Changes In Heart Rate: An Index Of Levels Of Visual Processing And Discrimination Learning In Adults
Date of Graduation
Fall 2000
Degree
Master of Science in Psychology
Department
Psychology
Committee Chair
D. Wayne Mitchell
Abstract
Heart Rate (HR) has been shown to be sensitive to individual differences in cognitive processing. The purpose of the present study was to develop an autonomic index of cognitive processing (for later use with infants) during a visual discrimination task. Thirty-eight adults' HR was monitored during a Visual Snychronous Reinforcement Discrimination Task (VSRDT). The task was comprised of two Baseline, ten Learning, two Maintenance, and two Relearning trials. It was hypothesized that HR would be sensitive to four levels of cognitive processing during the VSRDT and that HR would correlate with intelligence (WAIS-R subtests). Hypotheses were partially confirmed. Specifically, HR was sensitive to three levels of cognitive processing and was correlated with the Picture Arrangement sub-test across trials. It is suggested that increased task difficulty in future research might lead to the appearance of the hypothesized fourth level of processing, as indexed by HR.
Subject Categories
Psychology
Copyright
© Daniel Wilkinson
Recommended Citation
Wilkinson, Daniel, "Changes In Heart Rate: An Index Of Levels Of Visual Processing And Discrimination Learning In Adults" (2000). MSU Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 1731.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1731
Dissertation/Thesis