melbourne school of psychological sciences 2019 honours ... · examining the relationship between...

MelbourneSchoolofPsychologicalSciences

2019HonoursMiniConferenceScheduleandAbstracts

MSPSHonour'syearminiconference30September2019

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Time Stream1LyleTheatre

Stream2LathamTheatre

Stream3MedleyTheatre

9:00-10:30 SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY1Chair:BrodieDaikan

PSYCHOBIOLOGY1Chair:NickParsons

LANGUAGE/COGNITION1Chair:JasonZhou

9:00 FelixGrant IsabellaMail YafeiYang9:10 JordanGibbs CarmenZheng KatherineTrail9:20 HongLingSi KatharineXu MichaelaVranic-Peters9:30 TraceyChau AaronWalton HannaOugh9:40 JaneseWong AishamAli AbigailTuros9:50 EmmaStringer LucyTiley AimeeReed10:00 PoYeeChing EmmaHouston CourtneyO’Brien10:10 PaulGolod RachelGreig ElizabethLaliberte10:20 HarveyBillingham NicholasToogood EleanoreWilliams10:30-11:00 Coffee/TeaBreak

RefreshmentsProvided11:00-12:30 SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY2

Chair:EllePattendenPSYCHOBIOLOGY2

Chair:JaneBairnsfatherLANGUAGE/COGNITION2

Chair:JessMarris11:00 KelsieBufton MichaelBennett SophiaHodgson11:10 PeiYeeTek MeaganMcDonald MeghnaKadalbajoo11:20 PriscillaSamuel ElipdaTsindos CiaraHart11:30 EmilyGrundy JessicaFrank RachelFurey11:40 DavidBerlinski SamuelGuise LucieZwart11:50 MarilynTan ClaudiaOke KathrynHovenden12:00 EmilyJackson - CatherineTran12:10 EmilyAlexander - AbigailLim12:20 - - AlexandraKonski12:30-1:30 Lunch1:30-3:00 EMOTION

Chair:YixiaZhengCLINICALPSYCHOLOGY1

Chair:MarkLeeDECISIONMAKINGChair:SarahMoneer

1:30 AliciaStevens MonikaFridgant NicoleDoyle1:40 JessicaMortlock DaveMussoff JulieJa1:50 SylviaChuLin EllenRankin RainaAngdias2:00 AdelaideMcKenzie EmmaWaldron AnDang2:10 AbidahAmaniNasarudin BelinshaYouzchalveen DanaMeads2:20 JamesColeman JaniceLai RhysHaslam2:30 JardineMitchell SeanMurrihy JoshuaWhite2:40 JianHaoKoh SarahWhitson LaurenClaireFong2:50 AngelaCao EricaClarke -3:00-3:30 Coffee/TeaBreak

RefreshmentsProvided3:30-5.00 PERSONALITY

Chair:ErinLawnCLINICALPSYCHOLOGY2Chair:SarahHerniman

VISIONChair:TesselBlom

3:30 StephaniePadmanabham VitaPilkington SidneyDavies3:40 EleanorShao RebekahDavenport AnnabellePontvianne3:50 BaixueZheng IdaGhatge MackenzieMurphy4:00 ElizabethRobinson JinwonSon LyshaLee4:10 VuDuong StephanieAuYeung RachelYam4:20 JessicaKennedy MarkDonato FeivenFan4:30 ErinQuigley ReevaAshton ShutSumLau4:40 SamanthaGalagher LuciaCorbel CarmenLynch4:50 - BridgetWatt JacobMcKew


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SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY19:00-10:30AM,LyleTheatre

1. 9:00-9:10AMIsitokifeveryoneisdoingit?FelixGrantSupervisor:ProfYoshiKashimaAbstract:Injunctification,theprocessofinferringinjunctivenorms(whatpeopleshoulddo)fromdescriptivenorms(whatpeopledo),hasreceivedsparseattentionintheliteratureonsocialnorms.Injunctificationisconsequentialasitinfluencesashostofhealth,environmentalandpoliticalbehaviours,suchassmoking,energyconservationandorgandonation.Thecurrentexperimenttestedmotivational,cognitiveandnormativeinfluencesoninjunctificationusingathree-waymixedfactorialdesign(BBW).Participantswerepresentedwithsystemrelevantandsystemirrelevantnorms(e.g.wealthinequalityandTVviewing)andaskedtoprovidetheirendorsementofacorrespondinginjunctivenorm.Basedonsystemjustificationtheory,asystemthreatmanipulationwasusedtoenhancethesystemjustificationmotive,thepropensitytorationalizeone’ssocietyasfairandjust.Anovelmanipulationwasdesignedtoenhancerelianceontheinherenceheuristic,atendencytoexplainsocialpatternsintermsoftheirconstitutivefeatures.Theexperimentalconditionsfailedtoimpactthekeymoderatorsofthestudyandtherewerenointeractioneffects(p<.05).However,asignificantmaineffectofsystemrelevancewasfound(p<.001),inwhichinjunctificationofsystemirrelevantnormswashigherthanforsystemrelevantnorms.Inamoderationanalysis,therewasasignificantthree-wayinteraction(p<.001),explainedbythestrongerinjunctificationofsystemirrelevantnormsathigherlevelsofsystemjustificationandinherencebias.Theresultswerediscussedintermsoftheperceivedmoralqualityofsystemrelevantnormsandintuitionsofimmutabilityofsystemirrelevantnorms.

2. 9:10-9:20AMTheeffectsofAboriginalTertiaryStudentPerceivedExperiencesofRacismandCulturalResilienceonEducationalEngagement.JordanGibbsSupervisor:ProfNicholasHaslamAbstract:AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderpeoplesinAustraliahaveexperiencedsignificanthistoricaltraumasincecolonialinvasion.SincecolonisationAboriginalpeoplecontinuetoexperienceextensiveracismanddiscriminationwitharecentmeta-analysesindicatingthatexperiencesofracismanddiscriminationareincreasinginmanyinstitutionalcontexts.Itiswidelyrecognisedthattheeducationsystemispivotalinrightingtheinequitiesthatimpactdisadvantagedgroupsbutcanalsoperpetuatethem.ExperiencesofracismhasbeendescribedasoneofthemajorreasonsforAboriginaltertiarystudentdisengagementfromstudies,butlittleresearchhasaddressedexaminedthispossibilityorthefactorsthatmightprotectagainstit.ThisstudyisoneofthefirstofitskindtospecificallytargettheAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderexperienceofracismwithintertiaryeducationandthepossibleroleofculturalresilienceinmoderatingtheeffectsoftheseexperiences.Culturalresiliencehasbeendescribedasincludingculturalstrengthsthatindividuals


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drawupontoovercomeadversity.Thesestrengthsmayincludefactorssuchasprideinculturalidentity,culturalattachment,participationintraditionalactivities,andconnectionstoland,language,familyandcommunity.ParticipantsarebeingrecruitedfromfiveuniversitiesinVictoriaandcompletedasurveythatexaminesracismexperiences(includinganewlydevelopedculturallyappropriateself-reportmeasure),culturalresilienceandacademicengagement.Datacollectioniscurrentlyongoing.Ihypothesisethatexperiencesofracismwillpredictacademicdisengagementandthatculturalresiliencewillactasaprotectivefactortomoderatethiseffect.Keywords:AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderpeoples,TertiaryEducation,InstitutionalRacism,CulturalResilience,EducationalEngagement

3. 9:20-9:30AMImaginingaUtopiaorDystopia:Socialchangeintentions.HongLingSiSupervisor:ProfYoshiKashimaAbstract:Previousstudieshaveshownthatutopianthinkingcanmotivatesocialchangeintentions.Interestingly,themotivationaleffectwasfoundstrongerforanenvironmentalfriendlyutopia(Greenutopia)thanatechnologicaladvancedutopia(Sci-Fiutopia).Whilstpreviousstudieshavefocusedontheeffectofutopia,nostudyhasexaminedtheeffectofdystopia.Therefore,thecurrentstudyaimstoreplicateandextendthepreviousstudybyexaminingifdystopianthinkinghassimilarmotivationaleffectforsocietalengagement.Besides,theroleofcollectiveemotions,includinghope,fearandguilt,ininfluencingthemotivationaleffectwasalsoexamined.Fivehundredandninety-nineparticipantsagedbetween18to73wererecruitedviaAmazonMechanicalTurk.Theparticipantswererequiredtocompleteashortwritingtaskandaseriesofquestionnairesrelatingtoutopianfunctions,socialchangeintentionsandcollectiveemotions.Overall,consistentwiththehypotheses,adystopianeffectwasfoundinmotivatingsocialchange.However,someresultsinregardstoutopianthinkingwereinconsistentwithpreviousfindings.Complexinteractionswerefoundbetweenutopianfunctionsandcollectiveemotions.

