Research Outputs
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14288/2
Browse
78 results
Filters
Advanced Search
Filter by
Settings
Search Results
Publication Metadata only A longitudinal study of the adaptation of international students in the united states(Sage, 2008) Falbo, Toni; Department of Psychology; Cemalcılar, Zeynep; Faculty Member; Department of Psychology; College of Social Sciences and Humanities; 40374The authors conducted a longitudinal study of international students (N = 90) attending a U. S. university to examine the effects of the initial cross-cultural transition on their psychological well-being and social and academic adaptations. The results indicate a significant decline in self-reports of psychological well-being, increased identification with the host culture, and stable identification with home cultures. Students who exhibit a separation strategy previous to their sojourn have the lowest level of social adaptation to the host culture.Publication Open Access A new method to determine reflex latency induced by high rate stimulation of the nervous system(Frontiers, 2014) Karacan, İlhan; Çakar, Halil İ.; Cidem, Muharrem; Kara, Sadık; N/A; Yılmaz, Gizem; Sebik, Oğuz; Türker, Kemal Sıtkı; PhD Student; Researcher; Faculty Member; School of Medicine; N/A; N/A; 6741High rate stimulations of the neuromuscular system, such as continuous whole body vibration, tonic vibration reflex and high frequency electrical stimulation, are used in the physiological research with an increasing interest. In these studies, the neuronal circuitries underlying the reflex responses remain unclear due to the problem of determining the exact reflex latencies. We present a novel 'cumulated average method" to determine the reflex latency during high rate stimulation of the nervous system which was proven to be significantly more accurate than the classical method. The classical method, cumulant density analysis, reveals the relationship between the two synchronously recorded signals as a function of the lag between the signals. The comparison of new method with the classical technique and their relative accuracy was tested using a computer simulation. In the simulated signals the EMG response latency was constructed to be exactly 40 ms. The new method accurately indicated the value of the simulated reflex latency (40 ms). However, the classical method showed that the lag time between the simulated triggers and the simulated signals was 49 ms. Simulation results illustrated that the cumulated average method is a reliable and more accurate method compared with the classical method. We therefore suggest that the new cumulated average method is able to determine the high rate stimulation induced reflex latencies more accurately than the classical method.Publication Open Access A possible role of prolonged whirling episodes on structural plasticity of the cortical networks and altered vertigo perception: the cortex of sufi whirling dervishes(Frontiers, 2017) Çakmak, Yusuf Ö.; Ekinci, Gazanfer; Heinecke, Armin; N/A; Çavdar, Safiye; Faculty Member; School of MedicineAlthough minutes of a spinning episode may induce vertigo in the healthy human, as a result of a possible perceptional plasticity, Sufi Whirling Dervishes (SWDs) can spin continuously for an hour without a vertigo perception.This unique long term vestibular system stimulation presents a potential human model to clarify the cortical networks underlying the resistance against vertigo. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the potential structural cortical plasticity in SWDs. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 10 SWDs and 10 controls were obtained, using a 3T scanner. Cortical thickness in the whole cortex was calculated. Results demonstrated significantly thinner cortical areas for SWD subjects compared with the control group in the hubs of the default mode network (DMN), as well as in the motion perception and discrimination areas including the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the right lingual gyrus and the left visual area 5 (V5)/middle temporal (MT) and the left fusiform gyrus. In conclusion, this is the first report that warrants the potential relationship of the motion/body perception related cortical networks and the prolonged term of whirling ability without vertigo or dizziness.Publication Metadata only Acceptability, feasibility and potential of an intervention using secret Facebook groups to complement existing HIV prevention strategies among female sex workers in Cameroon, a randomized pilot study(Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2023) Vazquez Guillamet, Laia J.; Babey, Mary Mah; Njah, Mercy; Blake, Hassanatu; Jasani, Amy; Kyeng, Rahel; Hao, Jiaying; Long, Dustin; Tih, Pius; Turan, Janet M.; Khan, Eveline Mboh; Dionne, Jodie; Turan, Janet Molzan; School of MedicineThis randomized pilot project evaluated an intervention promoting health care literacy around HIV, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and stigma reduction using private social media groups that complemented existing HIV prevention services among