TY - JOUR A1 - Ziegler, C. A1 - Richter, J. A1 - Mahr, M. A1 - Gajewska, A. A1 - Schiele, M.A. A1 - Gehrmann, A. A1 - Schmidt, B. A1 - Lesch, K.-P. A1 - Lang, T. A1 - Helbig-Lang, S. A1 - Pauli, P. A1 - Kircher, T. A1 - Reif, A. A1 - Rief, W. A1 - Vossbeck-Elsebusch, A.N. A1 - Arolt, V. A1 - Wittchen, H.-U. A1 - Hamm, A.O. A1 - Deckert, J. A1 - Domschke, K. T1 - MAOA gene hypomethylation in panic disorder-reversibility of an epigenetic risk pattern by psychotherapy JF - Translational Psychiatry N2 - Epigenetic signatures such as methylation of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene have been found to be altered in panic disorder (PD). Hypothesizing temporal plasticity of epigenetic processes as a mechanism of successful fear extinction, the present psychotherapy-epigenetic study for we believe the first time investigated MAOA methylation changes during the course of exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in PD. MAOA methylation was compared between N=28 female Caucasian PD patients (discovery sample) and N=28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls via direct sequencing of sodium bisulfite-treated DNA extracted from blood cells. MAOA methylation was furthermore analyzed at baseline (T0) and after a 6-week CBT (T1) in the discovery sample parallelized by a waiting time in healthy controls, as well as in an independent sample of female PD patients (N=20). Patients exhibited lower MAOA methylation than healthy controls (P<0.001), and baseline PD severity correlated negatively with MAOA methylation (P=0.01). In the discovery sample, MAOA methylation increased up to the level of healthy controls along with CBT response (number of panic attacks; T0-T1: +3.37±2.17%), while non-responders further decreased in methylation (-2.00±1.28%; P=0.001). In the replication sample, increases in MAOA methylation correlated with agoraphobic symptom reduction after CBT (P=0.02-0.03). The present results support previous evidence for MAOA hypomethylation as a PD risk marker and suggest reversibility of MAOA hypomethylation as a potential epigenetic correlate of response to CBT. The emerging notion of epigenetic signatures as a mechanism of action of psychotherapeutic interventions may promote epigenetic patterns as biomarkers of lasting extinction effects. KW - Adult KW - Case-Control Studies KW - Cognitive Therapy KW - DNA Methylation KW - Epigenesis KW - Genetic KW - Female KW - Humans KW - Monoamine Oxidase/genetics KW - Panic Disorder/genetics KW - Panic Disorder/therapy KW - Sequence Analysis KW - DNA Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-164422 IS - 6 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zhou, Sijie A1 - Allison, Brendan Z. A1 - Kübler, Andrea A1 - Cichocki, Andrzej A1 - Wang, Xingyu A1 - Jin, Jing T1 - Effects of Background Music on Objective and Subjective Performance Measures in an Auditory BCI JF - Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience N2 - Several studies have explored brain computer interface (BCI) systems based on auditory stimuli, which could help patients with visual impairments. Usability and user satisfaction are important considerations in any BCI. Although background music can influence emotion and performance in other task environments, and many users may wish to listen to music while using a BCI, auditory, and other BCIs are typically studied without background music. Some work has explored the possibility of using polyphonic music in auditory BCI systems. However, this approach requires users with good musical skills, and has not been explored in online experiments. Our hypothesis was that an auditory BCI with background music would be preferred by subjects over a similar BCI without background music, without any difference in BCI performance. We introduce a simple paradigm (which does not require musical skill) using percussion instrument sound stimuli and background music, and evaluated it in both offline and online experiments. The result showed that subjects preferred the auditory BCI with background music. Different performance measures did not reveal any significant performance effect when comparing background music vs. no background. Since the addition of background music does not impair BCI performance but is preferred by users, auditory (and perhaps other) BCIs should consider including it. Our study also indicates that auditory BCIs can be effective even if the auditory channel is simultaneously otherwise engaged. KW - brain computer interface KW - event-related potentials KW - auditory KW - music background KW - audio stimulus Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-165101 VL - 10 IS - 105 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wunsch, Kathrin A1 - Pfister, Roland A1 - Henning, Anne A1 - Aschersleben, Gisa A1 - Weigelt, Matthias T1 - No Interrelation of Motor Planning and Executive Functions across Young Ages JF - Frontiers in Psychology N2 - The present study examined the developmental trajectories of motor planning and executive functioning in children. To this end, we tested 217 participants with three motor tasks, measuring anticipatory planning abilities (i.e., the bar-transport-task, the sword-rotation-task and the grasp-height-task), and three cognitive tasks, measuring executive functions (i.e., the Tower-of-Hanoi-task, the Mosaic-task, and the D2-attention-endurance-task). Children were aged between 3 and 10 years and were separated into age groups by 1-year bins, resulting in a total of eight groups of children and an additional group of adults. Results suggested (1) a positive developmental trajectory for each of the sub-tests, with better task performance as children get older; (2) that the performance in the separate tasks was not correlated across participants in the different age groups; and (3) that there was no relationship between performance in the motor tasks and in the cognitive tasks used in the present study when controlling for age. These results suggest that both, motor planning and executive functions are rather heterogeneous domains of cognitive functioning with fewer interdependencies than often suggested. KW - anticipatory planning KW - end-state comfort effect KW - developmental disorders KW - child development KW - motor development Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-165281 VL - 7 IS - 1031 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wieser, Matthias J. A1 - Reicherts, Philipp A1 - Juravle, Georgiana A1 - von Leupoldt, Andreas T1 - Attention mechanisms during predictable and unpredictable threat - a steady-state visual evoked potential approach JF - NeuroImage N2 - Fear is elicited by imminent threat and leads to phasic fear responses with selective attention, whereas anxiety is characterized by a sustained state of heightened vigilance due to uncertain danger. In the present study, we investigated attention mechanisms in fear and anxiety by adapting the NPU-threat test to measure steady-state visual evoked potentials (ssVEPs). We investigated ssVEPs across no aversive events (N), predictable aversive events (P), and unpredictable aversive events (U), signaled by four-object arrays (30 s). In addition, central cues were presented during all conditions but predictably signaled imminent threat only during the P condition. Importantly, cues and context events were flickered at different frequencies (15 Hz vs. 20 Hz) in order to disentangle respective electrocortical responses. The onset of the context elicited larger electrocortical responses for U compared to P context. Conversely, P cues elicited larger electrocortical responses compared to N cues. Interestingly, during the presence of the P cue, visuocortical processing of the concurrent context was also enhanced. The results support the notion of enhanced initial hypervigilance to unpredictable compared to predictable threat contexts, while predictable cues show electrocortical enhancement of the cues themselves but additionally a boost of context processing. KW - Event-related potential KW - Contextual fear KW - Conditioning evidence KW - Sustained attention KW - Selective attention KW - Aversive events KW - Time-course KW - Virtual-reality KW - Anxiety KW - Humans Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-187365 VL - 139 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Walz, Nora A1 - Mühlberger, Andreas A1 - Pauli, Paul T1 - A human open field test reveals thigmotaxis related to agoraphobic fear JF - Biological Psychiatry N2 - BACKGROUND: Thigmotaxis refers to a specific behavior of animals (i.e., to stay close to walls when exploring an open space). Such behavior can be assessed with the open field test (OFT), which is a well-established indicator of animal fear. The detection of similar open field behavior in humans may verify the translational validity of this paradigm. Enhanced thigmotaxis related to anxiety may suggest the relevance of such behavior for anxiety disorders, especially agoraphobia. METHODS: A global positioning system was used to analyze the behavior of 16 patients with agoraphobia and 18 healthy individuals with a risk for agoraphobia (i.e., high anxiety sensitivity) during a human OFT and compare it with appropriate control groups (n = 16 and n = 19). We also tracked 17 patients with agoraphobia and 17 control participants during a city walk that involved walking through an open market square. RESULTS: Our human OFT triggered thigmotaxis in participants; patients with agoraphobia and participants with high anxiety sensitivity exhibited enhanced thigmotaxis. This behavior was evident in increased movement lengths along the wall of the natural open field and fewer entries into the center of the field despite normal movement speed and length. Furthermore, participants avoided passing through the market square during the city walk, indicating again that thigmotaxis is related to agoraphobia. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to our knowledge to verify the translational validity of the OFT and to reveal that thigmotaxis, an evolutionarily adaptive behavior shown by most species, is related to agoraphobia, a pathologic fear of open spaces, and anxiety sensitivity, a risk factor for agoraphobia. KW - Agoraphobia KW - Animal models KW - Anxiety sensitivity KW - Avoidance behavior KW - Openfield test KW - Thigmotaxis Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-187607 VL - 80 IS - 5 ER - TY - THES A1 - Ulrich, Natalie T1 - Processing of Near Outcomes and Outcome Sequences in Gambling: Implications for the Biopsychological Basis of Problem Gambling T1 - Verarbeitung von knappen Ergebnissen und Ergebnissequenzen im Glücksspiel : Implikationen für die biopsychologische Basis von problematischem Glücksspielverhalten N2 - Gambling is a popular activity in Germany, with 40% of a representative sample reporting having gambled at least once in the past year (Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung, 2014). While the majority of gamblers show harmless gambling behavior, a subset develops serious problems due to their gambling, affecting their psychological well-being, social life and work. According to recent estimates, up to 0.8% of the German population are affected by such pathological gambling. People in general and pathological gamblers in particular show several cognitive distortions, that is, misconceptions about the chances of winning and skill involvement, in gambling. The current work aimed at elucidating the biopsychological basis of two such kinds of cognitive distortions, the illusion of control and the gambler’s and hot hand fallacies, and their modulation by gambling problems. Therefore, four studies were conducted assessing the processing of near outcomes (used as a proxy for the illusion of control) and outcome sequences (used as a proxy for the gambler’s and hot hand fallacies) in samples of varying degrees of gambling problems, using a multimethod approach. The first study analyzed the processing and evaluation of near outcomes as well as choice behavior in a wheel of fortune paradigm using electroencephalography (EEG). To assess the influence of gambling problems, a group of problem gamblers was compared to a group of controls. The results showed that there were no differences in the processing of near outcomes between the two groups. Near compared to full outcomes elicited smaller P300 amplitudes. Furthermore, at a trend level, the choice behavior of participants showed signs of a pattern opposite to the gambler’s fallacy, with longer runs of an outcome color leading to increased probabilities of choosing this color again on the subsequent trial. Finally, problem gamblers showed smaller feedback-related negativity (FRN) amplitudes relative to controls. The second study also targeted the processing of near outcomes in a wheel of fortune paradigm, this time using functional magnetic resonance imaging and a group of participants with varying degrees of gambling problems. The results showed increased activity in the bilateral superior parietal cortex following near compared to full outcomes. The third study examined the peripheral physiology reactions to near outcomes in the wheel of fortune. Heart period and skin conductance were measured while participants with varying degrees of gambling problems played on the wheel of fortune. Near compared to full outcomes led to increased heart period duration shortly after the outcome. Furthermore, heart period reactions and skin conductance responses (SCRs) were modulated by gambling problems. Participants with high relative to low levels of gambling problems showed increased SCRs to near outcomes and similar heart period reactions to near outcomes and full wins. The fourth study analyzed choice behavior and sequence effects in the processing of outcomes in a coin toss paradigm using EEG in a group of problem gamblers and controls. Again, problem gamblers showed generally smaller FRN amplitudes compared to controls. There were no differences between groups in the processing of outcome sequences. The break of an outcome streak led to increased power in the theta frequency band. Furthermore, the P300 amplitude was increased after a sequence of previous wins. Finally, problem gamblers compared to controls showed a trend of switching the outcome symbol relative to the previous outcome symbol more often. In sum, the results point towards differences in the processing of near compared to full outcomes in brain areas and measures implicated in attentional and salience processes. The processing of outcome sequences involves processes of salience attribution and violation of expectations. Furthermore, problem gamblers seem to process near outcomes as more win-like compared to controls. The results and their implications for problem gambling as well as further possible lines of research are discussed. N2 - Glücksspiel ist eine verbreitete Aktivität in Deutschland. 40% einer repräsentativen Stichprobe gaben an mindestens einmal im vergangenen Jahr um Geld gespielt zu haben (Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung, 2014). Während die Mehrheit der Glücksspieler unbedenkliches Spielverhalten zeigt, entwickelt ein Teil der Spieler ernsthafte Probleme durch das Spielen, die das psychische Wohlergehen, sowie das soziale und Arbeitsleben beeinträchtigen. Nach aktuellen Schätzungen sind bis zu 0,8% der deutschen Bevölkerung von solch pathologischem Glücksspielen betroffen. Generell zeigen Menschen verschiedene kognitive Verzerrungen im Sinne falscher Einschätzungen der Gewinnwahrscheinlichkeit und der Beteiligung von Fähigkeiten in Bezug auf Glücksspiel. Dies trifft insbesondere für pathologische Glücksspieler zu. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist die Untersuchung der biopsychologischen Grundlagen zweier solcher kognitiver Verzerrungen, der Kontrollillusion sowie der Gambler’s Fallacy (bisweilen auch Spielerfehlschluss genannt) und Hot-Hand-Phänomene, sowie deren Modulation durch Glücksspielprobleme. Zu diesem Zweck wurden vier Studien durchgeführt, die die Verarbeitung knapper Ergebnisse (stellvertretend für die Kontrollillusion) und Ergebnissequenzen (stellvertretend für die Phänomene der Gambler’s Fallacy und Hot Hand) untersuchten. Dazu wurden Stichproben mit unterschiedlichem Schweregrad der Glücksspielproblematik sowie ein Multi-Methoden Ansatz verwendet. Die erste Studie untersuchte die Verarbeitung und Bewertung knapper Ergebnisse sowie das Wahlverhalten in einem Glücksrad Paradigma mittels Elektroenzephalographie (EEG). Um den Einfluss der Glücksspielproblematik zu erfassen, wurde eine Gruppe von Problemspielern mit einer Kontrollgruppe verglichen. Es zeigten sich keine Unterschiede in der Verarbeitung knapper Ergebnisse zwischen den beiden Gruppen. Im Vergleich zu vollen Ergebnissen führten knappe Ergebnisse zu kleineren Amplituden in der P300. Des Weiteren zeigte sich auf Trendniveau im Wahlverhalten der Probanden Anzeichen für ein der Gambler’s Fallacy entgegengesetztes Muster. Längere Sequenzen einer Ergebnisfarbe führten zu einer höheren Wahrscheinlichkeit diese Farbe im folgenden Durchgang erneut zu wählen. Schließlich zeigten Problemspieler relativ zur Kontrollgruppe kleinere Amplituden in der Feedbacknegativierung (FRN). Die zweite Studie zielte ebenfalls auf die Verarbeitung knapper Ergebnisse im Glücksrad Paradigma ab, allerdings unter Verwendung funktioneller Magnetresonanztomographie sowie einer Probandengruppe mit variierendem Ausmaß der Glücksspielproblematik. Es zeigte sich eine verstärkte Aktivierung im bilateralen superioren parietalen Cortex nach knappen im Vergleich zu vollen Ergebnissen. Die dritte Studie untersuchte peripherphysiologische Reaktionen auf knappe Ergebnisse im Glücksrad. Hierzu wurden Herzperiode und Hautleitfähigkeit erfasst während eine Probandengruppe mit unterschiedlichem Ausmaß an Glücksspielproblemen am Glücksrad spielte. Knappe Ergebnisse führten im Vergleich zu vollen Ergebnissen zu verlängerten Herzperioden kurz nach dem Ergebnis. Des Weiteren wurden die Herzperiodenreaktion und Hautleitfähigkeitsreaktion durch Glücksspielprobleme moduliert. Probanden mit einem hohem im Vergleich zu einem niedrigen Ausmaß an Glücksspielproblemen zeigten gesteigerte Hautleitfähigkeitsreaktionen auf knappe im Vergleich zu vollen Ergebnissen, sowie ähnliche Herzperiodenreaktionen auf knappe Ergebnisse und volle Gewinne. Die vierte Studie untersuchte das Wahlverhalten sowie Einflüsse vorheriger Sequenzen auf die Verarbeitung von Ergebnissen in einem Münzwurf Paradigma. Hierzu wurde ein EEG bei einer Gruppe von Problemspielern und Kontrollprobanden abgeleitet. Problemspieler zeigten wiederum generell kleinere FRN Amplituden als Kontrollen. Es zeigten sich keine Unterschiede in der Verarbeitung der Ergebnissequenzen zwischen den Gruppen. Die Unterbrechung einer Sequenz gleicher Ergebnisse führte zu verstärkter Power im Theta Frequenzband. Zusätzlich war die Amplitude der P300 nach zwei vorangegangenen Gewinnen erhöht. Schließlich zeigten Problemspieler im Vergleich zu Kontrollen die Tendenz das gewählte Symbol relativ zum vorangegangenen Ergebnissymbol häufiger zu wechseln. Zusammenfassend deuten die Ergebnisse auf Unterschiede in der Verarbeitung knapper und voller Ergebnisse hin, die vor allem Gehirnareale und Prozesse umfassen, die mit Aufmerksamkeit und Salienz assoziiert sind. Die Verarbeitung von Ergebnissequenzen umfasst Prozesse der Salienzzuschreibung und Erwartungsverletzung. Außerdem scheinen Problemspieler im Vergleich zu Kontrollen knappe Ergebnisse als gewinnähnlicher zu verarbeiten. Die Ergebnisse und deren Implikationen für problematisches Glücksspielverhalten sowie weitere mögliche Forschungsfragen werden diskutiert. KW - Spielsucht KW - Psychobiologie KW - Near Miss KW - Problem Gambling KW - Heart Period KW - EEG KW - fMRI KW - Gambler's Fallacy KW - Hot Hand Fallacy KW - Cognitive Distortions KW - Glücksspiel KW - Electroencephalographie KW - Funktionelle Kernspintomografie Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-139612 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Stoeckel, M. Cornelia A1 - Esser, Roland W. A1 - Gamer, Matthias A1 - Büchel, Christian A1 - von Leupoldt, Andreas T1 - Brain Responses during the Anticipation of