4. 9:30-9:40AMSocialcognitionandASDinNF1.TraceyChauSupervisors:ProfVickiAnderson,DrJonathanPayne,&KristinaHaebichAbstract:Neurofibromatosistype1(NF1)isamonogeneticconditionthataffects1in2700children(Evansetal.,2010).ChildrenwithNF1areathighriskofexperiencingsocialdysfunction,withapproximately40%ofchildrendisplayingproblembehavioursthataresimilartothosetypicalofchildrenwithautismspectrumdisorder(ASD;Morrisetal.,2016).WhilesocialcognitivedeficitsarethoughttocontributetoASDsymptomatologyinidiopathicASD,verylittleisknownaboutsocialcognitioninNF1andwhetherthesedeficitsdrivetheASD-likesymptomatologythatisprevalentinthispopulation.Evenlesserunderstoodistheroleofsocialcommunicationdifficulties,suchasapragmaticlanguagedeficit,withinthisrelationship.Thisthesiswillfirstreviewtherelevantliteratureandidentifykeyareasforfurtherinvestigation.Thecurrentstudyaimstocharacterisethesocial


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cognitiveandcommunicativeprofileofchildrenwithNF1andexplorewhetherthesedeficitspredictASDsymptomatologyseverity.

5. 9:40-9:50AM

Anexaminationofperfectionism,self-concealment,psychologicaldistressandhelp-seekingamongAsianinternationalandAustralian-bornCaucasianstudentsinAustralia.JaneseWongSupervisor:DrLitzaKiropoulosAbstract:Therelationshipbetweenmaladaptiveperfectionismandpsychologicaldistress(i.e.depressionandanxiety)isarobustfinding(Frost,Marten,Lahart,&Rosenblate,1990;Flett,Nepon,Hewitt&Fitzgerald,2016;Hewittetal.2003),evencross-culturally,although,AsianpopulationsendorsemoreinmaladaptiveperfectionismcomparedtotheirCaucasiancounterparts,puttingthemathigherriskfordepressiveandanxietysymptoms(Castro&Rice,2003)aswellasacculturativestress(Huang&Mussap,2018).However,individualswhoarehighonmaladaptiveperfectionismarelesslikelytoseek-helpdespitebeingmoresusceptibletopsychologicaldistress(Shannon,Goldberg,Flett,&Hewitt,2018).Furthermore,self-concealment,acharacteristicmaladaptiveperfectionistsaresaidtooftenengagein,wasdemonstratedtobeasignificantmediatorbetweenmaladaptiveperfectionismandpsychologicaldistress(Kawamura&Frost,2004).Meanwhile,thereareperfectionistswhoarededicatedtoconcealingimperfectionsandpresentingthemselvesasbeingflawless–theseindividualsareengaginginperfectionisticself-presentation.Likewise,theseindividualsarealsosusceptibletopsychologicaldistress(Hewittetal.,2003).However,thereisalackofliteratureonthistypeofperfectionisminAsiancultures.Theaimsofthisstudyistofurtherinvestigatetherelationshipbetweenmaladaptiveperfectionism,self-concealment,psychologicaldistress,help-seekingattitudesandacculturativestress(ininternationalstudents)inthehopetobetterunderstandtherelationshipsbetweenthesevariables,especiallyinthecontextofhowperfectionisticself-presentationandself-concealmentinterplayswithpsychologicaldistressandhelp-seekingcross-culturally.QuestionnaireswereadministeredviaQualtricstoparticipantswhowererecruitedthroughREPandadvertisementsinuniversitiesacrossVictoria.

6. 9:50-10:00AM

PossibleinteractionsbetweenSocialinclusion,LonelinessandPsychologicalDistress.EmmaStringerSupervisors:ProfSueCotton,ProfLisaPhillips,DrKateFiliaAbstract:Individualsdiagnosedwithaseverementalillness(SMI)oftenexperienceincreasedfeelingsofpsychologicaldistress.Socialinclusion(SI)hasbeenrecognisedasapotentialprotectivefactor,helpingtoreduceexperiencedpsychologicaldistress.Whereas,lonelinessisconsideredtobeanimportantpredictorofpsychologicaldistress.ItispossiblethatlonelinessmayplayaroleintherelationshipbetweenSIandpsychologicalwellbeing.Hence,theaimofthisstudyistoexplorehowconceptsofSI,lonelinessandpsychologicaldistressinteract.Participants(n=152)diagnosedwithaSMIagedbetween18and25wererecruitedtothestudy.Theycompletedaquestionnairecontainingmeasuresofloneliness,SIandpsychologicalwellbeing.DuringdataanalysisthenovelmeasureofSIwillbe


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reducedusingcategoricalprincipalcomponentanalysis(CatPCA).OutputfromtheCatPCAwillbeusedasthedependentvariableforaseriesofmediationanalysesexaminingtherelationshipbetweenSI,lonelinessandpsychologicalwellbeing.Anypreliminaryresultswillbepresented.UnderstandinghowSIandlonelinessinteractwithpsychologicaldistressmayhaveclinicalimportance,suchashelpingwiththecreationorevaluationofstrategiestoimprovementalhealthoutcomes.

7. 10:00-10:10AM

CulturalDifferencesandtheSignificanceofRespectonTrustBehaviours.PoYeeChingSupervisors:ProfYoshihisaKashima,DrSaidShafaAbstract:Respectplaysacriticalroleinfacilitatingtrustandcooperationinsocialinteractions.Acrossdifferentcultures,respectcanbecharacterizedandperceiveddifferentlyaseachculturepossessesitsownformofrespect.Respectisdefinedasamechanismtoaddressothers’self-worth,henceitisparticularlyimportantforsocialconnections.Previouscross-culturalresearchhasconceiveddifferingrespectendorsementsfromcountrytocountry,yetlittleisknownabouthowthesevariousrespectvalueswillimpactontrustinsocialgroups.Thisstudyattemptstoexplorehowdifferentculturalrespectvalueswillinfluencetrustandcooperativebehaviors.Specifically,wefocusedontwocultures:DignityandFacecultures;andtwoformsofrespect:equalityandstatus-basedrespect.WeusedaTrustGame(UltimatumGame)tomeasuretheleveloftrustonewillshowtowardstheircounterpartdependingontheirperceivedrespectvalueendorsements.WeusedabetweensamplesANOVAtoexamineourdata.Wehypothesizedthatpeopleindifferentcultureswillshowmoretrusttotheircounterpartiftheyperceivetheirrespectvaluestoalignwiththeculturetheyarefrom.Wefurtherexploredtheroleofvaluecongruenceandagreeablenessinmediatingrespectandtrust.Thisstudyaimstoinformcross-culturalstudiesandhowrespectvaluescouldinfluenceinterpersonalcommunicationandcooperation.Byunderstandinghowculturaldifferencescaninfluencebehaviour,wecanbetterfacilitatecooperativeandnegotiationtasksinmulti-nationalenvironments.Keywords:CulturalDifferences,Respect,Dignity,Face,Trust

8. 10:10-10:20AM

Investigationintotheacquisitionandgeneralisationofinjunctivenorms.PaulGolodSupervisor:ProfYoshiKashimaAbstract:Thecurrentstudyaimedtoinvestigatetheprocessesbywhichpeopleacquireinjunctivenorms(i.e.normsaboutwhatshouldbedone),andwhetherthisacquisitionismoderatedbythejustificationofthereasoningofsuchbehaviours,andhowtheseacquiredinjunctivenormsmayinfluencesubsequentappraisalandresponsetosimilarsituations.Toexaminethis,x[totalnumberpending]participantswererecruitedviaAmazon’sMechanicalTurktoparticipateinthestudy.Participantswithintheexperimentalconditionwerefirstexposedtoalearningphase,whereintheywerepresentedwitheitherahighorlowprevalenceofsupportforvariousmorallyquestionablescenariosassociatedwitheithertheft,deception,authority,orloyalty,withinafictitioussocietyofNormandy,andaskedtoreporttheirsupportoftheactionspresented.Moreover,someparticipantswere


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allocatedintoajustificationcondition,inwhichtheywerealsorequiredtojustifytheirresponses.Inthesecondphase,allparticipantswerepresentedwithnovelscenariosofbehavioursrelatingtotheft,deception,authority,andloyalty,andaskedtorateboththeirapprovalofthebehaviourpresentedandtheirlikelihoodofalsoperformingthatbehaviour.[Finalresultspending].

