@phdthesis{Rittger2015,
  author    = {Rittger, Lena},
  title     = {Driving Behaviour and Driver Assistance at Traffic Light Intersections},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-117646},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {The increasing importance of environmental friendly and efficient transportation guides the interest of researchers and car manufacturers towards the development of technologies that support an efficient driving style. This thesis presents the development of a traffic light assistance system with the focus on human factors. The system aims on supporting drivers in approaching traffic light intersections efficiently. In three driving simulator studies, the content related research covered the investigation of the unassisted driving task, the influence of the system on the driver's perception of the interaction with other road users and the information strategy of the human machine interface. When the traffic light phase changes or when visibility is limited, drivers prepare driving behaviour that is not appropriate for the traffic light phase at arrival at the intersection. These situations offer the greatest potential for the assistance system. The traffic light assistant is able to change driving behaviour. However, the expectation of other road user's emotional reactions influences driver compliance. In situations in which drivers expected to bother others with their driving behaviour, compliance to the traffic light assistant was low. Further, the deviations of driver behaviour from the target strategy of the traffic light assistant are lowest when the HMI includes the two information units target speed and action recommendations. Traffic light phase information in the HMI is a subjectively important information for drivers. The results point towards the presentation of all three information units. The method related research covered the development of a method for measuring drivers' information demand for dynamic stimuli. While driving, specific stimuli are action relevant for drivers, i.e. they need to be processed in order to decide on the appropriate driving behaviour. Eye tracking has been the standard method for measuring information demand while driving. The novel MARS (Masking Action Relevant Stimuli) method measures information demand by masking the dynamic action relevant stimulus in the driving environment or in the vehicle. To unmask the stimulus for a fixed interval, drivers press a button at the steering wheel. In the present thesis, two driving simulator studies evaluated the MARS method. They included measuring information demand for the traffic light phasing and the in-vehicle display of the traffic light assistant. The analyses demonstrate that variations in the experimental conditions influence the information demand measured with the MARS method qualitatively similar to the influences on fixations measured by eye tracking. Due to its simple application, the MARS method represents a promising tool for transportation research.},
  subject      = {Fahrerassistenzsystem},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Wiemer2015,
  author    = {Wiemer, Julian},
  title     = {Maintaining factors of fear-relevant illusory correlations},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-116960},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Biased cognitive processes are very likely involved in the maintenance of fears and anxiety. One of such cognitive processes is the perceived relationship between fear-relevant stimuli and aversive consequences. If this relationship is perceived although objective contingencies have been random, it is called an (a posteriori) illusory correlation. If this relationship is overestimated before objective contingencies are experienced, it is called an (a priori) expectancy bias. Previous investigations showed that fear-relevant illusory correlations exist, but very few is known about how and why this cognitive bias develops. In the present dissertation thesis, a model is proposed based on a review of the literature on fear-relevant illusory correlations. This model describes how psychological factors might have an influence on fear and illusory correlations. Several critical implications of the model were tested in four experiments. Experiment 1 tested the hypothesis that people do not only overestimate the proportion of aversive consequences (startle sounds) following emotionally negative stimuli (pictures of mutilations) relative to neutral stimuli (pictures of household objects), but also following highly arousing positive stimuli (pictures of erotic scenes), because arousal might be an important determinant of illusory correlations. The result was a significant expectancy bias for negative stimuli and a much smaller expectancy bias for positive stimuli. Unexpectedly, expectancy bias was restricted to women. An a posteriori illusory correlation was not found overall, but only in those participants who perceived the aversive consequences following negative stimuli as particularly aversive. Experiment 2 tested the same hypothesis as experiment 1 using a paradigm that evoked distinct basic emotions (pictures inducing fear, anger, disgust or happiness). Only negative emotions resulted in illusory correlations with aversive