Dyspnea JF - Neural Plasticity N2 - Dyspnea is common in many cardiorespiratory diseases. Already the anticipation of this aversive symptom elicits fear in many patients resulting in unfavorable health behaviors such as activity avoidance and sedentary lifestyle. This study investigated brain mechanisms underlying these anticipatory processes. We induced dyspnea using resistive-load breathing in healthy subjects during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Blocks of severe and mild dyspnea alternated, each preceded by anticipation periods. Severe dyspnea activated a network of sensorimotor, cerebellar, and limbic areas. The left insular, parietal opercular, and cerebellar cortices showed increased activation already during dyspnea anticipation. Left insular and parietal opercular cortex showed increased connectivity with right insular and anterior cingulate cortex when severe dyspnea was anticipated, while the cerebellum showed increased connectivity with the amygdala. Notably, insular activation during dyspnea perception was positively correlated with midbrain activation during anticipation. Moreover, anticipatory fear was positively correlated with anticipatory activation in right insular and anterior cingulate cortex. The results demonstrate that dyspnea anticipation activates brain areas involved in dyspnea perception. The involvement of emotion-related areas such as insula, anterior cingulate cortex, and amygdala during dyspnea anticipation most likely reflects anticipatory fear and might underlie the development of unfavorable health behaviors in patients suffering from dyspnea. KW - brain response KW - dyspnea KW - cardiorespiratory disease KW - anticipation Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-166238 VL - 2016 IS - 6434987 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schiele, Miriam A. A1 - Reinhard, Julia A1 - Reif, Andreas A1 - Domschke, Katharina A1 - Romanos, Marcel A1 - Deckert, Jürgen A1 - Pauli, Paul T1 - Developmental aspects of fear: Comparing the acquisition and generalization of conditioned fear in children and adults JF - Developmental Psychobiology N2 - Most research on human fear conditioning and its generalization has focused on adults whereas only little is known about these processes in children. Direct comparisons between child and adult populations are needed to determine developmental risk markers of fear and anxiety. We compared 267 children and 285 adults in a differential fear conditioning paradigm and generalization test. Skin conductance responses (SCR) and ratings of valence and arousal were obtained to indicate fear learning. Both groups displayed robust and similar differential conditioning on subjective and physiological levels. However, children showed heightened fear generalization compared to adults as indexed by higher arousal ratings and SCR to the generalization stimuli. Results indicate overgeneralization of conditioned fear as a developmental correlate of fear learning. The developmental change from a shallow to a steeper generalization gradient is likely related to the maturation of brain structures that modulate efficient discrimination between danger and (ambiguous) safety cues. KW - fear conditioning KW - fear generalization KW - development KW - skin conductance KW - maturation Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-189488 VL - 58 IS - 4 ER - TY - THES A1 - Rodrigues, Johannes T1 - Let me change your mind… Frontal brain activity in a virtual T-maze T1 - Let me change your mind… Frontale Hirnaktivierung in einem virtuellen T-Labyrinth N2 - Frontal asymmetry, a construct invented by Richard Davidson, linking positive and negative valence as well as approach and withdrawal motivation to lateralized frontal brain activation has been investigated for over thirty years. The frontal activation patterns described as relevant were measured via alpha-band frequency activity (8-13 Hz) as a measurement of deactivation in electroencephalography (EEG) for homologous electrode pairs, especially for the electrode position F4/ F3 to account for the frontal relative lateralized brain activation. Three different theories about frontal activation patterns linked to motivational states were investigated in two studies. The valence theory of Davidson (1984; 1998a; 1998b) and its extension to the motivational direction theory by Harmon-Jones and Allen (1998) refers to the approach motivation with relative left frontal brain activity (indicated by relative right frontal alpha activity) and to withdrawal motivation with relative right frontal brain activation (indicated by relative left frontal alpha activity). The second theory proposed by Hewig and colleagues (2004; 2005; 2006) integrates the findings of Davidson and Harmon – Jones and Allen with the reinforcement sensitivity theory of Jeffrey A. Gray (1982, 1991). Hewig sees the lateralized frontal approach system and withdrawal system proposed by Davidson as subsystems of the behavioral activation system proposed by Gray and bilateral frontal activation as a biological marker for the behavioral activation system. The third theory investigated in the present studies is the theory from Wacker and colleagues (2003; 2008; 2010) where the frontal asymmetrical brain activation patterns are linked to the revised reinforcement sensitivity theory of Gray and McNaughton (2000). Here, right frontal brain activity (indicated by lower relative right frontal alpha activity) accounts for conflict, behavioral inhibition and activity of the revised behavioral inhibition system, while left frontal brain activation (indicated by lower relative left frontal alpha activity) stands for active behavior and the activity of the revised behavioral activation system as well as the activation of the revised flight fight freezing system. In order to investigate these three theories, a virtual reality T-maze paradigm was introduced to evoke motivational states in the participants, offering the opportunity to measure frontal brain activation patterns via EEG and behavior simultaneously in the first study. In the second study the virtual reality paradigm was additionally compared to mental imagery and a movie paradigm, two well-known state inducing paradigms in the research field of frontal asymmetry. In the two studies, there was confirming evidence for the theory of Hewig and colleages (2004; 2005; 2006), showing higher bilateral frontal activation for active behavior and lateralized frontal activation patterns for approach (left frontal brain activation) and avoidance (right frontal brain activation) behavior. Additionally a limitation for the capability model of anterior brain asymmetry proposed by Coan and colleagues (2006), where the frontal asymmetry should be dependent on the relevant traits driving the frontal asymmetry pattern if a relevant situation occurs, could be found. As the very intense virtual reality paradigm did not lead to a difference of frontal brain activation patterns compared to the mental imagery paradigm or the movie paradigm for the traits of the participants, the trait dependency of the frontal asymmetry in a relevant situation might not be given, if the intensity of the situation exceeds a certain level. Nevertheless there was an influence of the traits in the virtual reality T-maze paradigm, because the shown behavior in the maze was trait-dependent. The implications of the findings are multifarious, leading from possible objective personality testing via diversification of the virtual reality paradigm to even clinical implications for depression treatments based on changes in the lateralized frontal brain activation patterns for changes in the motivational aspects, but also for changes in bilateral frontal brain activation when it comes to the drive and preparedness for action in patients. Finally, with the limitation of the capability model, additional variance in the different findings about frontal asymmetry can be explained by taking the intensity of a state manipulation into account. N2 - Frontal Asymmetrie, ein Konstrukt, erfunden von Richard Davidson, das positive und negative Valenz sowie Annäherungsmotivation und Vermeidungsmotivation mit lateralisierter Frontalhirnaktivierung verbindet, wird seit mehr als dreißig Jahren untersucht. Die frontalen Aktivierungsmuster, die als relevant beschrieben wurden, wurden über Alpha-Frequenzband Aktivität (8-13 Hz) im Elektroenzephalogramm (EEG) als Maß für die Deaktivierung für die homologe Elektrodenpaare, insbesondere an der Elektrodenposition F4 / F3 gemessen, um die relative frontale lateralisierte Hirnaktivierung zu messen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden drei verschiedene Theorien über frontale Aktivierungsmuster, die mit motivationalen Zuständen verbunden sind, in zwei Studien untersucht. Die „valence theory“ von Davidson (1984; 1998a; 1998b) und ihre Erweiterung zur „motivational direction theory“ von Harmon Jones und Allen (1998) verbindet Annäherungsmotivation mit relativer linksseitiger frontalen Hirnaktivität (durch relative rechtsfrontale Alpha-Aktivität angezeigt) und Rückzugsmotivation mit relativer rechtsfrontaler Hirnaktivierung (durch relative linksfrontale Alpha-Aktivität angezeigt). Die zweite Theorie von Hewig und Kollegen (2004; 2005; 2006) integriert die Ergebnisse von Davidson und Harmon - Jones und Allen mit der „reinforcement sensitvity theory“ von Jeffrey A. Gray (1982, 1991). Hewig sieht das lateralisierte frontale „approach system“ (Annäherungsverhalten, links frontal), und das „withdrawal system“ (Rückzugsverhalten, rechts frontal) von Davidson als Subsysteme des „behavioral activation system“ von Gray und bilaterale frontale Aktivierung als biologische Marker für das „behavioral activation system“ und aktives Verhalten. Die dritte Theorie, die in den vorliegenden Studien untersucht wird, ist die Theorie von Wacker und Kollegen (2003; 2008; 2010), bei der die frontalen asymmetrischen Gehirnaktivierungsmuster der „revidierten reinforcement sensitvity theory“ von Gray und McNaughton (2000) zugeordnet werden. Hier steht die rechte frontale Hirnaktivität (ermittelt