9. 10:20-10:30AMMoralizationofFoundationalValuesacrossthePoliticalSpectrum.HarveyBillinghamSupervisor:DrSimonLahamAbstract:CulturewarissuessuchasLGBTrights,immigration,censorshipandwelfarespendingdividethecitizenryonpoliticalandmoralgrounds.MoralFoundationTheory(MFT)positsthatliberalsandconservativeshavefundamentallydifferentconceptualisationsofmoralityinwhichtheydisagreeonwhatshouldbeconsideredmorallyrightorwrongandthisconsistentlypositionspoliticaladversariesonoppositesidesofculturewarissues.MFTidentifiesHarm,Fairness,Loyalty,AuthorityandSanctityasthefoundationaldomainsofmorality(Graham,etal.,2013).Ithasbeenutilisedtoshowthedistinctlydifferentconceptualisationsofmoralityacrossthepoliticalspectrum,withliberalslargelyconcerningthemselveswiththeindividualisingfoundations(Harm&Fairness),andconservativesprioritisingallfivedomainsincludingthebindingfoundations(Loyalty,Authority&Sanctity).However,itisrecognisedthatMFTislimitedinitsabilitytodistinguish‘moral’from‘conventional’concerns.Turiel’ssignaturemoralresponsecriteriahavebeenakeytoolfordevelopingthemoral-conventionaldistinctiontaskforadults(e.g.,Huebneretal.,2010).Inthecurrentstudyweutiliseanoperationaldefinitionofmoralityandintegrateitintothemoralfoundationquestionnairetodeterminewhetherthedifferencesobservedbetweenliberalsandconservativesareamattermoralityorconvention.Ifthecurrentstudyreplicatesthepatternofresultsfromtheexistingliterature,thentheclaimthatliberalsandconservativesoperateinfundamentallydifferentmoralsphereswillbesupported.However,ifconservativesandliberalselicitthesignaturemoralresponsesimilarlyacrosstheadaptedmoralfoundationquestionnairethenitwouldprovideevidencethatpoliticaladversariesaremuchcloserinregardtomoralvaluesthanitiscurrentlyperceivedandthatthedifferencesamongstthemareamatterofconvention,notmorality.Keywords:moralfoundationtheory,culturewars,moral-conventionaldistinctiontask,signaturemoralresponse,moralfoundationquestionnaire.

SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY211:00-12:30PMLyleTheatre

1. 11:00-11:10AMIstherelationshipbetweenpoliticalorientationandbiasedthreatcredulitymoderatedbythreatdomain?KelsieBuftonSupervisor:DrSimonLahamAbstract:Aprominentaccountofpoliticalorientationsuggeststhatanendorsement


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ofconservativeideologyisassociatedwithaheightenedattunementtothreateningstimuli(Jost,Glaser,Kruglanski,&Sulloway,2003).Onerecentexampleofthreatbiasistheidentificationofahazard-credulitybiasinconservatism,whichpostulatesthatconservativesaremorelikelythanliberalstobelievethreat-relatedinformationtobetrue(Fessler,Pisor,&Holbrook,2017).Thereishowevercompellingevidencethatthreatbiasaccountofconservatismisundulyinfluencedbymethodsselectivelyfocusingonconservativesensitivities.Itwasrecentlyidentifiedthatliberalsareuniquelysensitivetosocialevaluationthreats,andconservativesareuniquelysensitivetodisgustrelatedthreats(Laham&Corless,2016).Followingonfromthesefindingsthecurrentstudyaimedtounderstandifliberalsandconservativesarecomparablycredulousofthreatinformationwhenitpertainstotheiruniquesensitives.Toinvestigatethisfurthernovelthreat-relatedstimuliweredevelopedanddistributedtoparticipantsviaanonlinesurvey.Theresultsarepending.

2. 11:10–11:20AMPoliticalOrientationandHazardCredulity.PeiYeeTekSupervisor:DrSimonLahamAbstract:Previousstudy(Fessler,Pisor,&Holbrook,2017)hassuggestedalinkbetweenpoliticalorientationandhazardcredulity,withconservativesshowingagreaterpropensitytobelieveinformationaboutputativehazardsthanliberalsdo.However,thisstudywaslimitedasitonlylookedatstimulithatareclearlyevocativeofconservatives.Thepresentstudyinvestigatedwhethertheoverarchingclaimthatconservativesaremorecredulousofallhazardinformationthanliberalsstillholds,aftertakingintoaccountthedifferentpoliticalissuesthateitherconservativesorliberalsaremoreconcernedabout.Itwashypothesizedthattherelationshipbetweenpoliticalorientationandhazardcredulitywouldbemoderatedbythepoliticalissuesthatthehazardsarerelatedto.Participantswere330undergraduatestudentsfromUniversityofMelbournewhocompletedanonlinestudyaspartoftheResearchExperienceProgram(REP).Resultssupportedthehypothesis.Theresultsrevealedasignificantmoderatingeffectofpoliticalissuesontherelationshipbetweenpoliticalorientationandhazardcredulity(p=xx),withconservativesreportinghigherhazardcredulitythanliberalsonissuesrelatedtoconservativefears,whereasliberalsreportedhigherhazardcredulitythanconservativesonissuesrelatedtoliberalfears.Theresultssetoutadirectionforresearchesinthefuturetoinvestigatewhypeoplewithdifferentpoliticalorientationsaremoreconcernedabout,orfearfulofputativehazardsregardingonepoliticalissuethananother,therebyprovidingsomeunderstandingastohowsocietiesmightrespondtodifferentalarmistcampaigns.Keywords:hazardcredulity,putative,politicalorientation

3. 11:20-11:30AMAnexplorationintotherelationshipsbetweenmisinformationtypesandontologiesoftruth.PriscillaSamuelSupervisor:A/ProfAmyPerforsAbstract:Worldeventsin2016promptedrenewedconcernsaboutthespreadofmisinformation,andnewconcernsaboutincreasing“posttruth”tendenciesto


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appealtoemotionandintuitionratherthanevidenceandfactswhendeterminingtruth.Thisexploratorystudyinvestigatedrelationshipsbetweentwodifferentformsofmisinformation,attitudesregardingthenatureoftruth,andanumberofindividualcognitivevariables.Asampleof656participantsrecruitedthroughAmazonMechanicalTurkweremeasuredonattitudestowardsthetruthbeforeandafterexposuretomisinformationintheformoffictionalnewsvignettes.Resultsindicatethattheformofmisinformationparticipantswereexposedtodidnothaveastatisticallysignificanteffectonshiftingattitudestowardsthetruth,althoughdifferentformsofmisinformationhaddifferenteffectsoninterpretationoftheeventsoutlinedinthevignettes.Exploratoryanalysisintoindividualvariablesindicatedtheexistenceofrelationshipsbetweenpoliticalorientation,analyticalthinking,andattitudestowardsthenotionoftruth.

4. 11:30-11:40AMFromAffectiveAltruismtoEffectiveAltruism:WhoaretheEthicalLeaders?EmilyGrundySupervisor:A/ProfLukeSmillieAbstract:Effectivealtruismisaglobalsocialmovementthataimstoaddressmanyoftheworld’smostpressingandcomplexissues.Itsadvocates,‘EffectiveAltruists’(EAs),arguethatpeoplemustnotonlybeequippedwiththeintentiontodogood,butalsothepropensitytoconsiderandevaluatewhichsolutionswillproducethemostgood.TosharpenourunderstandingofwhotheseEAsare,andthusprovideinsightintohowwecanencourageimpactfulsocialchange,thisresearchexploreswhichbroadpersonalitytraitsareassociatedwithmoreeffectivealtruisticinclinations.Inasampleofuniversitystudents(N=X;XX%women),Study1usedperformanceontheclassic‘identifiablevictimeffect’(IVE)tasktomeasureeffectivealtruisminclination(i.e.givinglargerdonationstogroupsrelativetoindividuals).Resultsshowedthat…Extendingonthesefindings,Study2directlycomparedthepersonalityprofileofEAs(N=X;XX%women)tothatofademographicallymatchedMTurksample(N=X;XX%women).Resultsindicatedthat…

5. 11:40-11:50AM

TheMoralCatalystPhenomenon.DavidBerlinskiSupervisor:A/ProfBrockBastianAbstract:People’sperceptionregardingthewrongnessofcertainbehavioursareoftenrelative,suchthattheprevalenceofhighlyproblematicbehaviourscanleadtolesscondemnationofcomparativelylessproblematicbehaviours.Forexample,anethicallyambiguousstudymaybeperceivedaslesswronginanenvironmentwhereunethicalstudiesarehighlyprevalent,comparedtowherethereareveryfewunethicalstudies(Levarietal.,2018).However,oneexceptiontothisfindingappearstooccurwhereparticularstoriesofshockingmoralviolationsbecamehighlysalient,leadingtoincreasedvigilanceabouttherelatedclassofbehavioursasawhole.Forexample,thehighlypublicisedstoryofsexualmisconductbyHarveyWeinstein,notonlyledtoincreasedcondemnationofseriousformsofsexualmisconduct,butalsoforlessseriousforms.Insuchsituations,thesalienceofseriouscasesofabehaviour,appeartoactasaMoralCatalyst,whichactuallyamplifythecondemnationoflessseriouscases.Thecurrentstudyintendedtodetermine


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whetherinacontrolledsetting,thepresenceofaseveremoraltransgressionwouldactivateprototypicalrelativedecision-makingmechanismsorwhetherthepresenceofaseveremoraltransgressionwouldactasamoralcatalystModeratingfactorswerealsoassessed.Participants(N=150)wereseparatedintothreeconditionsandwererequiredtojudgethemoralwrongnessofbehaviourspresentedinvignettes.Resultsareyettobedetermined.