outcomes (startle sounds), especially the emotions of fear and disgust. As in experiment 1, the extent of these illusory correlations was correlated with the perceived aversiveness of aversive outcomes. Moreover, only women overestimated the proportion of aversive outcomes during pictures that evoked fear, anger or disgust. Experiment 3 used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to measure biased brain activity in female spider phobics during an illusory correlation paradigm. Both spider phobics and healthy controls expected more aversive outcomes (painful electrical shocks) following pictures of spiders than following neutral control stimuli (pictures of mushrooms). Spider phobics but not healthy controls overestimated the proportion of aversive outcomes following pictures of spiders in a trial-by-trial memory task. This a posteriori illusory correlation was correlated with enhanced shock aversiveness and activity in primary sensory-motor cortex in phobic participants. Moreover, spider phobics' brain activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was elevated in response to spider images. This activity also predicted the extent of the illusory correlation, which supports the theory that executive and attentional resources play an important role in the maintenance of illusory correlations. Experiment 4 tested the hypothesis that the enhanced aversiveness of some outcomes would be sufficient to causally induce an illusory correlation. Neutral images (colored geometric figures) were paired with differently aversive outcomes (three startle sounds varying in intensity). Participants developed an illusory correlation between those images, which predicted the most aversive sound and this sound, which means that this association was overestimated relative to the other associations. The extent of the illusory correlation was positively correlated with participants' self-reported anxiety. The results imply that the previously found relationship between illusory correlations and outcome aversiveness might reflect a causal impact of outcome aversiveness or salience on illusory correlations. In sum, the conducted experiments indicate that illusory correlations between fear-relevant stimuli and aversive consequences might persist - among other factors - because of an enhanced aversiveness or salience of aversive consequences following feared stimuli. This assumption is based on correlational findings, a neural measure of outcome perception and a causal influence of outcome aversiveness on illusory correlations. Implications of these findings were integrated into a model of fear-relevant illusory correlations and potential implications are discussed. Future investigations should further elucidate the role of executive functions and gender effects. Moreover, the trial-by-trial assessment of illusory correlations is recommended to increase reliability of the concept. From a clinical perspective, the down-regulation of aversive experiences and the allocation of attention to non-aversive experiences might help to cure anxiety and cognitive bias.},
  subject      = {Verzerrte Kognition},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{PetrasekProkopovaSladeketal.2014,
  author    = {Petrasek, Tomas and Prokopova, Iva and Sladek, Martin and Weissova, Kamila and Vojtechova, Iveta and Bahnik, Stepan and Zemanova, Anna and Sch{\"o}nig, Kai and Berger, Stefan and Tews, Bjoern and Bartsch, Dusan and Schwab, Martin E. and Sumova, Alena and Stuchlik, Ales},
  title     = {Nogo-A-deficient transgenic rats show deficits in higher cognitive functions, decreased anxiety, and altered circadian activity patterns},
  series = {Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience},
  volume    = {8},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience},
  number    = {90},
  doi       = {10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00090},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-117073},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Decreased levels of Nogo-A-dependent signaling have been shown to affect behavior and cognitive functions. In Nogo-A knockout and knockdown laboratory rodents, behavioral alterations were observed, possibly corresponding with human neuropsychiatric diseases of neurodevelopmental origin, particularly schizophrenia. This study offers further insight into behavioral manifestations of Nogo-A knockdown in laboratory rats, focusing on spatial and non-spatial cognition, anxiety levels, circadian rhythmicity, and activity patterns. Demonstrated is an impairment of cognitive functions and behavioral flexibility in a spatial active avoidance task, while non-spatial memory in a step-through avoidance task was spared. No signs of anhedonia, typical for schizophrenic patients, were observed in the animals. Some measures indicated lower anxiety levels in the Nogo-A-deficient group. Circadian rhythmicity in locomotor activity was preserved in the Nogo-A knockout rats and their circadian period (tau) did not differ from controls. However, daily activity patterns were slightly altered in the knockdown animals. We conclude that a reduction of Nogo-A levels induces changes in CNS development, manifested as subtle alterations in cognitive functions, emotionality, and activity patterns.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Naujoks2015,