durch geringere relative rechten frontalen Alpha-Aktivität) für Konflikte, Verhaltenshemmung und die Aktivität des „revised behavioral inhibition system“, während links frontale Hirnaktivierung (ermittelt durch niedrigere relative links frontal Alpha-Aktivität) für aktives Verhalten und die Aktivität des „revised behavioral activation system“ sowie die Aktivierung des „revised fight flight freezing system“ steht. Um diese drei Theorien zu untersuchen, wurde eine virtuelles T-Labyrinth Paradigma in der ersten Studie eingeführt, um motivationale Zustände bei den Teilnehmern zu induzieren und die Möglichkeit zu erhalten, frontale Hirnaktivierungsmuster im EEG und Verhalten gleichzeitig zu messen. In der zweiten Studie wurde das virtuelle Realität Paradigma zusätzlich im Vergleich zu einem mentalen Vorstellungsparadigma und einem Film-Paradigma, zwei bekannten Paradigmen für die Induktion von motivationalen Zuständen im Bereich der Forschung der frontalen Asymmetrie, eingesetzt. In den beiden Studien konnte die Theorie von Hewig und colleages (2004; 2005; 2006) belegt werden, da höhere bilaterale frontale Aktivierung für aktives Verhalten und lateralisierte frontale Aktivierungsmuster für Annäherung (linksfrontale Hirnaktivierung) und Vermeidung (rechtsfrontale Hirnaktivierung) gefunden wurde. Zusätzlich wurde eine Limitation des „capability models of anterior frontal asymmetry“ von Coan und Kollegen (2006), nach der die frontale Asymmetrie von relevanten Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen in den entsprechend der Eigenschaft relevanten Situationen beeinflusst werden sollte, gefunden. Da das sehr intensive virtuelle Realität Paradigma im Gegensatz zu den mentalen Vorstellungen und dem Film Paradigma keine Abhängigkeit der frontalen Gehirnaktivierungsmustern in den entsprechenden Situationen von den Persönlichkeitseigenschaften zeigte, kann diese Abhängigkeit der frontalen Asymmetrie von der Persönlichkeit nicht gefunden werden, wenn die Intensität der Situation einen bestimmten Wert überschreitet. Dennoch gab es einen Einfluss der Persönlichkeitseigenschaften in dem virtuellen T-Labyrinth, denn das beobachtbare Verhalten im Labyrinth war persönlichkeitsabhängig. Die praktische Bedeutung dieser Erkenntnisse sind vielfältig und reichen von möglichen objektiven Persönlichkeitstests durch eine Erweiterung des virtuellen Realität Paradigmas bis hin zu klinischen Implikationen für die Behandlung depressiver Patienten, basierend auf der Veränderungen der lateralisierten Frontalhirnaktivierungsmustern um motivationale Aspekte zu verändern, oder aber der für Änderungen bilateraler frontale Gehirnaktivierung, um den Antrieb und die Handlungsbereitschaft bei Patienten zu verändern. Schließlich kann mittels der Limitierung des „capability models“ zusätzliche Variation in den verschiedenen Befunden zur frontalen Asymmetrie erklärt werden, indem man die Intensität der Zustandsmanipulation berücksichtigt. KW - Electroencephalographie KW - Motivation KW - Frontal asymmetry KW - virtual reality T-maze KW - reinforcement sensitivity theory KW - bilateral BAS model KW - EEG KW - virtuelle Realität KW - Alpha-Aktivität Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-143280 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Riepl, Korbinian A1 - Mussel, Patrick A1 - Osinsky, Roman A1 - Hewig, Johannes T1 - Influences of State and Trait Affect on Behavior, Feedback-Related Negativity, and P3b in the Ultimatum Game JF - PLoS One N2 - The present study investigates how different emotions can alter social bargaining behavior. An important paradigm to study social bargaining is the Ultimatum Game. There, a proposer gets a pot of money and has to offer part of it to a responder. If the responder accepts, both players get the money as proposed by the proposer. If he rejects, none of the players gets anything. Rational choice models would predict that responders accept all offers above 0. However, evidence shows that responders typically reject a large proportion of all unfair offers. We analyzed participants’ behavior when they played the Ultimatum Game as responders and simultaneously collected electroencephalogram data in order to quantify the feedback-related negativity and P3b components. We induced state affect (momentarily emotions unrelated to the task) via short movie clips and measured trait affect (longer-lasting emotional dispositions) via questionnaires. State happiness led to increased acceptance rates of very unfair offers. Regarding neurophysiology, we found that unfair offers elicited larger feedback-related negativity amplitudes than fair offers. Additionally, an interaction of state and trait affect occurred: high trait negative affect (subsuming a variety of aversive mood states) led to increased feedback-related negativity amplitudes when participants were in an angry mood, but not if they currently experienced fear or happiness. We discuss that increased rumination might be responsible for this result, which might not occur, however, when people experience happiness or fear. Apart from that, we found that fair offers elicited larger P3b components than unfair offers, which might reflect increased pleasure in response to fair offers. Moreover, high trait negative affect was associated with decreased P3b amplitudes, potentially reflecting decreased motivation to engage in activities. We discuss implications of our results in the light of theories and research on depression and anxiety. KW - emotions KW - ultimatum game KW - fear KW - happiness KW - behavior KW - decision making KW - electroencephalography KW - event-related potentials Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-147386 VL - 7 IS - 11 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Reicherts, Philipp A1 - Gerdes, Antje B. M. A1 - Pauli, Paul A1 - Wieser, Matthias J. T1 - Psychological placebo and nocebo effects on pain rely on expectation and previous experience JF - Journal of Pain N2 - Expectation and previous experience are both well established key mediators of placebo and nocebo effects. However, the investigation of their respective contribution to placebo and nocebo responses is rather difficult because most placebo and nocebo manipulations are contaminated by pre-existing treatment expectancies resulting from a learning history of previous medical interventions. To circumvent any resemblance to classical treatments, a purely psychological placebonocebo manipulation was established, namely, the "visual stripe pattern induced modulation of pain." To this end, experience and expectation regarding the effects of different visual cues (stripe patterns) on pain were varied across 3 different groups, with either only placebo instruction (expectation), placebo conditioning (experience), or both (expectation + experience) applied. Only the combined manipulation (expectation + experience) revealed significant behavioral and physiological placebo nocebo effects on pain. Two subsequent experiments, which, in addition to placebo and nocebo cues, included a neutral control condition further showed that especially nocebo responses were more easily induced by this psychological placebo and nocebo manipulation. The results emphasize the great effect of psychological processes on placebo and nocebo effects. Particularly, nocebo effects should be addressed more thoroughly and carefully considered in clinical practice to prevent the accidental induction of side effects. KW - psychological placebo intervention KW - placebo hypoalgesia KW - nocebo hyperalgesia KW - experience KW - expectation Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-190962 VL - 17 IS - 2 ER - TY - THES A1 - Pieczykolan, Aleksandra T1 - Cross-Modal Action Control T1 - Crossmodale Handlungskontrolle N2 - Multitasking als allgegenwärtiges Phänomen wird heutzutage in verschiedenen wissenschaftlichen Disziplinen diskutiert. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird Multitasking aus der Perspektive der kognitiven Verhaltenswissenschaften beleuchtet mit dem Fokus auf der Rolle von Konfliktlösungs- prozessen bei der Verarbeitung von Mehrfachtätigkeiten. Insbesondere liegt der Fokus auf kognitiven Mechanismen der crossmodalen Handlungskontrolle, d.h. der Kontrolle von zwei Handlungen in verschiedenen Effektorsystemen. Mit dem Ziel, den bisherigen Umfang derjenigen Handlungsmodalitäten zu erweitern, die üblicherweise in Studien eingesetzt wurden, wurden okulomotorische Reaktionen (d.h. Sakkaden), die bisher als Handlungsmodalität in der Forschung vernachlässigt wurden, in Kombination mit Reaktionen in anderen Efffektorsystemen untersucht (d.h. mit manuellen und vokalen Reaktionen). Weiterhin wurde beabsichtigt, Mechanismen von Crosstalk zu spezifizieren, welches ein Erklärungskonzept darstellt, das sich auf den Aufgabeninhalt bezieht. Crosstalk erscheint besonders relevant für crossmodale Handlungen, da sich Handlungsmodalitäten vor allem bezüglich ihrer Reaktionsmerkmale unterscheiden. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden vier Studien berichtet, die auf jeweils zwei oder drei Experimenten beruhen. In Studie A wurden crossmodale Doppelreaktionen auf einen einzelnen Stimulus untersucht mit der Fragestellung, wie sich das Zusammenspiel des Vorhandenseins von Reaktionsalternativen und der Kompatibilität zwischen Reaktionen (also dem Crosstalkpotential) auswirkt. In drei Experimenten zeigte sich, dass Crosstalk in mehrere Komponenten dissoziiert werden kann, nämlich eine Komponente, die auf der aktuellen Konfliktstärke (Online-Crosstalk) basiert, und eine gedächtnisbasierte Komponente, die entweder durch Restaktivität vergangener Handlungsanforderungen bestimmt wird (retrospektiver Crosstalk), oder durch Vorbereitung auf zukünftige Handlungsanforderungen (prospektiver Crosstalk). Studie B lieferte Evidenz dafür, dass okulomotorische Reaktionen sowohl struktureller als auch inhaltsbasierte Interferenz unterliegen. In drei Experimenten wurde das Paradigma zeitlich überlappender Aufgaben verwendet, bei dem zwei Stimuli mit zeitlichem Versatz präsentiert wurden, auf die jeweils mit einer okulomotorischen und einer manuellen Handlung reagiert werden musste. Dabei wurden sowohl Hinweise auf einen seriellen als auch auf einen parallelen Verarbeitungsmodus gefunden. Weiterhin deuteten die Ergebnisse darauf hin, dass abhängig von der Aufgabenkompatibilität zwischen diesen Verarbeitungsmodi gewechselt wurde, d.h. zu eher paralleler Verarbeitung bei kompatiblen Aufgabenanforderungen und zu eher serieller Verarbeitung bei inkompatiblen Aufgabenanforderungen. In Studie C wurden Verarbeitungsprioritäten zwischen Effektorsystemen untersucht. In zwei Experimenten zeigte sich, dass das zuvor berichtete Verarbeitungsdominanzmuster repliziert werden konnte, bei der okulomotorische Reaktionen vokale Reaktionen dominieren und diese wiederum manuelle Reaktionen dominieren. Die relative Stärke der Dominanz konnte allerdings bei vorhandenem Reaktionskonflikt angepasst werden. Die Verarbeitungsprioritäten wurden hierbei zum Teil in Richtung derjenigen Reaktion verschoben, in der bereits ein Konflikt im Bezug auf die Kompatibilität zwischen Stimulus und Reaktion gelöst werden musste. Dieses Ergebnis zeigt, dass Verarbeitungsprioritäten flexibel an die spezifischen Handlungsanforderungen angepasst werden können. Studie D beschäftigte sich mit einem bisher weitgehend vernachlässigten Bereich innerhalb der Doppelaufgabenforschung, nämlich der Kontrolle der zeitlichen Reaktionsreihenfolge. In einer drei Experimente umfassenden Untersuchung wurden mehrere Faktoren variiert, die sich in früheren Studien bereits als relevant für Mechanismen der Doppelaufgabeninterferenz gezeigt haben. In der vorliegenden Studie wurde gezeigt, dass die finale Reaktionsreihenfolge in einem Handlungsdurchgang das Ergebnis eines kontinuierlichen Anpassungsprozesses ist, welcher auf dem Zusammenspiel mehrerer top-down-Faktoren, z.B. der Antizipation von Reaktionsmerkmalen, und mehrerer bottom-up-Faktoren, wie z.B. der Stimulusreihenfolge oder der Aufgabenkompatibilität, basiert. Die vorliegende Arbeit liefert somit einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Fortschritt des Verständnisses der Verarbeitung komplexer Handlungsanforderungen aus der Perspektive crossmodaler Handlungen. Insbesondere wurden Spezifikationen für Mechanismen der Effektorpriorisierung und der Kontrolle der Reaktionsreihenfolge als auch eine neuartige Taxonomie von Crosstalk vorgestellt, welche als umfassende Rahmenvorstellung zur Erklärung von Interferenzmechanismen bei Kontrollprozessen von Mehrfachanforderungen dienlich sein kann. N2 - Nowadays, multitasking is ubiquitously discussed within many different scientific disciplines. The present work addressed multitasking from the perspective of cognitive behavioural sciences by investigating the role of conflict resolution processes that arise during the requirements of multiple-action control. More specifically, the present work focuses on cognitive mechanisms in the case of cross-modal action control, which involves the performance of two actions in different effector systems. One aim was to broaden the scope of action modalities typically considered in the literature by studying oculomotor responses (i.e. saccades) – an action modality that has been largely neglected in previous research – in combination with responses in other effector systems (i.e. manual and vocal responses). A further aim was to specify the mechanisms of crosstalk as an explanatory concept referring to the action content, which is particularly relevant since cross-modal actions usually differ regarding their response characteristics. The present work comprises four studies (each involving two or three experiments). In Study A, cross-modal response compounds based on a single stimulus were studied with respect to the interplay of the presence of response alternatives and between-response compatibility (i.e. crosstalk potential). In three experiments, this study showed that crosstalk can be dissociated into a component that determines the amount of current conflict (i.e. online crosstalk) and a memory-based component that originates either from residual activation of previous action demands (retrospective crosstalk) or from preparation for future demands (prospective crosstalk). Study B provided first evidence that oculomotor responses are subject to interference based on both structural and content-based origins. In three experiments, an overlapping tasks paradigm was employed in which the onsets between two stimuli that triggered oculomotor and manual responses were varied. Evidence for both serial and parallel processing of the two tasks was found. The results further indicated that based on the between-task compatibility participants shifted between these processing modes, i.e. to more parallel processing during compatible task demands and to more serial processing during incompatible task demands. Study C examined processing priorities among effector systems and demonstrated in two experiments that the previously reported prioritisation scheme, in which the oculomotor system is prioritised over the vocal and manual effector system, can be replicated, but is also adjusted in its strength by the presence of response conflict. Specifically, processing priorities were shifted towards the response that already is involved in conflict resolution (in terms of stimulus-response compatibility), suggesting that processing priorities can be flexibly adapted to particular task demands. Study D addressed response order control in dual tasks, an issue that has been widely neglected in previous research. In a comprehensive study of three experiments including several factors that are known to be relevant for dual-task interference mechanisms, it was shown that the final response order in a given trial is the result of a continuous adjustment process based on the interplay of several top-down factors, such as the anticipation of response characteristics, and bottom-up factors, such as stimulus order and between-task compatibility. In summary, the present work advances the theoretical understanding of complex action control by providing a cross-modal action perspective, by proposing mechanisms for effector-system prioritisation and response order control, and by proposing a novel taxonomy of crosstalk as an overarching framework for interference mechanisms in multiple-response control. KW - Kognition KW - Mehrfachtätigkeit KW - Dual task KW - cross-modal action KW - Task interference KW - Saccades KW - Vocal responses KW - Manual responses KW - Multitasking KW - Doppelaufgabe KW - Blickbewegung KW - Reaktionszeit Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-142356 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Peperkorn, Henrik M. A1 - Diemer, Julia E. A1 - Alpers, Georg W. A1 - Mühlberger, Andreas T1 - Representation of Patients' Hand Modulates Fear Reactions of Patients with Spider Phobia in Virtual Reality JF - frontiers in Psychology N2 - Embodiment (i.e., the involvement of a bodily representation) is thought to be relevant in emotional experiences. Virtual reality (VR) is a capable means of activating phobic fear in patients. The representation of the patient’s body (e.g., the right hand) in VR enhances immersion and increases presence, but its effect on phobic fear is still unknown. We analyzed the influence of the presentation of the participant’s hand in VR on presence and fear responses in 32 women with spider phobia and 32 matched controls. Participants sat in front of a table with an acrylic glass container within reaching distance. During the experiment this setup was concealed by a head-mounted display (HMD). The VR scenario presented via HMD showed the same setup, i.e., a table with an acrylic glass container. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups. In one group, fear responses were triggered by fear-relevant visual input in VR (virtual spider in the virtual acrylic glass container), while information about a real but unseen neutral control animal (living snake in the acrylic glass container) was given. The second group received fear-relevant information of the real but unseen situation (living spider in the acrylic glass container), but visual input was kept neutral VR (virtual snake in the virtual acrylic glass container). Participants were instructed to touch the acrylic glass container with their right hand in 20 consecutive trials. Visibility of the hand was varied randomly in a within-subjects design. We found for all participants that visibility of the participant’s hand increased presence independently of the fear trigger. However, in patients, the influence of the virtual hand on fear depended on the fear trigger. When fear was triggered perceptually, i.e., by a virtual spider, the virtual hand increased fear. When fear was triggered by information about a real spider, the virtual hand had no effect on fear. Our results shed light on the significance of different fear triggers (visual, conceptual) in interaction with body representations. KW - virtual reality KW - presence KW - immersion KW - perception KW - fear KW - specific phobia Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-165307 VL - 7 IS - 268 ER - TY - THES A1 - Münchow, Hannes T1 - I feel, therefore I learn – Effectiveness of affect induction interventions and possible covariates on learning outcomes T1 - I feel, therefore I learn – Effektivität von Affektinduktionsinterventionen und mögliche Kovariaten auf den Lernerfolg N2 - Affective states in the context of learning and achievement can influence the learning process essentially. The impact of affective states can be both directly on the learning performance and indirectly mediated via, for example, motivational processes. Positive activating affect is often associated with increased memory skills as well as advantages in creative problem solving. Negative activating affect on the other hand is regarded to impair learning outcomes because of promoting task-irrelevant thinking. While these relationships were found to be relatively stable in correlation studies, causal relationships have been examined rarely so far. This dissertation aims to investigate the effects of positive and