Involuntary retrieval from autobiographical memory and the nature of cues

The present thesis starts by exploring the possibility of eliciting involuntary autobiographical memories (ABMs) in the laboratory, as a preliminary step in studying the retrieval process of involuntary ABMs. The main aim of the thesis is to test whether involuntary AMBs (IAMs) can be successfully elicited in the lab, to assess whether cue manipulation changes the patterns of memories reported, and to compare IAMs and voluntary ABMs. We adopted the basic experimental paradigm recently developed by Schlagman & Kvavilashvili (2008) with a slight but important modification to it. A series of seven experiments were conducted and a total of 310 participants, participated in these experiments. Results of Experiments 1 indicate that instructing participants about involuntary memories increased significantly the number of involuntary memories reported. A clear increase in memories was obtained also when the interruptions were scheduled by the experimenter. These results indicate that the amount and type of involuntary memories depends strongly on the method used to elicit these memories. Three subsequent experiments (Exp, 2, 3, 4) have been devised to examine whether it is possible that by manipulating the cues in an experimental setting, different numbers of involuntary autobiographical memories are elicited, and memories have different qualities. The results of both experiments 2 and 3 confirm that pictorial cues are less effective in triggering IAMs than the verbal cues of the same items. In Experiment 4 we tested the possibility that concrete verbal material elicits more memories than abstract verbal material. The results of this study indicated that concrete verbal cues elicited more than twice as many IAMs than abstract verbal cues, showing that a clear concreteness effect was found when retrieval is involuntary. To explore the role of additional visual details and the distinctiveness of the items in a visual cue in triggering involuntary autobiographical memories, Experiment 5 was conducted. We found that the addition of visual details did not have a significant effect on the number of reported IAMs. In Experiment 6 we examined if adding a relatively specific detail to the cue would enhance the likelihood for that cue to trigger an involuntary memory. The results of this study showed that adding specific details to a cue tends to enhance the possibility to retrieve involuntary memories for personal events, although the results are not significant. To assess whether the effect of the concreteness/imageability of the cues observed in involuntary memory retrieval can be obtained in a parallel task in which autobiographical memories are obtained through voluntary retrieval we ran the last experiment (Exp 7) in the dissertation. The results of this experiment confirm the difference in effectiveness between concrete/high imagery and abstract/low imagery cues already found in Experiment 4. The results of Experiment 7 show that concrete cues are more effective in general, independently of the type of retrieval, whether involuntary or voluntary. Overall, these results indicate that involuntary memories can be elicited in a lab setting, that by manipulating the cues one manipulates also the number and characteristics of involuntary memories. In addition and unexpectedly, involuntary memories are about general and single events. This result is the opposite of what has been known from diary studies about IAMs, which have been reported as being more specific compared to voluntary memories. We offer a number of explanations of why IAMs are less specific than voluntary memories. However, being post-hoc explanations, work still needs to be done to assess them in a direct way

Manipulating cues in involuntary autobiographical memory: verbal cues are more effective than pictorial cues

In two experiments, pictorial cues were compared with their verbal labels to assess their effectiveness in eliciting involuntary autobiographical memories. Cues were relatively complex in Experiment 1 (e.g., relaxing on a beach) and simple objects in Experiment 2 (e.g., a ball). In both experiments, participants went through a vigilance task in which they were presented with frequent nontarget and rare target visual stimuli. Pictures or their corresponding verbal labels were also displayed on both target and nontarget stimuli, but participants were told that these were irrelevant to the task. They were asked to interrupt the vigilance task whenever they became aware of task-unrelated mental contents and to report them. In both experiments, more involuntary memories were elicited in the verbal cue condition, rather than in the pictorial cue condition. This result is discussed in relation to previous work that highlighted the greater effectiveness of verbal cues in memory tasks

Modifying the frequency and characteristics of involuntary autobiographical memories