  author    = {Naujoks, Frederik},
  title     = {Fr{\"u}hzeitige Fahrerinformationen zur Konfliktvermeidung bei urbanen Verkehrskonflikten - Gestaltung und Absicherung},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-117180},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Die meisten Unf{\"a}lle mit Personenschaden in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland sind infolge urbaner Verkehrskonflikte zu verzeichnen. Die Mehrzahl dieser Unf{\"a}lle findet in Kreuzungssituationen statt (sog. Kreuzen-, Einbiege- und Abbiege-Unf{\"a}lle). Heutige Assistenzsysteme zur Kollisionsvermeidung oder -abschw{\"a}chung stoßen in diesen Situationen aufgrund der durch bordeigene Fahrzeugsensorik eingeschr{\"a}nkten M{\"o}glichkeiten zur Erfassung der Verkehrsumgebung an ihre Grenzen. Diese Einschr{\"a}nkungen ergeben sich beispielsweise durch Sichtverdeckungen (z.B. durch parkende Fahrzeuge oder H{\"a}userreihen, welche die Sicht in Kreuzungsarme verdecken) oder die begrenzte Erfassungsg{\"u}te verletzlicher Verkehrsteilnehmer (Fußg{\"a}nger, Radfahrer oder Motorradfahrer). Zuk{\"u}nftige kooperative Kommunikationstechnologien, basierend auf Fahrzeug-Fahrzeug- und Fahrzeug-Infrastruktur-Kommunikation, erm{\"o}glichen es, dem Fahrer auch in komplexen urbanen Konfliktsituationen fr{\"u}hzeitig Informationen {\"u}ber potentielle Gefahrensituationen zu {\"u}bermitteln. Gleichwohl liegen Konzepte zur Ausgestaltung einer solchen Fahrerunterst{\"u}tzung, die den F{\"a}higkeiten und Bed{\"u}rfnissen des Fahrers entsprechen, bislang nur vereinzelt vor. In dieser Arbeit wird deshalb ein neuartiges Konzept zur fr{\"u}hzeitigen Fahrerunterst{\"u}tzung entwickelt und in einer im Fahrsimulator durchgef{\"u}hrten Studienreihe empirisch evaluiert. Ziel ist es, dem Fahrer im Gegensatz zu dringlichen Kollisionswarnungen, wie sie heutzutage beispielsweise im Kontext von Notbremsassistenten verwendet werden, fr{\"u}hzeitig auf drohende Verkehrskonflikte hinzuweisen. Um die Zuverl{\"a}ssigkeit dieser Unterst{\"u}tzung zu erh{\"o}hen, soll der Fahrer (1.) so fr{\"u}h wie n{\"o}tig aber so sp{\"a}t wie m{\"o}glich, (2.) so spezifisch wie n{\"o}tig und (3.) so dringlich wie n{\"o}tig informiert werden. Diese drei zentralen Gestaltungskriterien (Zeitpunkt, Spezifit{\"a}t und Dringlichkeit) wurden in meiner Arbeit in umfassenden Probandenstudien empirisch untersucht, wobei die zu erwartende Unzuverl{\"a}ssigkeit der maschinellen Situationsanalyse und -pr{\"a}diktion expliziter Bestandteil des Studiendesigns war. Folgende Gestaltungsempfehlungen k{\"o}nnen, basierend auf den Studienergebnissen, gegeben werden: Zeitpunkt: Die Fahrerinformationen sollten eine bis zwei Sekunden vor dem letztm{\"o}glichen Warnzeitpunkt (t0+1s/2s) pr{\"a}sentiert werden. Noch fr{\"u}hzeitigere Fahrerinformationen f{\"u}hrten zu keiner weiteren Wirksamkeitssteigerung. Fahrerinformationen zum letztm{\"o}glichen Warnzeitpunkt (t0) hatten keinen positiven Einfluss auf das Fahrverhalten. Spezifit{\"a}t: Die Fahrerinformationen sollten eine Anzeige der Richtung, aus welcher der Konflikt droht (sog. richtungsspezifische Anzeige), beinhalten. Unspezifische Anzeigen (bloße Anzeige, dass ein Konflikt droht) f{\"u}hrten zwar zu vergleichbaren Verhaltenseffekten wie spezifische Anzeigen. Die Anzeige der Konfliktrichtung steigerte jedoch die wahrgenommene N{\"u}tzlichkeit der Fahrerunterst{\"u}tzung. Falls mit der Ausgabe fehlerhafter Richtungsanzeigen zu rechnen ist, wird dennoch eine unspezifische Anzeigestrategie empfohlen, da fehlerhafte Richtungsanzeigen eine Einschr{\"a}nkung der subjektiven N{\"u}tzlichkeit zur Folge hatten. Auch die Anzeige der Art des Konfliktpartners f{\"u}hrte zu einer h{\"o}heren subjektiven N{\"u}tzlichkeit, jedoch berichteten die Fahrer gleichzeitig von einer erh{\"o}hten Ablenkungswirkung dieser Anzeigen. Dringlichkeit: Es sollte ein rein visuelles Anzeigekonzept verwendet werden. Zwar f{\"u}hrten dringlichere, visuell-auditive Anzeigen zu einer schnelleren Bremsreaktion als rein visuelle Anzeigen. In Anbetracht der Fr{\"u}hzeitigkeit der Fahrerinformationen war dies zum einen jedoch nicht entscheidend f{\"u}r deren Wirksamkeit. Zum anderen wirkten sich falsche Alarme gerade bei visuell-auditiven Fahrerinformationen negativ auf Bremsreaktion und Wirksamkeit aus.},
  language  = {de}
}
@article{GerdesWieserAlpers2014,
  author    = {Gerdes, Antje B. M. and Wieser, Matthias J. and Alpers, Georg W.},
  title     = {Emotional pictures and sounds: a review of multimodal interactions of emotion cues in multiple domains},
  series = {Frontiers in Psychology},
  volume    = {5},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Psychology},
  issn      = {1664-1078},
  doi       = {10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01351},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-114548},