negative affective states in multimedia learning settings and to identify potential moderating factors. Therefore, three experimental empirical studies on university students were conducted. In Experiment 1, N = 57 university students were randomly allocated to either a positive or negative affect induction group. Affects were elicited using short film clips. After a 20-minute learning phase in a hypertext-based multimedia learning environment on “functional neuroanatomy” the learners’ knowledge as well as transfer performance were measured. It was assumed that inducing positive activating affect should enhance learning performance. Eliciting negative activating affect on the other hand should impair learning performance. However, it was found that the induction of negative activating affect prior to the learning phase resulted in slight deteriorations in knowledge. Contrary to the assumptions, inducing positive activating affect before the learning phase did not improve learning performance. Experiment 2 induced positive activating affect directly during learning. To induce affective states during the entire duration of the learning phase, Experiment 2 used an emotional design paradigm. Therefore, N = 111 university students were randomly assigned to learn either in an affect inducing multimedia learning environment (use of warm colours and round shapes) or an affectively neutral counterpart (using shades of grey and angular shapes) on the same topic as in Experiment 1. Again, knowledge as well as transfer performance were measured after learning for 20 minutes. In addition, positive and negative affective states were measured before and after learning. Complex interaction patterns between the treatment and initial affective states were found. Specifically, learners with high levels of positive affect before learning showed better transfer performance when they learned in the affect inducing learning environment. Regarding knowledge, those participants who reported high levels of negative activating affect prior to the learning period performed worse. However, the effect on knowledge did not occur for those students learning in the affect inducing learning environment. For knowledge, the treatment therefore protected against poorer performance due to high levels of negative affective states. Results of Experiment 2 showed that the induction of positive activating affect influenced learning performance positively when taking into account affective states prior to the learning phase. In order to confirm these interaction effects, a conceptual replication of the previous experiment was conducted in Experiment 3. Experiment 3 largely retained the former study design, but changed the learning materials and tests used. Analogous to Experiment 2, N = 145 university students learning for 20 minutes in either an affect inducing or an affectively neutral multimedia learning environment on “eukaryotic cell”. To strengthen the treatment, Experiment 3 also used anthropomorphic design elements to induce affective states next to warm colours and round shapes. Moreover, in order to assess the change in affective states more exactly, an additional measurement of positive and negative affective states after half of the learning time was inserted. Knowledge and transfer were assessed again to measure learning performance. The learners’ memory skills were used as an additional learning outcome. To control the influence of potential confounding variables, the participants’ general and current achievement motivation as well as interest, and emotion regulation skills were measured. Contrary to the assumptions, Experiment 3 could not confirm the interaction effects of Experiment 2. Instead, there was a significant impact of positive activating affect prior to the learning phase on transfer, irrespective of the learners’ group affiliation. This effect was further independent of the control variables that were measured. Nevertheless, the results of Experiment 3 fit into the picture of findings regarding “emotional design” in hypermedia learning settings. To date, the few publications that have used this approach propose heterogeneous results, even when using identical materials and procedures. N2 - Affektiven Zuständen im Lern- und Leistungskontext wird ein wesentlicher Einfluss auf den Lernprozess zugesprochen. Dabei wirken diese sowohl direkt auf die Lernleistung als auch indirekt vermittelt über beispielsweise motivationale Prozesse. Positive aktivierende Affekte stehen dabei oft im Zusammenhang mit erhöhter Gedächtnisleistung und kreativer Problemlösefähigkeit. Negative aktivierende Affekte anderseits werden eher als lernhinderlich angesehen, da sie aufgabenirrelevantes Denken fördern. Während sich diese Zusammenhänge im Rahmen korrelativer Studien als relativ stabil erwiesen haben, sind kausale Beziehungen bislang noch eher selten untersucht. Diese Arbeit hat daher zum Ziel, die Auswirkungen von positiven und negativen aktivierenden affektiven Zuständen beim Lernen mit Hypermedien genauer zu betrachten und mögliche moderierende Einflussfaktoren zu erkennen. Dabei wurden drei experimentelle empirische Studien mit Universitätsstudierenden durchgeführt. In Experiment 1 wurde Studierenden (N = 57) zufällig positiver oder negativer aktivierender Affekt mithilfe von kurzen Filmsequenzen induziert. Nach einer 20-minütigen Lernphase in einer hypertextbasierten multimedialen Lernumgebung zum Thema „Funktionelle Neuroanatomie“ wurden die Verständnis - und Transferleistungen der Studierenden gemessen. Es wurde dabei angenommen, dass sich positiver aktivierender Affekt vor dem Lernen positiv auf die Lernleistung auswirkt, während vor dem Lernen induzierter negativer aktivierender Affekt die entgegengesetzte Wirkung haben sollte. Es zeigte sich, dass die Induktion von negativem aktivierenden Affekt vor dem Lernen zu einer leichten Verschlechterung der Verständnisleistung führte. Entgegen der Vermutungen zeigten Probanden, bei denen positiver aktivierender Affekt vor dem Lernen erzeugt wurde, jedoch keine Verbesserung der Lernleistung. Als mögliche Erklärungsursache hierfür wurde unter anderem angenommen, dass die Affektinduktion vor dem Lernen zwar erfolgreich war, diese Affekte jedoch nicht für die gesamte Dauer der Lernzeit anhielten. In Experiment 2 wurde positiv aktivierender Affekt während der gesamten Lernphase induziert. Dazu wurden N = 111 Universitätsstudierende zufällig einer affektinduzierenden multimedialen Lernumgebung (Verwendung von warmen Farben und runden Formen) oder einem affektneutralen Gegenstück (Verwendung von Grautönen und eckigen Formen) zum Thema „Funktionelle Neuroanatomie“ zugeordnet. Nach einer Lernzeit von 20 Minuten wurden Verständnis- und Transferleistungen gemessen. Es zeigten sich komplexe Interaktionsmuster zwischen dem Treatment und positivem und negativem Affekt vor dem Lernen gefunden: Lernende, die vor dem Lernen stark positiv gestimmt waren, zeigten eine bessere Transferleistung, wenn sie in der affekt-erzeugenden Lernumgebung lernten. Berichteten die Lernenden dagegen hohe Ausprägungen von negativem Affekt vor dem Lernen, so sank ihre Verständnisleistung. Dieser Effekt trat nicht auf, wenn in der affekterzeugenden Lernumgebung gelernt wurde. Für Verständnislernen schützte das Treatment daher vor schlechterer Performanz durch stark ausgeprägten negativen aktivierenden Affekt vor dem Lernen. Die Ergebnisse von Experiment 2 weisen darauf hin, dass die Induktion von positivem aktivierenden Affekt das Lernen positiv beeinflusst, wenn man die Affektausprägungen vor dem Lernen berücksichtigt. In Experiment 3 wurde eine konzeptuelle Replikation des vorangegangenen Experiments durchgeführt. Dazu wurde das Studiendesign größtenteils beibehalten, jedoch die verwendeten Lernmaterialien und Lerntests verändert. Analog zu Experiment 2 lernten N = 145 Studierende für 20 Minuten entweder in einer affekterzeugenden oder einer affektneutralen Lernumgebung zum Thema „Eukaryotische Zellen“. Zu Stärkung des Treatments wurden in Experiment 3 neben warmen Farben und runden Formen auch anthropomorphe Designelemente zur Induktion von positivem aktivierenden Affekt verwendet. Zudem wurde eine zusätzliche Messung des positiven und negativen Affektes nach der Hälfte der Lernzeit eingefügt, um die Veränderung des affektiven Erlebens während des Lernens differenzierter zu erfassen. Als Maße für die Lernleistung wurden erneut Verständnis und Transfer sowie die Gedächtnisleistung erhoben. Um den Einfluss potentieller konfundierender Variablen zu kontrollieren wurden zudem die generelle und aktuelle Leistungsmotivation, das Interesse sowie die Emotionsregulation gemessen. Entgegen der Erwartungen, konnte Experiment 3 die Interaktionseffekte aus Experiment 2 nicht bestätigen. Stattdessen zeigte sich ein signifikanter Einfluss des positiven aktivierenden Affektes vor dem Lernen auf die Transferleistung, unabhängig von der Gruppenzugehörigkeit des Lernenden. Dieser Effekt war unabhängig von den erhobenen Kontrollvariablen. Dennoch passen die Ergebnisse in das heterogene Befundmuster, welches sich durch die wenigen experimentellen Studien zu „emotional design“ beim Lernen abzeichnet. KW - Affekt KW - Leistungsmotivation KW - Lernerfolg KW - emotional design KW - positive and negative affect KW - learning outcomes KW - achievement motivation Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-148432 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mussel, Patrick A1 - Ulrich, Nathalie A1 - Allen, John J. B. A1 - Osinsky, Roman A1 - Hewig, Johannes T1 - Patterns of theta oscillation reflect the neural basis of individual differences in epistemic motivation JF - Scientific Reports N2 - Theta oscillations in the EEG have been shown to reflect ongoing cognitive processes related to mental effort. Here, we show that the pattern of theta oscillation in response to varying cognitive demands reflects stable individual differences in the personality trait epistemic motivation: Individuals with high levels of epistemic motivation recruit relatively more cognitive resources in response to situations possessing high, compared