6. 11:50-12:00AM

Consequencesofadversechildhoodexperiences:themediatingrolesofunrelentingstandardsandattachmentstyles.MarilynTanSupervisor:DrLitzaKiropoulosAbstract:Adversechildhoodexperiences(ACEs)suchasneglect,abuseandhouseholddysfunctionoftenleadtopoormentalhealthoutcomesinadulthood.Thecurrentstudylooksatthisrelationship,focusingonhowsuchexperiencespredictdepression,socialanxietydisorderandgeneralizedanxietydisorder.Itisalsoinvestigatingtherolesofpotentialmediatorssuchastheunrelentingstandards/hypercriticalnessschema,aswellasanxiousandavoidantattachmentstyles.Questionnaireslookingatadversechildhoodexperiences,schemas,attachmentanddepressiveandanxiouspsychopathologyarebeingadministeredtoparticipantsrecruitedfromtheUniversityofMelbourne’sResearchExperienceProgramandAmazonMechanicalTurk.Datawillbeanalyzedusingcorrelationandmediationanalyses,andlimitationswillbediscussed.


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7. 12:00-12:10PM

DisruptingBeauty.EmilyJacksonSupervisor:A/ProfBrockBastianAbstract:Researchershaveassociatedtheexperienceofappreciatingbeautywithafocusonhigherorderneeds,includingself-transcendence.Inthisthesis,weinvestigatewhetherfocusingonlowerordermaterialneeds,suchastheacquisitionofconsumergoods,disruptsandreducesperceptionsofbeauty.Inoneexperiment(N=190),lowerorderneedswereprimedindirectlybyinducingastateofrelativedeprivation(whereonefeelsunjustlydeprivedofsomethingthatsimilarothershaveandmakesattemptstoreducethediscrepancy,mostoftenthroughincreasingincome)anddirectlybyprimingadesireforconsumergoods.Perceptionsofbeautywereunaffectedbytheexperimentalprimingconditions.Thisfindingisexplainedinlightofrecentresearchsuggestingutilityasamediatingfactorinbeautyjudgements.

8. 12:10-12:20PM

CopingbyCompensating?:BigTwoNeedSatisfactionandJobCraftingasPredictorsofWorkplaceEngagement.EmilyAlexanderSupervisor:JenniferOverbeckAbstract:Extensiveresearchhasfoundthatindividualspartakeincompensatorypsychologicalprocessestoadapttoundesirableenvironments.Althoughmanyfindingssuggestagenticandcommunalneedsatisfactionpredictworkplaceengagement,fewstudieshaveinvestigatedthecopingstrategiesofemployeesinrolesthatpartiallyrestricttheseneeds.Jobcraftinghasbeenassociatedwithbothneedsatisfactionandengagement,andmayservetoovercomeunsatisfactoryworkroles.Thus,thepresentresearchexaminesthecompensatoryroleofjobcraftinginachievingworkplaceengagementwhenagenticorcommunalneedsarerestricted.AProlificAcademicsampleofemployeesfromtheUnitesStatesandUnitedKingdomwillbeassessedonself-reportmeasuresofworkplaceneedsatisfaction,jobcraftingandengagement.Usingpathanalysis,thisstudywilldemonstratethat,onaverage,lowagenticandlowcommunalneedsatisfactionnegativelypredictengagement.However,thisresearchwillalsodemonstratethatlowagenticneedsatisfactionpositivelypredictsengagementthroughparticipationinrelationalcrafting.Similarly,lowcommunalneedsatisfactionpositivelypredictsengagementviataskcrafting.Thesemodelssuggestjobcraftingprovidesworkersmeansofadaptingrolestocompensaterestrictedneedsatisfaction.Thiscompensatoryeffectgivesrisetoconditionsthatpromoteworkplaceengagement.Practicalimplicationsforworkplaceorganisationsandfuturedirectionswillbediscussed.

EMOTION1:30–3:00PM,LyleTheatre

1. 1:30-1:40PMBodyPositivity:Thepotentialantidotetothethinspirationandfitspirationmovement.


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AliciaStevensSupervisor:DrScottGriffithsAbstract:Thinspiration,fitspirationandbodypositivityareformsofonlinemediacontentthatarebecomingincreasinglypopularamongstsocialnetworkingsites.Thinspirationandfitspirationoftenencourageviewerstopursueweightlossoramoreactivehealthylifestyle.Bodypositivityopposestheidealsofthinspirationandfitspirationbytryingtopromotetheideaofpositivebodyimagethroughacceptanceofone'sownbodyandbodiesofothers.Therefore,thisstudyaimedtoexplorehowexposuretothinspiration,fitspirationandbodypositivityonsocialmediamayimpactone'sownperceptionsoftheirownbodyandpsychologicalwellbeingandonwhatplatformsthisistakingplace.ThisstudyusedecologicalmomentaryassessmenttohaveparticipantscompletesixsurveysadayforsevendayswithpreliminaryresultssuggestingbodypositivitypossessingaprotectivefactoragainstnegativebodilycontentwhichtendstobepredominantlyoccurringonInstagram.

2. 1:40-1:50PMTheTendencytoExperienceEmotionalResidue:LinksBetweenPersistentEmotioninAffect,CognitionandAttention.JessicaMortlockSupervisor:DrPeterKovalAbstract:Emotionshavethepowertointerruptorevenhijackfunctioningacrossmultiplebodilysystems.However,ifthatinterruptionpersistsfortoolong,emotionscanbecomedysfunctional.Thisstudyaimedtoinvestigatepossiblelinksbetweenthreeformsofpsychologicalpersistenceinvolvingnegativefeelings(affectiveinertia),cognition(persistentnegativethought;PNT)andattention(emotion-inducedblindness;EIB)thatareresistanttochangeacrosstime.Itisproposedthatthesethreephenomenamaybedrivenbyacommonunderlyinginabilitytodisengagefromnegativeemotions.Therefore,itwashypothesisedthattheywouldbepositivelycorrelatedacrossindividuals.Individualdifferencesinaffectiveinertia,PNTandEIBweremeasuredusingcomputerisedtasksandquestionnairesinasampleof192undergraduatestudents.Basiceffectsreportedinpreviousresearchforeachmeasureofemotionalpersistencewerereplicated,butcontrarytothehypothesis,individualdifferencesinthethreeformsofemotionalpersistencewerenotcorrelated.Thesefindingssuggestthataffective,cognitiveandattentionalinflexibilitymaynotsharecommonunderlyingmechanisms.However,furtherresearchisrequiredtounderstandthelinksbetweenemotionalrespondinginthesedomains.Keywords:emotiondynamics,emotionalinertia,emotion-inducedblindness,persistentnegativethought,rumination,disengagement,attention.

3. 1:50-2:00PMThecognitivedemandofcognitivereappraisalinadual-taskparadigm.SylviaChuLinSupervisor:DrKatharineGreenaway&DrEliseKalokerinosAbstract:Effectiveemotionregulationisassociatedwithpositiveaffectiveoutcomesandoverallwell-being.Cognitivereappraisaliswidelyviewedasanadaptiveemotionregulationstrategyduetoitseffectivenessinreducingsubjectiveemotionalfeelingsandbehavioralexpressions.Importantly,whenexaminingthe


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effectivenessofanemotionregulationstrategy,weshouldnotonlyconsideritsaffectiveandbehaviouraloutcomes,butalsocognitiveoutcomes.Forexample,doesreappraisalrequirecognitivedemands,suchthatitmayimpactourabilitytoprocesssimultaneouslypresentedinformation?Ourstudyaimedtotestthelong-heldassumptionintheliteraturethatreappraisalisnotaneffortfulregulationstrategyrelativetootherstrategies(i.e.expressivesuppression)orano-regulationcondition.Usingadual-taskparadigm,resultsinourstudyshowedthatalthoughreappraisaldoesnotaffectmemoryforemotionalstimuliperse,itreducespeople’sabilitytomemoriseconcurrentauditorystimulicomparedtonotregulatingone’semotions.Thesefindingssuggestthatreappraisalisindeedcognitivelydemanding,interferingwithconcurrenttaskperformance.