  pages     = {1351},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {In everyday life, multiple sensory channels jointly trigger emotional experiences and one channel may alter processing in another channel. For example, seeing an emotional facial expression and hearing the voice's emotional tone will jointly create the emotional experience. This example, where auditory and visual input is related to social communication, has gained considerable attention by researchers. However, interactions of visual and auditory emotional information are not limited to social communication but can extend to much broader contexts including human, animal, and environmental cues. In this article, we review current research on audiovisual emotion processing beyond face-voice stimuli to develop a broader perspective on multimodal interactions in emotion processing. We argue that current concepts of multimodality should be extended in considering an ecologically valid variety of stimuli in audiovisual emotion processing. Therefore, we provide an overview of studies in which emotional sounds and interactions with complex pictures of scenes were investigated. In addition to behavioral studies, we focus on neuroimaging, electro- and peripher-physiological findings. Furthermore, we integrate these findings and identify similarities or differences. We conclude with suggestions for future research.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MartensBenschHalderetal.2014,
  author    = {Martens, Suzanne and Bensch, Michael and Halder, Sebastian and Hill, Jeremy and Nijboer, Femke and Ramos-Murguialday, Ander and Schoelkopf, Bernhard and Birbaumer, Niels and Gharabaghi, Alireza},
  title     = {Epidural electrocorticography for monitoring of arousal in locked-in state},
  series = {Frontiers in Human Neuroscience},
  volume    = {8},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Human Neuroscience},
  doi       = {10.3389/fnhum.2014.00861},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-114863},
  pages     = {861},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Electroencephalography (EEG) often fails to assess both the level (i.e., arousal) and the content (i.e., awareness) of pathologically altered consciousness in patients without motor responsiveness. This might be related to a decline of awareness, to episodes of low arousal and disturbed sleep patterns, and/or to distorting and attenuating effects of the skull and intermediate tissue on the recorded brain signals. Novel approaches are required to overcome these limitations. We introduced epidural electrocorticography (ECoG) for monitoring of cortical physiology in a late-stage amytrophic lateral sclerosis patient in completely locked-in state (CLIS) Despite long-term application for a period of six months, no implant related complications occurred. Recordings from the left frontal cortex were sufficient to identify three arousal states. Spectral analysis of the intrinsic oscillatory activity enabled us to extract state-dependent dominant frequencies at <4, similar to 7 and similar to 20 Hz, representing sleep-like periods, and phases of low and elevated arousal, respectively. In the absence of other biomarkers, ECoG proved to be a reliable tool for monitoring circadian rhythmicity, i.e., avoiding interference with the patient when he was sleeping and exploiting time windows of responsiveness. Moreover, the effects of interventions addressing the patient's arousal, e.g., amantadine medication, could be evaluated objectively on the basis of physiological markers, even in the absence of behavioral parameters. Epidural ECoG constitutes a feasible trade-off between surgical risk and quality of recorded brain signals to gain information on the patient's present level of arousal. This approach enables us to optimize the timing of interactions and medical interventions, all of which should take place when the patient is in a phase of high arousal. Furthermore, avoiding low responsiveness periods will facilitate measures to implement alternative communication pathways involving brain-computer interfaces (BCI).},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{RealKotchoubeyKuebler2014,
  author    = {Real, Ruben G. L. and Kotchoubey, Boris and K{\"u}bler, Andrea},
  title     = {Studentized continuous wavelet transform (t-CWT) in the analysis of individual ERPs: real and simulated EEG data},
  doi       = {10.3389/fnins.2014.00279},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-113581},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {This study aimed at evaluating the performance of the Studentized Continuous Wavelet Transform (t-CWT) as a method for the extraction and assessment of event-related brain potentials (ERP) in data from a single subject. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of the t-CWT were assessed and compared to a variety of competing procedures using simulated EEG data at six low signal-to-noise ratios. Results show that the t-CWT combines high sensitivity and specificity with favorable PPV and NPV. Applying the t-CWT to authentic EEG data obtained from 14 healthy participants confirmed its high sensitivity. The t-CWT may thus be well suited for the assessment of weak ERPs in single-subject settings.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KirschKoenigsteinKunde2014,
  author    = {Kirsch, Wladimir and K{\"o}nigstein, Elisabeth and Kunde, Wilfried},
  title     = {Action feedback affects the perception of action-related objects beyond actual action success},