to low, cognitive demand; individuals with low levels do not show such a specific response. Our results provide direct evidence for the theory of the construct need for cognition and add to our understanding of the neural processes underlying theta oscillations. More generally, we provide an explanation how individual differences in personality traits might be represented on a neural level. KW - Motivation KW - Personality Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-146957 VL - 6 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Meule, Adrian A1 - Platte, Petra T1 - Attentional bias toward high-calorie food-cues and trait motor impulsivity interactively predict weight gain JF - Health Psychology Open N2 - Strong bottom-up impulses and weak top-down control may interactively lead to overeating and, consequently, weight gain. In the present study, female university freshmen were tested at the start of the first semester and again at the start of the second semester. Attentional bias toward high- or low-calorie food-cues was assessed using a dot-probe paradigm and participants completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Attentional bias and motor impulsivity interactively predicted change in body mass index: motor impulsivity positively predicted weight gain only when participants showed an attentional bias toward high-calorie food-cues. Attentional and non-planning impulsivity were unrelated to weight change. Results support findings showing that weight gain is prospectively predicted by a combination of weak top-down control (i.e. high impulsivity) and strong bottom-up impulses (i.e. high automatic motivational drive toward high-calorie food stimuli). They also highlight the fact that only specific aspects of impulsivity are relevant in eating and weight regulation. KW - attentional bias KW - Barratt Impulsiveness Scale KW - body mass index KW - calorie content KW - dot probe KW - energy density KW - food-cues KW - impulsivity KW - prospective study KW - weight gain Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-168504 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mavratzakis, Aimee A1 - Herbert, Cornelia A1 - Walla, Peter T1 - Emotional facial expressions evoke faster orienting responses, but weaker emotional responses at neural and behavioural levels compared to scenes: a simultaneous EEG and facial EMG study JF - NeuroImage N2 - In the current study, electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded simultaneously with facial electromyography (fEMG) to determine whether emotional faces and emotional scenes are processed differently at the neural level. In addition, it was investigated whether these differences can be observed at the behavioural level via spontaneous facial muscle activity. Emotional content of the stimuli did not affect early P1 activity. Emotional faces elicited enhanced amplitudes of the face-sensitive N170 component, while its counterpart, the scene-related N100, was not sensitive to emotional content of scenes. At 220-280 ms, the early posterior negativity (EPN) was enhanced only slightly for fearful as compared to neutral or happy faces. However, its amplitudes were significantly enhanced during processing of scenes with positive content, particularly over the right hemisphere. Scenes of positive content also elicited enhanced spontaneous zygomatic activity from 500-750 ms onwards, while happy faces elicited no such changes. Contrastingly, both fearful faces and negative scenes elicited enhanced spontaneous corrugator activity at 500-750 ms after stimulus onset. However, relative to baseline EMG changes occurred earlier for faces (250 ms) than for scenes (500 ms) whereas for scenes activity changes were more pronounced over the whole viewing period. Taking into account all effects, the data suggests that emotional facial expressions evoke faster attentional orienting, but weaker affective neural activity and emotional behavioural responses compared to emotional scenes. KW - Emotion KW - Affective processing KW - Faces and scenes KW - Electroencephalography KW - Spontaneous facial EMG KW - N170 KW - N100 KW - Early posterior negativity Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-191535 VL - 124 IS - Part A ER - TY - THES A1 - Löffler, Elisabeth Therese T1 - Die Entwicklung des prozeduralen Metagedächtnisses über die Lebensspanne T1 - The development of procedural metacognition across the life-span N2 - Der Entwicklungsverlauf metakognitiver Überwachungsprozesse und das Zusammenspiel von Überwachungs- und Kontrollprozessen ist über die gesamte Lebensspanne hinweg nur für isolierte Altersgruppen, nicht aber in Studien, die Teilnehmer vom Kindes- bis zum höheren Erwachsenenalter einschließen, untersucht worden. Diese Lücke sollte mit der vorliegenden Arbeit geschlossen werden, denn gerade solche Designs können dazu beitragen, Aufbau- und Abbauprozesse zu kontrastieren, und Hinweise auf frühzeitig vorhandene sowie im Altersverlauf bestehende Fähigkeiten geben, die dann kompensatorisch genutzt werden können. Die eigene Arbeit befasste sich dabei mit dem Verlauf einer Vielzahl von pro- und retrospektiven Überwachungsvorgängen über die Lebensspanne. Der Schwerpunkt lag auf dem Einfluss verschiedener Kontextfaktoren (z.B. Komplexität des Lernmaterials, Vorwissen, Strategienutzung) auf die Überwachungsleistung in den jeweiligen Altersstufen. Außerdem wurde überprüft, inwieweit wechselseitige Zusammenhänge zwischen Überwachungs- und Steuerungsprozessen in den untersuchten Altersgruppen unterschiedlich stark ausgeprägt sind. Diese Fragestellungen wurden in sechs Experimenten mit insgesamt 816 Teilnehmern untersucht. Es handelte sich dabei um Drittklässler im Alter zwischen 7 und 9 Jahren, Jugendliche zwischen 12 und 14 Jahren, jüngere Erwachsene zwischen ca. 18 und 25 Jahren sowie ältere Erwachsene zwischen ca. 60 und 80 Jahren. Erhoben wurden Ease-of-Learning-Urteile (EOLs) bzw. ein globales Verständnisurteil als Maß der Überwachung vor dem eigentlichen Lernprozess, Judgments of Learning (JOLs) als Maß der Überwachung nach dem Lernvorgang und Sicherheitsurteile (SUs) als Maß der Überwachung nach dem Erinnerungsabruf. Es zeigte sich, dass die Überwachungsleistung sowohl, was die Differenzierungsfähigkeit zwischen richtigen und falschen Antworten, als auch, was die Genauigkeit betrifft, bezüglich der JOLs und der SUs über die gesamte untersuchte Altersspanne hinweg im Wesentlichen konstant und auf recht hohem Niveau blieb. Lediglich bei den EOLs ergaben sich Alterseffekte: Die jüngeren Erwachsenen schnitten besser ab als die anderen Altersgruppen, was mit besseren Fähigkeiten, spätere Lern- und Erinnerungsvorgänge zu antizipieren, erklärt werden kann. In Bezug auf den Einfluss von Kontextfaktoren konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass sich die Überwachungsleistungen bei verschieden komplexen Materialien (Paar-Assoziationen versus Film- oder Textmaterial) unter günstigen Bedingungen, z.B. wenn die Leistungsvorhersagen stark mit der Erinnerungsabfrage korrespondieren, kaum unterscheiden. Bei Rekognitionsaufgaben fielen die Überwachungsleistungen im Vergleich zu Aufgaben zur freien Erinnerung insgesamt schlechter aus. Ein großes bereichsspezifisches Vorwissen resultierte über alle Maße hinweg eher in einer Überschätzung der eigenen Leistung, bei den SUs jedoch auch in einer verbesserten Leistung im Vergleich zu Personen mit weniger Vorwissen. Ein Strategietraining wirkte sich besonders bei den Grundschülern und den älteren Erwachsenen positiv auf die Überwachungsleistung aus. Die eher gering ausgeprägten Alterseffekte weisen darauf hin, dass die einzelnen Kontextfaktoren über die Lebensspanne hinweg einen vergleichbaren Einfluss zu haben scheinen. Hinsichtlich sequenzieller Zusammenhänge zwischen Überwachungs- und Steuerungsprozessen (hier operationalisiert durch JOLs und die selbst gesteuerte Lernzeiteinteilung) zeigte sich, dass die Teilnehmer aller Altersgruppen in der Lage waren, sowohl Informationen aus den JOLs für die Anpassung der Lernzeit (Monitoring-affects-control-Modell) als auch – in etwas geringerem Ausmaß – Informationen aus der Lernzeit für die Anpassung der JOLs zu nutzen (Control-affects-monitoring-Modell). Der simultane Wechsel zwischen beiden Modellen stellt einen deutlich komplexeren Vorgang dar und konnte deshalb vor allem bei den Jugendlichen und den älteren Erwachsenen nachgewiesen werden. Insgesamt gesehen belegen die Ergebnisse der sechs Experimente, dass metakognitive Überwachungsfähigkeiten bereits recht früh, d.h. im mittleren Grundschulalter, gut ausgeprägt sind und auch bei älteren Erwachsenen noch lange auf gutem Niveau erhalten bleiben. Lediglich der flexible Wechsel zwischen Überwachungs- und Kontrollprozessen scheint in diesen beiden Altersgruppen noch Schwierigkeiten zu bereiten. Die ähnliche Wirkweise der Kontextfaktoren in den einzelnen Altersgruppen weist auf vergleichbare zugrunde liegende Prozesse hin. Die grundsätzlich guten metakognitiven Leistungen bei Kindern und älteren Erwachsenen sollten demnach genutzt werden, um Gedächtnisprozesse insbesondere in diesen Altersgruppen zu fördern. N2 - The development of metacognitive monitoring processes and the interplay between monitoring and control has been studied so far only in isolated age groups. Studies including participants from childhood to older adulthood are still needed. The present work aims to fill this gap in order to contrast potential construction and deterioration processes and to gain information about cognitive abilities which can compensate for potential deficiencies in the respective age groups. Consequently, the present studies include a vast number of prospective and retrospective monitoring processes and examine their development across the life span. The main focus was the impact of different contextual factors (i.e. task complexity, previous knowledge, strategy use) on monitoring performance in the respective age groups. Additionally, differences in the interplay between monitoring and control processes were studied. Six experiments with a total of 816 participants were conducted, who consisted