4. 2:00-2:10PM

Usingexperiencesamplingtounderstandtherelationshipbetweenaffectatencodingandepisodicmemory.AdelaideMcKenzieSupervisor:ProfSimonDennisAbstract:Negativevalence,higharousal,andintensityofaffectatencodinghavebeenshowntopredictepisodicmemoryenhancementatretrieval.Thisstudysoughttoinvestigatetheextenttowhichaffectactsasafeatureofmemoryandthedegreetowhichvalence,arousal,andintensityofaffectpredictacorrecttargetresponse.Intensivelongitudinaldatawascollectedinthecontextofeverydaylifeviaaparadigmthatcombinedexperiencesamplingwithecologicalmomentaryassessment(EMA).UsingAndroidsmartphoneapps,67participantscollectedobjectiveaspectsofexperience,recordingGPSlocation,obfuscatedaudio,andaccelerometryevery10minutesfor14days.Participantsadditionallyreceived8notificationsperdaybetweenthehoursof8:30and21:30promptingthemtocompleteEMAofcurrentaffect(e.g.Howhappyareyourightnow?)usingaslidingscalefrom0to100.Afteraweek-longretentioninterval,participantscompletedamemorytestgeneratedfrompairedexperiencesamplingeventsandEMA.UsingaGoogleMapinterface,participantswereaskedineachtrialtoselecttheGPSlocationatthetimeofaspecificpairedtargeteventfromfouralternatives.Resultsofthisstudyarecurrentlypending.

5. 2:10-2:20PM

Theeffectoflinguisticdistancingonnegativeaffectandappraisaldimensions.AbidahAmaniNasarudinSupervisor:DrPeterKovalAbstract:Whilereflectingonnegativeexperiencesmaypromotepsychologicaladjustment,itmayalsoencouragedepressiveruminationbydeployingattentiontoself-relevantnegativethoughts.Studiesonpsychologicaldistancingshowthatreflectinginapersonallydetachedanddeidentifiedmanneriseffectiveindownregulatingemotions.Theemotionregulatorybenefitsaffordedbydistancingarelargelyattributedtoitspromotionofcognitivereappraisal.However,studieshadyettoinvestigateonwhichappraisaldimensionsdodistancingstrategiescauseadaptivechangeandtheextenttowhichtheseappraisalchangescorrelatewithreductionsinnegativeaffect.Thepresentstudyinstructed376participants(44%female,ageM=34.67years),recruitedviaAmazon’sMechanicalTurk,toreflectand


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writeaboutaninterpersonalconflict.Abetween-withinsubjectsdesignwasusedtoinvestigatehowlinguisticdistancing(usingnon-first-personpronouns)affectsnegativeaffectandappraisaldimensions,comparedtolinguisticimmersing(usingfirst-personpronouns).Analysesrevealedthatdistancedandimmersedgroupsdidnotsignificantlydifferintermsofchangeswithinnegativeaffect,motivationalrelevance,other-andself-responsibility,problem-andemotion-focusedcopingpotentialorfutureexpectancy.However,distancedgroupsreportedsignificantlygreaterincreasesinmotivationalcongruencythanimmersedgroups.Theseresultswereattainedevenaftercontrollingfortraitrumination,traitreappraisal,spontaneousvisualdistancing,memoryage,resolutionstatusofinterpersonalconflict,andpre-manipulationscoresofoutcomevariables.Greaterincreasesinemotion-focusedcopingpotentialandfutureexpectancywerealsosignificantlyassociatedwithgreaterreductionsinnegativeaffect.

6. 2:20-2:30PM

Canindoorplantsreducestressinofficeenvironments?JamesColemanSupervisor:A/ProfKatherineJohnsonAbstract:Spendingtimeinnaturalsettingshasbeenfoundtopromotewellbeingbyreducingstressandenhancingpsychologicalfunctionssuchasattention,concentrationandmemory.ThesebenefitshavebeendescribedbyAttentionRestorationTheory(ART)and/orStress-ReductionTheory(SRT).ARTproposesnatureisrestorativebecauseitpromotesasenseoffascinationandescapethatreplenishesmentalfatigue,whileSRTproposesthatviewingnaturefosterspositiveemotionsandminimisesnegativethoughtswhichcontributetopsychophysiologicalstressrecovery.Recentlytherehasbeenanincreasingbodyofevidencethatsuggeststhesetheoriesalsoapplytourbanenvironmentssuchasexposuretorooftopgardens,urbanparksandindoorplants.Althoughthereisalackofunderstandingregardingthemechanismsdrivingthesebenefits,priorresearchhassuggestedthatfluctuationsinarousallevelsmaybeacontributingfactor.Thepresentstudyaimstoinvestigatewhetherthepresenceofanindoorplantinanofficeenvironmentmayattenuatethestressresponsetoadifficultworking-memorytask.Participantswereplacedintooneofthreeconditions:1)noadditionalitemsonadesk(controlgroup),2)agreenfanonadesk(fangroup)or3)indoorplantonadesk(plantgroup).Baselinemeasurementsofheart-rateandpupildiameteroveroneminutewereassessedbeforeparticipantscommencedadifficultworking-memorytask.Duringthetask,participantshadtheirheart-ratescontinuouslymonitored.Attheconclusionofthetask,participants'pupildiametermeasurementswererepeated.Thoseintheplantgroupareexpectedtoexhibitalowerstressresponsethanthoseinthefanandcontrolgroups,asmeasuredby(a)changeintonicpupildilationbeforeandafterthedifficulttaskand(b)changeinheartratefrombaselineduringthefinalthreeminutesofthestressfultask.

7. 2:30-2:40PM

InvestigatingtheBi-directionalRelationshipBetweenPro-hedonicandEudaimonicMotives,andEmotionRegulationStrategies.JardineMitchellSupervisor:DrKatharineGreenaway


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Abstract:Emotionregulationresearchhaslargelyinvestigatedhowpeopleregulatetheiremotions(emotionregulationstrategies),however,themotivationsexplainingwhyparticularstrategiesarechosen(emotionmotives)isunclear.Intwostudies,thisthesisinvestigatedthebi-directionalrelationshipbetweenpro-hedonic(feelinggood)versuseudaimonic(personalgrowth)motives,anddistractionandreappraisalstrategies.Previousresearchsuggestslinksbetweendistractionandpro-hedonicmotives,aswellasreappraisalandeudaimonicmotives.However,thesetworesearchareastodatehavebeenconductedindependently.Inthefirststudy(N=200),participantsadoptedeitherapro-hedonicoreudaimonicmotive,viewedaseriesofemotiveimages,andchosedistractionorreappraisalasanemotionregulationstrategyaftereachimage.Inlinewithourhypotheses,peoplewhoadoptedapro-hedonicmotiveweremorelikelytochoosedistraction,andpeoplewhoadoptedaeudaimonicmotiveweremorelikelytochoosereappraisal.Inthesecondstudy(N=399),participantswererandomlyassignedtorecalleitherapositiveornegativeemotionalevent,andtouseeitherdistractionorreappraisalasanemotionregulationstrategy.Ourhypothesesthatdistractionwouldincreasepro-hedonicmotivesandreappraisalwouldincreaseeudaimonicmotives,werenotsupported.Thesefindingssuggestthatemotionmotivesfacilitatestrategychoice,thoughemployingthesestrategiesdonot,inturn,cultivatemotivations.Theoreticalandpracticalimplicationsoftheresearchinrelationtopsychologicalfunctioningandachievingwell-beingarediscussed.

8. 2:40-2:50PM

Theeffectsofanxietyondecision-makingunderriskanduncertainty.JianHaoKohSupervisor:DrNicholasVanDamAbstract:Understandinghowanxietyaffectsdecision-makingunderuncertaintyisimperativeasitmayrevealtheunderlyingaetiologyofvariousanxiety-relateddisorders.Prospecttheorypositsthatriskaversionandlossaversionaredistinctentities.Previousstudieshavefoundthatmoreanxiousindividualshavehigherriskaversionbutsimilarlossaversionwithcontrols.Thiswasseentoprovideevidencethatanxietyonlyaffectsriskaversion.However,wepositthatthelackofloss-onlytrialsinthesestudiesmayexplainwhynoeffectofanxietyonlossaversionwasfound.Weexpectthatmoreanxiousindividualswouldhavebothhigherriskaversionandlossaversionthanlessanxiousindividuals.Participantswereuniversitystudentsrecruitedthroughphysicalandonlinemethods.ThegamblingtaskwascodedusingPsychopyandthestudywasconductedinalaboratorysettingwithrealmoney.Resultsarestillpendingandweareinthemidstofcompletingdatacollection.BayesianmodellingwillbeperformedonthedatatoestimatetheparametersusingequationsfromProspecttheory.Thereafter,afrequentistanalysissuchasANOVAwouldbeconductedontheestimatedparameters.

