searching have gone into this procedure, for this artist is vitally concerned with the meaning of art and her relation to it. This has been an impelling search—one that has taken precedence over other problems of Importance. Many times the question has been asked: "What is Art?." Art has meant different things to different people throughout recorded history. As man grows and develops, man's art reflects these changes. As changes take place within his environment, his concept of art reflects these changes

A phonetic analysis and comparison of nineteen consonant sounds as they appear in the speech of normal hearing and hard of hearing children

The objectives of this study were to compare the speech patterns of normal hearing and hard-of-hearing children in order to further describe the relationship of these two groups; to survey the literature to determine group comparisons already established; to provide statements which would further clarify the relationship; and to report these statements for use in the field of speech and hearing pathology. A total of one hundred thirty-four subjects were used in the study. An audio gram and speech analysis were secured on each subject. Subjects were then divided into five groups: Normal hearing; slight hard-of-hearing; moderate hard-of-hearing; educationally deaf; and profoundly deaf. Sound graphs were formed which revealed the percentage of subjects in each group having a given sound defective. These sound graphs were grouped according to site of placement and manner of formation

Personal archaeology : an autoethnographic illumination of a late-blooming feminist artist

Originally seeking personal healing and restoration of balance in life through artistic expression and the creative process, I am enlightened by female precedents and empowered by their work and my own process. An aesthetic sisterhood with a twelfth century visionary, Hildegard of Bingen, informs the content and composition of my art work and provides a model of feminine power. Some connections relating Hildegard’s writings and circular compositions in her illuminations to contemporary global ecumenical, ecological, and feminist understandings are explored. Through Judy Chicago’s writings about The Dinner Party and Paula Harper’s history of the founding of the First Feminine Art Program, I discover a connection to the broader culture and the feminist movement, realizing that my own struggles with weight and body-image are related to the subordination of women in a male dominant culture. The resulting exhibition of art work is in three sections. The first part consists of five large works of construction-grade wall compound applied to plywood panels, imprinted with natural objects as well as patterned and textured materials found in “typical” women’s work. Embedded in the compound are images and messages cut from my food packaging. Paint and stain are added to the surfaces. The second phase of art work is a set of three life-size pastel drawings on brown butcher paper exploring my distorted perception of body image making use of the creative therapy of body-outline drawing. Finally, a triptych of mixed media collages, also life-sized and on various papers, explores the concept of “You Are What You Eat” by using personal food packaging to create images of anatomical systems, again using my actual body outline and the circle. Through autoethnography, a form of arts-based research, I discover that I am a microcosm of the macrocosm of present-day woman’s obsession with dieting and body image and I seek to offer personal insights to challenge outdated beliefs and stereotypes. Further, I come to believe that women’s weight and body-image struggles are rooted in the logical, analytical, linear thinking and design of the dominant culture which is hindering the attainment of gender equality. By allowing myself to consider a personal cosmology inspired by “Other” and pre-patriarchal worldviews, I embrace a cyclical notion of time and a more holistic daily existence. I achieve a sense of balance and empowerment and hope to share this illumination through the exhibition of my art and through my writing and teaching. The artist, researcher, and teacher are roles through which there are implications for further inquiry. Future directions for my art practice include three-dimensional, tape-cast body outlines of self and the use of wall compound as a way of casting positive relief imagery into paper-pulp and clay. Research avenues include ecological concerns in art with particular interest in sustainability--using trash and recycling in place of more traditional art materials. Directions of inquiry for the teacher include designing units to encourage problem-solving and discovery using unconventional, no or low cost materials such as personal trash. More in-depth study of Hildegard of Bingen’s prescriptive uses of plants and other natural objects for balance and healing is of interest. New insights into the differences between the dominant, patriarchal structure of school and the classroom will help me as the teacher to be sensitive to and accommodate the feminine, Native (as one third of my students are members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), and all “Other” cultural values when they conflict. Also, encouragement to young women to research and use historical precedents in their own art work will help empower them and make progress toward gender equality. Lastly, communicating that the creation of art can be a therapeutic practice for individuals and communities is of value

Change And Tradition: The Story Of Fabiola Cabeza De Baca

Fabiola Cabeza de Baca was the first Hispanic home extension agent in New Mexico, where she worked for the agricultural extension service from 1929 to 1959. This thesis, in the form of a Spanish and English bilingual picture book, describes the work that Fabiola did as a home extension agent in New Mexico. This picture book, designed for students in fourth through sixth grade, focuses on the historical theme of the tension between cultural tradition and scientific and technological advancement and is intended to serve as an instructional resource for upper-elementary school teachers. *Includes CD