Recent studies have shown that involuntary autobiographical memories (IAMs) can be elicited in the laboratory. Here we assessed whether the specific instructions given to participants can change the nature of the IAMs reported, in terms of both their frequency and their characteristics. People were either made or not made aware that the aim of the study was to examine IAMs. They reported mental contents either whenever they became aware of them or following a predetermined schedule. Both making people aware of the aim of the study and following a fixed schedule of interruptions increased significantly the number of IAMs reported. When aware of the aim of the study, participants reported more specific memories that had been retrieved and rehearsed more often in the past. These findings demonstrate that the number and characteristics of memories depend on the procedure used. Explanations of these effects and their implications for research on IAMs are discussed

CYBERCHONDRIA: ROLE OF POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and cyberchondria and to find out the mediating role of anxiety sensitivity in this relationship. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2021 to January 2022 at Bahauddin Zakariyya University, Multan, Pakistan. Participants ranging in age from 18 to 55 years were selected through purposive sampling techniques from different cities of Southern Punjab. Participants who actively use social mediums for online information-seeking of disease-related symptoms were included in the study and participants who confirmed having a physical or psychological health condition were excluded. Cyberchondria, anxiety sensitivity index-3, and intolerance of uncertainty scale were used for measurement. The data were analyzed using structural equation modelling. RESULTS: Out of 413 participants, 148 (42%) were males and 265 (64.2%) were females. Majority (n=188/413; 45.6%) spent >5 hours on net. Main symptoms searched on internet were psychological            (n=61;  14.8%), Physiological (n=175; 42.4%) and both (n=177; 42.8%). Correlation metrics showed that intolerance of uncertainty has a moderate positive correlation with anxiety sensitivity (r=0.59) and cyberchondria (r =-0.41). Similarly, anxiety sensitivity is also positively correlated with cyberchondria (r=0.38). Results further revealed that intolerance of uncertainty has a significant impact on cyberchondria (β=0.48, R2=0.30). Anxiety sensitivity significantly mediates the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and cyberchondria among the general population (β=0.64, R2=0.41) (β=0.25, R2=0.26). CONCLUSION: A significant positive relation exists between intolerance of uncertainty, cyberchondria, and anxiety sensitivity. Intolerance of uncertainty significantly impacts cyberchondria. Anxiety sensitivity significantly mediates the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and cyberchondria

Learning Styles and Employee Creative Behavior; An Exploration Through Cognitive Styles

Cognitive styles are the thinking patterns that greatly influence our day to day activities. People may adopt specific learning styles to the way they want to act. Creativity is an important aspect and a great requirement of now a day’s organization because competition is so enhanced that it is an important aspectto be a part of market. So there is a need to explore what types of learning styles and cognitive styles will help the employees to be creative. The key variables of this study were Cognitive styles (CS), Learning styles (LS) and Employee Creativity (EC). The main purpose was to study cognitive styles as a moderator in relationship of learning styles and employee creativity; and to explore these variables further. Descriptive research design was used and data was collected from 450 employees in different sectors(public and private) through convenient sampling from banks, insurance and telecommunication sectors of Multan. Participants responded to cognitive style inventory (CS; Ancona, Kochan, Scully, Van Maanen, and Westney, 1997), Learning Style Questionnaire (LS; O Brein 1985), and Employee Creativity Questionnaire (EC; Tierney et al. in 1999)in order to study the target variables. Descriptive statistics and reliability of scales was calculated. One way ANOVA, t-test was calculated by using SPSS. To check moderation, Partial least square structural Equation modeling (smart PLS) were used. Cognitive styles had significant moderating effect on learning styles and employee creativity. Limitations and suggestions are discussed

Understanding Clinical Depression through Somatic Symptoms among Depressive Adults: Gender and Education in Consideration