9. 2:50-3:00PM

Theself-regulatedlearningmodel:Investigatingtherelationshipbetweenmusicstudentself-evaluationqualityandstudentperformanceachievement.AngelaCaoSupervisor:DrMargaretOsborneAbstract:Musiceducationhaslongbeenanadvocateforthebeliefthat“practice


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makesperfect”.However,studiesacrossdifferenteducationalsettingsdiscoveredthatextensivehoursofpracticedonotnecessarilyleadtoskillmastery.Whenitcomestoindividualpracticewithoutteacherguidance,manymusicstudentsresorttomechanicalrepertoirerepetition.Consequently,thequalityoftheirlearningiscompromised.Therefore,itisfundamentaltounderstandtheirpracticeprocesstofacilitatehigh-qualitypracticeandenhancelearningoutcomes.Theself-regulatedlearning(SRL)modelproposedbyZimmerman(2000)doessobyplacingtheemphasisonthelearnertobeautonomousintheirlearning,suchinitiatingactiveengagementandpracticingindependently.TheSRLmodelinvolvesthreecyclicalphases:theforethought,whichreferstolearningprocessesduringaperformancepreparation,theperformancephaseitself,andtheself-reflection,whichincludeprocessesthatoccurafteraperformance.Previousstudiesfoundthatstudentswhoadoptasuperior,proactivelearningstylesignificantlyenhancedtheirlearningoutcomes,whilestudentswithalesseffective,reactivelearningstyledidnotimprove.Thecurrentstudyexplorestherelationshipbetweenthequalityofstudentself-evaluationontheSRLmodelphases,andstudentperformanceachievement.Theaimistoinvestigatewhetherthebroadprofilesofproactiveandreactivelearningreflectsthestudent’slevelofachievement.Additionally,wewishtodetermineifstudent’sachievementcanbemorereliablypredictedthroughspecificprocesseswithintheSRLmodelphases.Undergraduatemusicstudents(N=39)answeredtwoonlineself-reportquestionnaires,whichwerecompletedwithin48hourspriorandaftertheirperformance.

PERSONALITY3:30–4:40PMLyleTheatre

1. 3:30-3:40PMMeasuringMindfulness:TheBalancedInventoryofMindfulness-RelatedSkills(BIMS).StephaniePadmanabhamSupervisor:DrNicholasVanDamAbstract:Useofself-reportquestionnairesasameasureofmindfulnessiscommonwithinstudiesonmindfulness.However,theappropriatenessofself-reportinmeasuringmindfulnesshasbecomeanincreasinglyimportantconsiderationduetoissuesfoundwiththepsychometricpropertiesofmindfulnessscales(e.g.positiveandnegativewordmethodeffects).Duetothepresenceofmethodeffects,thissuggeststhatpreviousfindingsobtainedviaquestionnairesmightbeexplainedbyunintentionalsystematiceffectslocatedwithinthequestionnairestructureratherthanthepurportedlatentvariableofmindfulness.Assuch,thispaperinvestigatedifmethodeffectscouldbereducedviausingthestructuredalternativeformat;resultingintheBalancedInventoryofMindfulnessSkill(BIMS)questionnaire.Thispaperhadthreeaims:toreplicatethefactorstructureoftheBIMS;toinvestigatethepossiblechangesbetweenmindfulnessanditsknowncorrelates;andtoascertainiftheBIMSwasabletominimisemethodeffectswhencomparedtotheFiveFacetMindfulnessQuestionnaire–ShortForm(FFMQ-SF).ThestudywasdoneonlineviaQualtrics,withrecruitmentthroughAmazonMechanicalTurk(MTurk).Participants(N=767;XX%female)wererandomisedintoanExploratoryFactor


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Analysis(EFA)sample(450participants)andaConfirmatoryFactorAnalysis(CFA)sample(317participants).Resultsandconclusion:inprogress.

2. 3:40-3:50PM

InvestigatingTheRelationshipBetweentheBigFivePersonalityTraitsandVisualPerception.EleanorShaoSupervisors:DrSimonCropperandA/ProfLukeSmillieAbstract:Internetvisualphenomena,suchas‘TheDress’,hasgarneredpopularinterestintothequestionofwhethervisualperceptionisaubiquitousexperienceforallindividuals.However,todate,thereisnosubstantialresearchinvestigatingtherelationshipbetweenindividualdifferencesandperformanceonasuiteofcommonlyseenvisualillusions.PreviousfragmentedresearchhassuggestedthatBigFivepersonalitytraits,andinparticular,OpennesstoExperience,isrelatedtoarangeofperceptualphenomena,includingbinocularrivalry,synaesthesia,andautonomoussensorymeridianresponse(ASMR),suggestingthatindividualvariabilityencompassessensoryperception.Thepresentstudyextendsthisresearchbyinvestigatingwhetherindividualdifferences(SchizotypyandtheBigFive)predictedperformanceonaseriesofvisualtasks–namely,bistableimages,changeblindnesstasks,visualsearchtasksandfaces-in-noisedetection.ThispaperisasubsetoftheoverarchinginvestigationandfocusesontheBigFive.Althoughthisstudywaslargelyofexploratorynature,apositiverelationshipbetweenOpennessandperformanceonthesuiteofvisualtaskswasexpected.DuetothelackofresearchthatfocussedonotherBigFivetraits,nospecifichypothesesweredrawnfortheremainingfour.250participantsweresampledthroughtheUniversityofMelbourne’sResearchExperienceProgram.Theywereaskedtoundertakeanonlinesurveythatincludedtwopersonalityquestionnairesandathenperformaseriesofvisualtasks.Thusfar,theresearchhassuggestedthatOpenness/Intellectsignificantlypredictedbetterperformanceonthebistabletasksandchangeblindnesstasks.Thus,thisstudyprovidespreliminaryquantitativeevidencetosuggestthatindividuals’underlyingpersonalitytraitscaninfluencethewayonesees,andthusengages,withtheworld.

3. 3:50-4:00PM

ExploringAssociationbetweenSchizotypyandVariousVisualPhenomena.BaixueZhangSupervisors:DrSimonCropperandA/ProfLukeSmillieAbstract:Perceptionisbothsharedtosomedegreeanduniquetotheperceiver.Whenviewingthesamevisualstimuli,differentpeoplemayexperiencesurprisinglydistinctiveperceptualexperiences.Inthecurrentstudy,weexaminedhowthepersonalitydimensionofschizotypyrelatedtoperceptioninvariouscommonvisualphenomenoninahealthystudentpopulation.Thestimuliwerecommonexamples,takenfromtheinternet,andincludedchangeblindness,visualapophenia(perceptionofmeaninginnoise),andbistablilityinperception.TwohundredandtwentyfirstyearpsychologystudentscompletedtheOxford-LiverpoolInventoryofFeelingsandExperiences(O-LIFE)andthenperformedaseriesofvisualtasks.Inthechangeblindnesstasks,participantswererequiredtoidentifychangesinaseriesofimagesinaflickerparadigm:ineachstimulustwoscenes(identicalexceptfora


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singlespotofchange)arealternatelydisplayed.Inthevisualapopheniatask,participantswerepresentedwithaseriesofimageswitheitherafaceembeddedinnoiseorpurenoiseandwererequiredtocategorizeeachstimulus.Inthebistableperceptiontask,participantswerepresentedwithimageswithtwoexclusiveinterpretationsandwererequiredtoidentifywhattheyseeandthedegreeofdifficultytoalternateinbetween.TherelationshipbetweenperformanceoneachofthetasksandthefourdimensionsoftheO-LIFEscalewillbeexaminedbothindependentlyandinrelationtooneanother.PreliminaryanalysissuggeststhatUnusualExperiences(UnEx)fromtheO-LIFEnegativelycorrelatedwiththetendencytodetectchangeinchangeblindnesstasksandthetendencytoseebothperceptsofthebistablestimuli,indicatingthatcertainaspectsofpersonalityarerelatedtoareducedsensitivitytocertainchangesandvisualpatterns.Suchperformancedifferencesmightbeattributedtoneurophysiologicaldifferencesthatassociatedwithschizotypywhichmayproduceindividualdifferenceswithininternalnoiselevelofvisualsystem.