female sex workers (FSWs) in Cameroon. The intervention was 12 HIV and sexual health videos tailored to FSWs that were released over 8 weeks through a secret Facebook group platform. In-person surveys were administered before, after the intervention, and three months later. No HIV seroconversions were detected; all participants completed follow-up and agreed to recommend the intervention to a coworker. Although the intervention was assessed to be acceptable and feasible to implement, poor internet connectivity was a key barrier. In time-series analysis, the intervention group participants reported improved PrEP interest, PrEP knowledge, and condom use along with reduced PrEP and HIV-related stigma, but no impact on sex-work related stigma or social cohesion. Similar results occurred in the control group. Cross-contamination and small pilot study size might have hindered the ability to detect the differential impact of this intervention. As communications technology increases in Cameroon, it is essential to learn more about FSWs preferences on the use of social media platforms for HIV prevention strategies.Publication Metadata only Ageing, working memory, and mental imagery: understanding gestural communication in younger and older adults(Sage Publications Ltd, 2021) N/A; Department of Psychology; Arslan, Burcu; Göksun, Tilbe; PhD Student; Faculty Member; Department of Psychology; Graduate School of Social Sciences and Humanities; College of Social Sciences and Humanities; N/A; 47278Ageing has effects both on language and gestural communication skills. Although gesture use is similar between younger and older adults, the use of representational gestures (e.g., drawing a line with fingers on the air to indicate a road) decreases with age. This study investigates whether this change in the production of representational gestures is related to individuals' working memory and/or mental imagery skills. We used three gesture tasks (daily activity description, story completion, and address description) to obtain spontaneous co-speech gestures from younger and older individuals (N = 60). Participants also completed the Corsi working memory task and a mental imagery task. Results showed that although the two age groups' overall gesture frequencies were similar across the three tasks, the younger adults used relatively higher proportions of representational gestures than the older adults only in the address description task. Regardless of age, the mental imagery but not working memory score was associated with the use of representational gestures only in this task. However, the use of spatial words in the address description task did not differ between the two age groups. The mental imagery or working memory scores did not associate with the spatial word use. These findings suggest that mental imagery can play a role in gesture production. Gesture and speech production might have separate timelines in terms of being affected by the ageing process, particularly for spatial content.Publication Metadata only An investigation of children's empathic dispositions and behaviours across seven countries(Wiley, 2021) Kozloff, Violet; Cowell, Jason M.; Huppert, Elizabeth; Gomez-Sicard, Natalia; Lee, Kang; Mahasneh, Randa; Malcolm-Smith, Susan; Zhou, Xinyue; Decety, Jean; Department of Psychology; Selçuk, Bilge; Faculty Member; Department of Psychology; College of Social Sciences and Humanities; 52913This study examined individual influences on child empathy, the relationship between child and parent empathy, and the relationship between empathy and prosociality across seven countries. A large sample of children (N = 792, 49% female) from the ages of 6-10 years completed a situational empathy task, as well as a dictator game to assess prosociality. The questionnaire of cognitive and affective empathy was used to assess parents' and children's empathic dispositions. Children participated from Canada, China, Colombia, Jordan, South Africa, Turkey, and the United States. Situational empathy, empathic disposition, and prosociality were all positively associated with age. Boys displayed less situational empathy and lower empathic disposition than girls. Parental empathic disposition predicted the same dispositions in children but were not related to children's situational empathy or prosociality. No association was found between child prosociality and child empathic disposition. Overall, the results suggest similar ontologies of empathic disposition and situational empathy across countries.Publication Metadata only Antecedents of looming cognitive style: associations with reported perceived parenting and attachment(Sage, 2019) Ayvaşık, Halise Belgin; Department of Psychology; Atalay, Ayşe Altan; Teaching Faculty; Department of Psychology; College of Social Sciences and Humanities; 205807Looming Cognitive Style, which was proposed as cognitive vulnerability model specific for anxiety disorders, suggests that anxiety-prone individuals have a tendency to perceive threats and dangers as getting closer, becoming larger, and more agonizing every passing minute. Yet, very few studies focused on the family-related variables that are associated with development of Looming Cognitive Style. This study aims to investigate the relationship of Looming Cognitive Style with measures perceived parenting and attachment. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 389 university students aged between 18 and 35 as participants. The participants were assessed through Looming Cognitive Style, perceived parenting, attachment anxiety, and avoidance. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated Looming Cognitive Style to be significantly predicted by maternal overprotection and anxiety dimension of attachment. The results are important in understanding how parenting-related variables are related to development of cognitive vulnerabilities specific to anxiety disorders.Publication Metadata only Career choices, job selection criteria, and leadership preferences in a transitional nation: the case of Turkey(IEEE, 2003) Fikret Paşa, Selda; Department of Psychology; Aycan, Zeynep; Faculty Member; Department of Psychology; College of Social Sciences and Humanities; 5798This study explored the factors that influenced Turkish university students' career choices, job selection criteria, and leadership preferences. Participated in this study were 1,213 senior and junior management students from 17 universities across 6 regions of Turkey. Data collection was accomplished through a self-administered four-part questionnaire. Findings revealed that for the entire sample, having power and authority, peaceful work environment, opportunity for career advancement, and pay were the most motivating factors in job selection, whereas close supervision and guidance, praise from supervisor, feedback on performance, and sense of belonging were the least motivating ones. Charismatic leadership was found to be the most preferred style followed by participative, paternalistic, and bureaucratic styles. Finally, career choices were mostly affected by intrinsic factors (i.e., self aspirations), whereas interpersonal factors (i.e., significant others' expectations) were least influential. Findings were discussed in light of dynamic and changing cultural characteristics of the Turkish society.Publication Open Access Comprehension of action negation involves inhibitory simulation(Frontiers, 2013) Foroni, Francesco; Department of Psychology; Semin, Gün Refik; Researcher; Department of Psychology; 58066Previous research suggests that action language is comprehended by activating the motor system. We report a study, investigating a critical question in this research field: do negative sentences activate the motor system? Participants were exposed to sentences in the affirmation and negation forms while the zygomatic muscle activity on the left side of the face was continuously measured (Electromyography technique: EMG). Sentences were descriptions of emotional expressions that mapped either directly upon the zygomatic muscle (e.g., ""I am smiling"") or did not (e.g., ""I am frowning""). Reading sentences involving the negation of the activity of a specific muscle (zygomatic major-""I am not smiling"") si shown to lead to the inhibition of this muscle. Reading sentences involving the affirmative form instead (""I am smiling"") leads to the activation of zygomatic mucle. In contrast, sentences describing an activity that is irrelevant to the zygomatic muscle (e.g., ""I am frowning"" or ""I am not frowning"") produce no muscle activity. These results extend the range of simulation models to negation and by implication to an abstract domain. We discuss how this research contributes to the grounding of abstract and concrete concepts.Publication Metadata only Consistency of adults' earliest memories across two years(Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2019) Ece, Berivan; Demiray, Burcu; Department of Psychology; Gülgöz, Sami; Faculty Member; Department of Psychology; College of Social Sciences and Humanities; 49200The consistency of earliest memories in content, dating, and memory qualities was investigated. A total of 84 (27 males; M-age = 24.93, SD = 1.36) adults reported earliest memories, estimated ages, and rated their recollections on memory qualities with a two-year time lag. At Time 2, their original reports at Time 1 were presented and they were asked to report whether the earliest memories they recalled at Time 2 were the same. Fifty-six per cent of the participants reported the same earliest memories and those remembering the same events had earlier memories than those remembering different ones. Although no significant differences were observed in estimated ages on the basis of mean ages, a predating bias of later memories and a tendency to postdate earlier memories were observed on the basis of a 48-month cut-off point. Thus, how the data is analysed is critical in detecting dating biases or errors affecting conclusions and interpretations about the dating consistency of earliest memories. Finally, memory qualities of earliest memories displayed a high level of consistency with a two-year time lag regardless of remembering the same versus different event.