The most prevalent mental health disorder is depression, although it is not always presented in the same form. The type of depression that presents itself through somatic symptoms cannot be detected by mental health professionals, hence requires scrutiny before categorizing the clients as having a psychiatric issue. Therefore, the current study sought to examine these variables by employing the Somatic Symptom Scale (SSS-8) to evaluate the somatic symptoms and diagnosed clients of depression. The study was conducted with a sample of 150 depressed patients (Male=43%, Female= 57%) selected from the outdoor patient (Psychiatry) department of hospitals in Rawalpindi/Islamabad. The results of the study revealed that there was a positive correlation between the study variables. This research also assumed that patients with depression have high somatic symptoms and that the male participants will show more somatic symptoms than the female participants. Analysis of results confirmed that the mean number of somatic symptoms in men (M=20. 86) was significantly higher than that of women (M=18. 12) p> 0. undefined Furthermore, the findings also showed that the illiterate patients with depression were having more somatic symptoms M = 21. 72 than the literate patients M = 18. 20. The current study would be helpful for mental health professionals to comprehend the personality characteristics of patients regarding the treatment of depression. Also, they can develop better therapeutic approaches to address the somatic symptoms of clinical depression

Association of rs2476601 and rs1544410 with Onset of T1D in Youngsters of Lahore, Pakistan

The PTPN22 gene plays vital role in T1D onset by encoding Lymphoid-specific phosphatase (LYP) that lead to T-cell receptor-associated CsK kinase inactivation and preventing T-cell spontaneous activation by dephosphorylation. VDR gene encoded for VDR receptor is involved indirectly in prevention of T1D onset by promoting insulin production. The present study was conducted to determine the mutations on rs2476601 and rs1544410 polymorphic sites on the PTPN22 and VDR genes respectively. We genotyped 50 patients and 50 control subjects from Lahore by using sequencing and Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) techniques. It was observed that the allelic frequency of r and b were higher in patients as compared to controls and significantly associated with the onset of T1D. The genotype distribution frequencies varied significantly among patients and controls (p \u3c 0.01). The mutation on the rs2476601 polymorphic site led to the change of Isoleucine to tryptophan in patients. In conclusion, compelling evidence was found of T1D onset association with the polymorphism at RsaI on rs2476601 and BsmI on rs1544410 on PTPN22 and VDR genes

The Mediating Role of Self-Compassion in the Relationship of Mindfulness with Depressive Symptoms

The Study has been conducted to explore the relationship between mindfulness and depressive symptoms with mediating variable of Self-Compassion. The Objective of this study determines how mindfulness predicts depressive symptoms by taking account of self-compassion. The sample of three hundred and fifty 350 students was taken from Bahudin Zakriya university, Multan (Punjab, Pakistan). The results revealed that mindfulness and self-compassion have significant negative correlation with depressive symptoms. Moreover, self- compassion has strongly predicted depressive symptoms than mindfulness through multiple regression analysis and it has more mediating effect than mindfulness through mediation analysis. t- test and ANOVA shows that statistical difference found on depressive symptoms regarding age and education

Job Satisfaction and Marital Adjustment among Paramedical: Mediating Role of Work Family Conflict

Purpose: An extensive pressure arose by work environment or by family environment resulted as work-family conflict. Occurrences of such conflicts are observed when employees experienced interference of work to family and family to work. Keeping the literature available on effects of work-family conflict in relationship to job satisfaction and marital adjustment, this study was designed to investigate the mediating role played by work family conflict between the relationship of job satisfaction and marital adjustment among paramedical staff. Another aim of this study was to explore the relationship among three variables. Furthermore, it was aimed to find out if there are any differences on gender or other demographical variables.  A sample of 100 employees was taken from Jhang and Faisalabad city. Instruments for measuring Work family developed by Netemeyer et al. (1996), job satisfaction developed by Paul E. Spector, (1994), and adapted and translated by Shazad, (2011) were used. Dyadic adjustment scale developed by Spanier, (1976) and adapted and translated into Urdu by Naseer (2000) were also used. Results revealed positive correlation between work to family and family to work conflict, while negative with marital adjustment and job satisfaction. The regression analysis showed Job satisfaction contributed 29% and family to work contributed 27% in predicting marital adjustment. Significant gender differences were found. The results of partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) found significant mediating role of work to family conflict and family to work conflict