4. 4:00-4:10PMAComparisonofRestingEEGMarkersofExtraversion.ElizabethRobinsonSupervisor:A/ProfLukeSmillieAbstract:Extraversionischaracterisedbyatendencytobeoutgoing,sociableandcheerful(Smillie,2013).Thisisbecauseextravertshavehigherlevelsofdopamineactivityinthebrain’srewardcentrescausingthemtopursuerewardmorevigorously,andenjoythingsmoreintensely(DepueandCollins,1999).FrontalAsymmetry(FAS)isawell-studiedrestingstateEEGmeasureassociatedwithrewardprocessing,andoftenExtraversion(Kuperetal.,2019).HoweverastudybyWacker,ChavanonandStemmler(2010)foundnoassociationbetweenFASandExtraversion,andinsteadfoundittobeassociatedwitharelativelynewEEGmeasure,restingAnteriorCingulateCortex(ACC)activity.ThecurrentstudyaimstoreplicatethefindingsofWackerandcolleagues(2010)usingawellpoweredsampleofcombinednewandexistingrestingstateEEGdata,andavalid,widelyusedmeasureofExtraversion.Itishypothesisedthat(1)therewillbenoassociationbetweenExtraversionandFAS,andthenullhypothesiswillberetained;and(2)therewillbeanassociationbetweenrestingACCactivityandExtraversion,suchthatindividualswhoscorehigheronExtraversionwillshowincreasedrestingactivationintheACC.Resultsofthisstudyarepending.

5. 4:10-4:20PM

PredictingtheBigFivepersonalitytraitsfromrestingstateEEGdata.VuDuongSupervisor:A/ProfLukeSmillieAbstract:ThispresentstudyaimedtoclarifywhetheritispossibletopredicttheBigFivepersonalitytraitsfromresting-stateElectroencephalography(EEG)datausingMultivariatePatternAnalysis(MVPA).TheEEGrestingdatawerecollectedfrom219first-yearpsychologystudentsintheUniversityofMelbourne,whoalsohadtheirBigFivepersonalitytraitsmeasuredusingtheBigFiveAspectScales(BFAS;DeYoung&Peterson,2007).Inspecific,thesupportvectorregression,anMVPAtechnique,wasusedtobuildaclassifiertopredicttheBigFivetraitsscorefromthe


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powerspectraoftherestingstateEEGdata.ThenthedecodingaccuracyoftheclassifierwouldbeanalyzedusingtheMATLAB-basedDecisionDecodingToolbox(Bode,Feuerriegel,Bennett,&Alday,2019).CorrelatesidentifiedusingMVPAmayleadtofutureconfirmatorystudiesassessinghowtheseareasmightbeinvolvedinthemechanismsofdifferentpersonalitytraits,contributingtothelimitedliteratureofEEGstudiesonpersonality.

6. 4:20-4:30PM

TheCognitiveImpactsofEnvironmentalScarcityandAbundance.JessicaKennedySupervisor:DrSimonCropperAbstract:Resourcescarcity,orthefeelingofhavinglessthanoneneedstomeetdemands,isapervasiveandsubjectiveexperiencefoundtoreducefluidintelligenceandcreativity.However,itiscurrentlyunclearhowscarcity’sopposite,asenseofabundance(i.e.havingsuperfluousresources)impactscognitionandcreativity.Furthermore,whilescarcityandabundancecanbefeltattheindividuallevel(i.e.asapersonallackoftimeand/ormoney)andatthemacro-level(i.e.recession),macro-levelstudieshavethusfaronlyconsideredfinancialscarcity/abundance,oftenmanipulatedbynarrativeprimes,andnotthenaturalenvironment.Theaimofthisstudywastwofold:(1)toexaminethecognitiveimpactsofindividual-levelabundancemanipulatedbyperceivedtimepressure,and(2)toascertainifenvironment-focusednarrativeprimesaboutadroughtandafloodcaninducemacro-levelscarcityandabundancerespectively.Abetween-subjectsdesignwasusedtoassessdifferencesinfluidintelligenceandcreativityacrossStudy1(fiveconditions)andStudy2(sevenconditions).Individualdifferences(i.e.schizotypyandBigFivepersonalitytype)werealsorecordedtoascertainiftheycouldbeusedtopredictperformanceunderscarcity/abundance.ConditionsinStudy1included:scarcity(primedonlyandtimedandprimed),abundance(primedonlyandtimedandprimed)andonecontrolcondition(neutralprimeonly).ConditionsinStudy2includedthefivefromStudy1and:scarcity(timedonly)andabundant(timedonly).FluidintelligencewasmeasuredusingthetruncatedRaven’sAdvancedProgressiveMatrices(Arthur&Day,1994).CreativitywasmeasuredusingtheAlternativeUsesTaskadaptedfromGuildford,Christensen,Merrifield,&Wilson(1978)andCompoundRemoteAssociates(Bowden&Jung-Beeman,2003).Resultsarenotyetavailable.

7. 4:30-4:40PM

Adequatestructuralconstructvalidationpredictsreplication'success'.ErinQuigleySupervisor:DrPaulDudgeonAbstract:Thisstudyexaminesinadequateconstructvalidationasaplausiblealternativeexplanationtoaccountforpsychology’sreplication‘crisis’.Constructvalidationisparamountbecausethecredibilityofpsychology’sresultsreliesonvalidconstructmeasurement.Withoutregularvalidationofmeasures,conclusionsdrawnfromresearchareambiguousbecauseitisunclearwhatconstruct(s)arebeingmeasured.However,constructvalidationisoftenneglectedinpracticeandmayleadtoreplicationdifficulties.Theaimsofthepresentstudyareto(1)replicateFlake,PekandHehman’s(2017)studywhichreviewedthestructuralvalidationpracticesin


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socialandpersonalitypsychology,todeterminewhatstructuralvalidationpracticesareundertakeninreplicationstudies,and(2)toextendtheirmethodologytoinvestigatewhetheradequateconstructvalidationpredictsreplication‘success’.Iinvestigatethestructuralvaliditypracticesoftwolarge-scalereplicationprojects:theReproducibilityProject:Psychology(OSF,2015)andtheLifeOutcomesofPersonalityReplicationproject(Soto,2019)whoreportedreplicationratesof36%and87.2%respectively.Thisinvolvesanalysing221individualeffectssourcedfrom136originalstudiestoidentify(1)whattypesofmeasuresareused,(2)thevalidityandreliabilityevidencereportedtosupporttheiruseand(3)howthesefactorspredictreplication‘success’.Theimplicationsofthisresearchcouldleadtoimprovedmethodologicalpracticesandmoreconfidenceinpsychologicalresearchbythescientificcommunityandthepublic.

8. 4:40–4:50PM

DoesContextualSensitivityPredictReplicationSuccess?SamanthaGalagherSupervisor:DrPaulDudgeonAbstract:Explanationssuchaspowerandquestionableresearchpracticeshavebeenwidelyexaminedintheliteratureonthereplicationcrisisinpsychology(Shrout,2018).However,contextualsensitivityasahiddenmoderatorofreplicationsuccesshasbeenlessrecognised.Contextualsensitivityishowdependenttheresultsofastudyaretoitscontext,whichincludeselementssuchastime,culture,locationandpopulation(vanBaveletal.,2016).VanBaveletal.(2016)recodedtheOpenScienceCollaboration’s(2015)large-scalereplicationstudyforcontextualsensitivityandfoundthatthecontextualsensitivityofaresearchtopicpredictedreplicationsuccess.Inordertoprovidefurtherevidencethatcontextualsensitivityisamoderatorofreplicationsuccess,thisthesisisapartialreplicationofvanBaveletal.’s(2016)work.Usinganewlarge-scalereplicationstudy(Kleinetal.,2014)comprisingofthirteenclassicandcontemporarysocialpsychologystudies,theoriginalstudies’researchtopicswerecodedforoverallcontextualsensitivityandanalysedtoseeiftheypredictedreplicationsuccess.Secondly,vanBaveletal.’s(2016)workwasfurtheroptimised,usingtheirrecommendations,toincludeindividualfactorsofcontextualsensitivity:time,location,cultureandpopulation.Thesefactorsweredefinedandanalysedtoseewhetherspecificfactorswerestrongerpredictorsofreplicationsuccessandthusdevelopamorenuancedmodelofcontextualsensitivity.Thirdly,anexploratoryapproachwastakentodeterminewhethertheuseofcontent-specificormethodologicalmodificationinreplicationstudieswasamoderatorforpredictionofreplicationsuccess.Ascalewascreatedtoratethelevelofmodificationsandtheirvalidity.TheresultsofthisthesismayconsolidatevanBaveletal.’s(2016)studyandsupplyfurtherevidenceforcontextualsensitivityasanexplanationforpoorreplication.

PSYCHOBIOLOGY19:00-10:30AMLathamTheatre

1. 9:00-9:10AMExaminingLempel-Zivneuralcomplexityasameasureofconsciousnessacrossthesleeponsetperiod.