  doi       = {10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00017},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-112670},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Successful object-oriented action typically increases the perceived size of aimed target objects. This phenomenon has been assumed to reflect an impact of an actor's current action ability on visual perception. The actual action ability and the explicit knowledge of action outcome, however, were confounded in previous studies. The present experiments aimed at disentangling these two factors. Participants repeatedly tried to hit a circular target varying in size with a stylus movement under restricted feedback conditions. After each movement they were explicitly informed about the success in hitting the target and were then asked to judge target size. The explicit feedback regarding movement success was manipulated orthogonally to actual movement success. The results of three experiments indicated the participants' bias to judge relatively small targets as larger and relatively large targets as smaller after explicit feedback of failure than after explicit feedback of success. This pattern was independent of the actual motor performance, suggesting that the actors' evaluations of motor actions may bias perception of target objects in itself.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{PohlKundeGanzetal.2014,
  author    = {Pohl, Carsten and Kunde, Wilfried and Ganz, Thomas and Conzelmann, Annette and Pauli, Paul and Kiesel, Andrea},
  title     = {Gaming to see: action video gaming is associated with enhanced processing of masked stimuli},
  doi       = {10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00070},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-112681},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Recent research revealed that action video game players outperform non-players in a wide range of attentional, perceptual and cognitive tasks. Here we tested if expertise in action video games is related to differences regarding the potential of shortly presented stimuli to bias behavior. In a response priming paradigm, participants classified four animal pictures functioning as targets as being smaller or larger than a reference frame. Before each target, one of the same four animal pictures was presented as a masked prime to influence participants' responses in a congruent or incongruent way. Masked primes induced congruence effects, that is, faster responses for congruent compared to incongruent conditions, indicating processing of hardly visible primes. Results also suggested that action video game players showed a larger congruence effect than non-players for 20 ms primes, whereas there was no group difference for 60 ms primes. In addition, there was a tendency for action video game players to detect masked primes for some prime durations better than non-players. Thus, action video game expertise may be accompanied by faster and more efficient processing of shortly presented visual stimuli.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MeuleHermannKuebler2014,
  author    = {Meule, Adrian and Hermann, Tina and K{\"u}bler, Andrea},
  title     = {A short version of the Food Cravings Questionnaire—Trait: the FCQ-T-reduced},
  doi       = {10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00190},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-112748},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {One of the most often used instruments for the assessment of food cravings is the Food Cravings Questionnaire (FCQ), which consists of a trait (FCQ-T; 39 items) and state (FCQ-S; 15 items) version. Scores on the FCQ-T have been found to be positively associated with eating pathology, body mass index (BMI), low dieting success and increases in state food craving during cognitive tasks involving appealing food stimuli. The current studies evaluated reliability and validity of a reduced version of the FCQ-T consisting of 15 items only (FCQ-T-r). Study 1 was a questionnaire study conducted online among students (N = 323). In study 2, female students (N = 70) performed a working memory task involving food and neutral pictures. Study 1 indicated a one-factorial structure and high internal consistency (α = 0.94) of the FCQ-T-r. Scores of the FCQ-T-r were positively correlated with BMI and negatively correlated with dieting success. In study 2, participants reported higher state food craving after the task compared to before. This increase was positively correlated with the FCQ-T-r. Hours since the last meal positively predicted food craving before the task when controlling for FCQ-T-r scores and the interaction of both variables. Contrarily, FCQ-T-r scores positively predicted food craving after the task when controlling for food deprivation and the interaction term. Thus, trait food craving was specifically associated with state food craving triggered by palatable food-cues, but not with state food craving related to plain hunger. Results indicate high reliability of the FCQ-T-r. Replicating studies that used the long version, small-to-medium correlations with BMI and dieting success could be found. Finally, scores on the FCQ-T-r predicted cue-elicited food craving, providing further support of its validity. The FCQ-T-r constitutes a succinct, valid and reliable self-report measure to efficiently assess experiences of food craving as a trait.},
  language  = {en}
}