Advances in Cognitive Sciences
Year:2011 | Volume:13 | Issue:2 (50)|Papers Count:14

Objective: This study examines the coherence of theta band during convergent thinking (CT), divergent thinking (DT) and rest condition.Method: Electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings were conducted on 34 subjects (19 boys and 15 girls) in the three situations (CT, DT and rest). The EEG results were transformed into quantitative form (QEEG) using Neuro Guide software. The quantities were analyzed by repeated-measure ANOVA.Results: The results showed different global coherence patterns during the three conditions.When compared with the rest condition, both divergent and convergent types of thinking produced significantly higher levels of coherence (p<0.05), though differences between the two types of thinking were insignificant.Conclusion: Our results suggest different brain organizations during the three conditions. The results also could indicate a new path for further studies about the EEG patterns of CT and DT.

Objective: Substance use/abuse (SU), including tobacco, alcohol and drugs, is one of the most hazardous behaviors during adolescence and youth. A better understanding of the underlying attitudes and predispositions may help to account for variations in overt behavior. Most of the research on the relationships of personality factors to SU, has utilized Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory. The present study aimes to examine associations between Gray's (BIS/BAS) personality dimensions and gender differences among addicted and non-addicted persons.Method: Subjects were 60 treatment-seeking addicts and 60 non-addicts, females and males, who matched in age, gender, and education level and were divided in four groups of equal numbers. Then, they filled out the Gray-Wilson personality scale. Data analyses were conducted using the MANOVA and one-way ANOVA.Results: We found that high scores on both BAS-related and BIS-related scales were jointly associated with substance abuse in female and male addicts. Addicted females attained high scores in FFS, but there was no significant difference in FFS between addicted and non-addicted males. In addition, there were no significant differences between BAS and BIS in non-addicted females and males.Conclusion: these findings provide support for association between Gray's personality theory and substance abuse.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of handedness on lateralization of facial emotional processing in children.Method: The subjects (30 right handed and 30 left-handed) were selected based on Chapman's Handedness Inventory and the results of a semi-structured interview. Lateralization of emotional processing was assessed by employing happy, angry and neutral schematic emotional faces in visual field task. Data were analyzed through repeated measures design procedure.Results: The results showed that left-handed subjects had right visual field biases, therefore, they perceived emotional faces presented in the right visual field much faster than in the left visual field. This bias was significant for angry emotional faces. There was no effect of lateralization in right-handed subjects.Conclusion: Handedness affects on lateralization of emotional processing, and patterns of emotional processing lateralization are different in left- and right-handed individuals.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare metacognition, anxiety and depression in mothers of deaf and normal preschool and elementary students. Method: Statistic design of this study was descriptive-correlation. Our statistical community involved 100 deaf students in Rasht, Guilan, special schools and 44000 students from normal schools of the city. Fifty of the deaf children's mothers and 50 of the normal ones were selected in a random method. Then, MCQ-301 and Spielberger self report anxiety inventory (TAI) 2 scale and BECK inventory were administered.Results: Our statistical community involved 100 deaf students in Rasht, Guilan, special schools and 44000 students from normal schools of the city. Fifty of the deaf children's mothers and 50 of the normal ones were selected in a random method. Then, MCQ-303 and Spielberger self report anxiety inventory (TAI) 4 scale and BECK inventory were administered. Data analysis showed that there were significant differences between the two groups of mothers in terms of anxiety and depression with control of age. Depression among mothers of deaf children was much higher than among mothers of normal ones. In metacognition, means of the two groups were analogous.Anxiety variable had meaningful relationship with depression and metacognitio (p<0.01).Conclusion: Results showed that metacognition had positive and meaningful relationship with depression in the two groups in general, but was not exclusively meaningful with anxiety in the case of mothers of deaf children.

Objective: The current study documents the presence of finger counting differences between right-handers and left-handers.Method: Interviews with 110 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 about finger counting habits in lefthanders and right-handers were examined. The instruments used were Edingburg Handedness Inventory (revised, 1986) and reports by the individuals of how they mapped numbers onto their fingers when counting from 1 to 10.Results: The results indicated that whereas most left-handers started counting with the left hand, most of the right-handers started with the right hand.The transition between the two hands during the counting showed equal proportions of symmetry-based and spatial continuity-based patterns among the left-handers and right handers.Conclusion: Implications of these findings for numerical cognition and for the origin of the well-known association between numbers and space are discussed. We suggested that finger counting strategies have an impact on cognitive representation of numbers, and in particular on the way in which numerical magnitude information is mapped onto space. These data of finger counting habits support the notion that finger counting habits are culturally mediated and relatively independent from the directionality of writing systems.

Objective: This research has been carried out to study the effects of external motivation on creativity.Method: The method used in this research was quasi-experimental. The research is done, using torrance test creativity from: fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. The statistical sample was 80 grade 5 students who were selected based on multistage random sampling method. This sample group is divided into two groups: The test group (40 students) and the control group (40 students). The test group is expected for evaluation.Results: The results show evaluation had negative effects on creativity. Originality and elaboration in group control is higher that of in test group. Also the results showed a significant difference between girls and boys in the originality factor. Conclusion: Overall, the results indicat that external motivation has negative effect on creativity.

Objective: The present researchis an experimente study to investigat the effect of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) on attention bias (AB).Method: We used the dot-probe paradigm, also known as the visual-probe task, to investigate selective attention to threat. Thirty eight women with premenstrual syndrome were selected and tested before and after menstruation. The sample subjects were selected based on their scores in MSO, DSM-IV-IR, DRF, and MMDQ questionnaires and interviews. Then, the computerized, pictorial version of the modified dot-probe task was carried out on them.Results: Data analysis revealed that females with PMS had significant attention bias when confronting angry faces, and reacted through avoidance (p<0.05).Conclusion: Women with PMS by perceiving a threatening stimulus apply avoidance as a defense mechanism, which could maintain their conditions and symptoms.