of four groups: third-graders between 7 and 9 years of age, adolescents between 12 and 14 years, younger adults between 18 and 25 years, and older adults between 60 and 80 years. The main measures of interest were Ease-of-Learning Judgments (EOLs), sometimes replaced by a general judgment of comprehension, Judgments of Learning (JOLs), and Confidence Judgments (CJs), in order to operationalize monitoring before learning, after learning, and after recall. The results show that monitoring performance in JOLs and CJs remained on a constantly high level throughout the investigated age span, both in differentiation between correct and incorrect items and in monitoring accuracy. Age effects were found only in EOLs: here younger adults outperformed the other age groups, thus showing better abilities to anticipate subsequent learning and recall processes. Concerning the impact of contextual factors, monitoring performance was on a similar level with? stimuli of different complexity (paired associates vs. films and texts), provided that the conditions were favorable (for example where there was a high level of correspondence between performance prediction and recall format). In recognition tasks, monitoring performance was somewhat lower than in free recall tasks. Higher domain-specific knowledge resulted in an overestimation of performance, but also in an enhanced monitoring performance in CJs, as compared to those of participants with less previous knowledge. A strategy training had a positive impact on monitoring performance, especially in children and older adults. The rather low age effects indicate that the contextual factors investigated seem to have a similar influence throughout the life-span. In terms of sequential relations between monitoring and control processes (measured through JOLs and self-paced study time), results show that participants of all age groups were able to use information from JOLs to adapt their study time (monitoring-affects-control model) as well as – to a somewhat lower extent – to use information about the time they spent studying to adapt their JOLs (control-affects-monitoring model). A simultaneous change between both models seems to be more complex and thus could only be found in adolescents and younger adults. In sum, the six experiments prove that metacognitive abilities reach a good level in middle elementary school and remain fairly stable into older adulthood. The only exception concerns the flexible interchange between monitoring and control processes, which seems to be more challenging for children and older adults. The similar impact of contextual variables in all age groups indicates that the underlying processes are comparable. Thus, the fact that children’s and older adults’ metacognitive performance is generally good means that it should be harnessed to foster memory skills in these two age groups particularly. KW - Metakognition KW - Lebenslauf KW - Judgments of Learning KW - Entwicklungspsychologie Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-150424 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lugo, Zulay R. A1 - Quitadamo, Lucia R. A1 - Bianchi, Luigi A1 - Pellas, Fréderic A1 - Veser, Sandra A1 - Lesenfants, Damien A1 - Real, Ruben G. L. A1 - Herbert, Cornelia A1 - Guger, Christoph A1 - Kotchoubey, Boris A1 - Mattia, Donatella A1 - Kübler, Andrea A1 - Laureys, Steven A1 - Noirhomme, Quentin T1 - Cognitive Processing in Non-Communicative Patients: What Can Event-Related Potentials Tell Us? JF - Frontiers in Human Neuroscience N2 - Event-related potentials (ERP) have been proposed to improve the differential diagnosis of non-responsive patients. We investigated the potential of the P300 as a reliable marker of conscious processing in patients with locked-in syndrome (LIS). Eleven chronic LIS patients and 10 healthy subjects (HS) listened to a complex-tone auditory oddball paradigm, first in a passive condition (listen to the sounds) and then in an active condition (counting the deviant tones). Seven out of nine HS displayed a P300 waveform in the passive condition and all in the active condition. HS showed statistically significant changes in peak and area amplitude between conditions. Three out of seven LIS patients showed the P3 waveform in the passive condition and five of seven in the active condition. No changes in peak amplitude and only a significant difference at one electrode in area amplitude were observed in this group between conditions. We conclude that, in spite of keeping full consciousness and intact or nearly intact cortical functions, compared to HS, LIS patients present less reliable results when testing with ERP, specifically in the passive condition. We thus strongly recommend applying ERP paradigms in an active condition when evaluating consciousness in non-responsive patients. KW - P300 KW - event-related potentials KW - locked-in syndrome KW - vegetative state KW - unresponsive wakefulness syndrome KW - minimally conscious state Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-165165 VL - 10 IS - 569 ER - TY - BOOK A1 - Lingel, Klaus T1 - Metakognitives Wissen Mathematik – Entwicklung und Zusammenhang mit der Mathematikleistung in der Sekundarstufe I T1 - Metacognitive Knowledge on Mathematics – Development and Relation to Mathematics Achievement in Secondary School N2 - Das Wissen über kognitive Prozesse oder metakognitives Wissen ist seit den 1970er-Jahren Gegenstand der entwicklungspsychologischen Forschung. Im Inhaltsbereich der mathematischen Informationsverarbeitung ist das Konstrukt jedoch – trotz elaborierter theoretischer Modelle über Struktur und Inhalt – empirisch nach wie vor weitgehend unerschlossen. Die vorliegende Studie schließt diese Lücke, indem sie die Entwicklung des mathematischen metakognitiven Wissens im Längsschnitt untersucht. Dazu wurde nicht nur der Entwicklungsverlauf beschrieben, sondern auch nach den Quellen für die beobachteten individuellen Unterschiede in der Entwicklung gesucht. Auch die aus pädagogischen Gesichtspunkten interessanten Zusammenhänge zwischen der metakognitiven Wissensentwicklung und der parallel dazu verlaufenden Entwicklung der mathematischen Kompetenzen wurden analysiert. N2 - Knowledge about cognition or metacognitive knowledge has been a subject of interest in developmental psychology since the 1970s. The main focus has been on the development and impact of metacognitive knowledge on memory development during preschool and primary school. Despite elaborated theoretical models of structure and content, there is hardly any empirical research on metacognitive knowledge on mathematical information processing. This study investigated systematically the development of mathematical metacognitive knowledge in secondary school, the impact of individual determinants on developmental differences and the relation among the developmental processes in metacognitive knowledge and in mathematical achievement. The analyses were based on data of four measurement points of a larger longitudinal study. The observed time period spanned Grades 5 and 6. The sample included 928 students in the three main tracks of the German secondary educational system (academic, intermediate and vocational track). The instruments used to assess developmental changes in mathematical metacognitive knowledge and mathematics achievement were constructed according to the item response theory. In order to consider the developmental progress of the sample, instruments were consecutively adapted by vertical linking. Additionally, cognitive (intelligence and working memory capacity), motivational (mathematical interest and self-concept) and socioeconomic (socioeconomic status of family) traits were assessed. Reading competency was controlled as method factor. Developmental differences and changes in metacognitive knowledge were analyzed by latent growth curve models. The sample showed a continuous growth in metacognitive knowledge. The developmental progress, however did not proceed linearly, but decelerated during the course of Grade 6. Cognitive and socioeconomic traits predicted developmental differences and changes in metacognitive knowledge. Motivational traits, though, had no impact on the developmental process. Gender differences showed up as differential gains in favor of female students. Right at the first measurement point, effects of school tracking were significant. Over the observed period, students of the academic and the vocational track achieved a stronger growth in metacognitive knowledge than students in the intermediate track. Explorative mixture distribution modeling resulted in three latent classes of developmental change. The class allocation was predicted by school track, cognitive and socioeconomic traits. The developmental processes of mathematical metacognitive knowledge and mathematics achievement were bidirectionally related. Developmental differences in both grouping variables, gender and school track, as well as correlational relations between the observed developmental processes remained significant under control for students´ cognitive, motivational and socioeconomic traits. These findings essentially confirm the constructivist assumption of metacognitive knowledge development as postulated in memory research. Additionally, the investigation of mathematical metacognitive knowledge in secondary school widens substantially the traditional focus of research. The instrument to assess metacognitive knowledge which was constructed as part of this study allows future research in the field of metacognitive development. KW - Kognitiver Prozess KW - Metakognition KW - Mathematikunterricht KW - Längsschnittuntersuchung KW - Kindheit KW - Jugend KW - Sekundarstufe KW - Metakognitives Wissen KW - Metacognitive Knowledge KW - Mathematics Achievement KW - Mathematikleistung KW - Kognition KW - Entwicklung Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-103269 SN - 978-3-95826-004-7 (print) SN - 978-3-95826-005-4 (online) N1 - Parallel erschienen als Druckausg. in Würzburg University Press, ISBN 978-3-95826-004-7, 29,80 EUR. PB - Würzburg University Press CY - Würzburg ER -