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IsabellaMailSupervisor:A/ProfOliviaCarterAbstract:Thedevelopmentofamathematicalmeasureofconsciousnessdeterminedbybrainactivitywouldsignificantlyadvancebothclinicalandtheoreticalunderstandingsofconsciousness.Recentstudiesharnessingsteady-stateelectroencephalography(EEG)haveidentifiedassociationsbetweencomplexityofbrainactivityandconsciousstate.Suchmeasureshavediscriminatedrelativelywellconceptualisedstatesofconsciousness,includingcoma,vegetativestate,deepsleepandwakefulness.However,changesinneuralcomplexityduringthetransitionalphaseofsleeponsetremainunexplored.Sleepandconsciousnessareintrinsicallylinkedsuchthatconsciousnessissometimesdefinedastheexperiencewhichislostduringdeepsleepandanaesthesia,andreturnsuponawakening(Tononi,2012).ThepresentstudyexplorestheutilityoftheLempel-Zivcomplexity(LZc)measureintrackingthetransitionfromwakefulnesstosleepthroughlong-durationsteady-stateEEGinahealthysample(4participantsover5days).Thesleeponsetperiodwasexaminedinmoredetailcomparedtostandardsleepstudies,wherebythechangesinLZcwereinvestigatedwithrespecttospectralpowerandsleepmicroarchitecture.ThisstudytestedthehypothesisthatLZcwoulddecreaseacrossthetransitiontosleep,furtherexploratoryanalysesdeterminedwhetheradecreaseinLZcisuniquelyassociatedwithoneormorespecificEEGfeatures.

2. 9:10-9:20AM

Thereliabilityofaveragedspectralpeaksasmeasureofconsciousstates.CarmenZhengSupervisor:A/ProfOliviaCarterAbstract:Patientswithdisordersofconsciousness(DOC)oftencannotcommunicatethroughbehavioursobservabletoothers.Forthisreason,electrophysiologicalmeasuresofconsciousnessarebeingdevelopedtofurtherassistclinicianswithdiagnosis.Lechingeretal.(2013)recentlyproposedtousethefrequencyofaveragedspectralpeakstoindexDOCpatients’consciousstate.However,thereliabilityofthismeasureisyettobedetermined.Thisthesisexaminesthestabilityofspectralpeaksthroughthelensofvariabilityacrosstimesofday,andvariabilitywithinperiodsatwhichconsciousnessisassumedtobestable.Finally,thecorrelationbetweenspectralpeaksandsubjects’self-reportedsenseofconsciousnesswillbeobtainedtoinformtherelevanceofpowerspectratosubjectiveconsciousexperience.Thisstudycollectedcontinuousrecordingsoflong-durationsteady-stateEEGfromfourhealthyvolunteersacrossfivedays,duringwhicheverydayactivitieswerecarriedoutasusual.Additionally,subjectsalsoparticipatedinrepeatedperiodsofeyes-openedwakefulrest,eyes-closedwakefulrest,andBogglesgamedesignedtoengagetheircognitiveabilities.Dataisnotyetanalysed.

3. 9:20-9:30AM

Sleep,CognitiveImpairment,theHealthyBrainProjectandAlzheimer'sDisease.KatharineXuSupervisors:DrYenYingLimandProfRobHesterAbstract:Alzheimer’sDisease(AD)isclinicallycharacterisedbycognitiveimpairment/declinebutmaymanifestpathologicallyinthebrainupto30years


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beforeanyovertcognitiveimpairmentisdetected.SleepproblemsmayaffecttheriskofdevelopingcognitiveimpairmentandADdementiaduringthisearly,preclinicalstageofAD.Insomnia,excessivedaytimesleepiness,andpoorsleepqualityarecommonsleepproblemswhichhavebeenfoundtobeassociatedwithcognitiveimpairment,thoughmoststudiesfocusonolderadults(whoaremostlikelyoutsidetheagerangeofpreclinicalAD).InordertofurtherinvestigatetheeffectsofthesethreesleepproblemsonpotentiallyAD-relatedcognitiveimpairment,thisstudyutilisessleepandcognitiveperformancedatafromtheHealthyBrainProject(HBP)–anongoingonlinestudytargetedatmiddle-agedadultswhoareat-riskofAD.DatafromtheHBPiscurrentlybeinganalysed.


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4. 9:30-9:40AMCriticalExaminationofSpontaneousEEGLempel-ZivComplexityasaMeasureofConsciousness.AaronWaltonSupervisor:A/ProfOliviaCarterAbstract:Howphysicalprocessesgiverisetoconsciousnessremainsoneofthegreatscientificmysteries.Thisisoftentermed,the“hardproblem”ofconsciousness.Ignoranceonthistopicextendstoclinicians’currentinabilitytoreliablymeasurelevelsofconsciousnessindependentofbehaviour.Consequently,whenpatientsareunresponsive,cliniciansoftenmisdiagnosedisordersofconsciousnessandriskterminatingconsciouslivesbyturningofflife-supportsystems.Discoveringareliableobjectivemeasureofconsciousnessis,then,ofconsiderableclinicalimportance,aswellastheoreticalimportanceforsolvingthehardproblem.TheEntropicBrainHypothesis(EBH)positslevelsofconsciousnessrelatetoneuralsignalcomplexity.AprominentmeasureofneuralsignalcomplexityisLempel-Zivcomplexity,calculatedonspontaneousEEGreadings.ThismeasurehasbeenproposedbytheEBHauthorsasareliableindexofconsciouslevel.Ithassuccessfullydistinguishednormalwakingconsciousnessfromsleep,sedation,andalteredstatesofconsciousnessacrossseveralrecentstudies.ThepresentstudyaimedtocriticallyexaminethevalidityofLempel-Zivcomplexityasameasureofconsciouslevelbycomparingitacrossconditionsofnormalwakingconsciousness,whichhasneverbeendone.Ifitistrulyareliableindexofconsciouslevel,itshouldnotdiffersignificantlyacrossconditionswhichareconsideredequalconsciouslevelinconsciousnessliterature.Wereadifferencefound,itwouldhavesubstantialimplications,callingintodoubtthemeasure,therelationshipbetweencomplexityandconsciousness,andtheEBH.Thepresentstudyemployedlong-durationsteady-stateEEGfor5daysofcontinuousrecording.Resultsarepending.

5. 9:40-9:50AM

EEGComplexityAnalysisofMentalFatigue.AishamAliSupervisor:A/ProfOliviaCarterAbstract:Therehasbeenextensiveliteraturededicatedtounderstandingmentalfatigue,anditsphysiologicalindicators.Thepredominantmethodforindicatingmentalfatigue,isviaelectroencephalogram(EEG)spectralanalysis,butmorerecently,literaturehasinvestigatedtheuseofEEGsignalcomplexityanalysisaswell.AprominentmethodofcomplexityanalysisshowingassociationswithothercognitivedeficitsistheLempelZivComplexityAlgorithm(LZc),depictinglowLZcvaluesforstatesofcognitiveimpairment.Unlikeothercomplexityanalyseshowever,LZchasnotyetbeeninvestigatedformentalfatigue.ThecurrentstudyaimedtoevaluateifchangesinLZcvalueswereassociatedwithsubjectivefeelingsofmentalfatigue,wherelowervalueswereexpectedtoindicatehigherfeelingsoffatigue.Theparticipantscompleted4daysoflong-durationEEG,wearingaportableEEGdevice24/7,whilegoingabouttheirdayintheexperimentalsetting.ParticipantsalsocompletedtheVisualAnalogueScaletoEvaluateFatigueSeverity(VAS-F)survey.Thissurveywasdone4timesaday,onceuponwaking,onceatbedtime,andattworandomtimesduringtheday.Stillbeingworkedonforthesis:LZcvalueswillbefound,beingaveragedoutfromthesignalscontrived5minutes


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aftercompletingeachsurvey.AregressionanalysiswillbeutilisedtoinvestigatewhethertheLZcvaluesfoundpredicttheVAS-Fscore.IflowLZcscoresarefoundtopredicthigherfeelingsoffatigue,thiswouldvalidatesensitivityandrobustnessofLZcascomparedtoothercomplexityanalysesalreadyassociatedwithfatigue.Importantlyitwouldaddressanobviousliteraturegapformentalfatigueliterature.

6. 9:50-10:00AM

Directcomparisonoftwoactigraphydevices,againstpolysomnography.LucyTileySupervisors:DrChristianNicholasandDrJuliaChanAbstract:Actigraphyisacommonly-usedobjectivemeasureofdeterminingifanindividualisasleeporawakethroughmonitoringmovementactivity.Unlikethegoldstandardobjectivemeasureofsleep,polysomnography(PSG),actigraphyismoreaffordableandcanmoreeasilybeconductedoverextendedperiodsoftime.Thedirectcomparisonbetweenactigraphydevices,andrelativetoPSG,requiresconsiderationofvariabledevice-specificfactors,suchasaccelerometertype,technicalspecifications(hardware,software),andthealgorithmappliedtothemovementdatausedtoscoresleeporwakefulness.Toenhancetheutilityforsleepresearch,ofdifferentactigraphs’output,itisessentialtovalidatenewresearch-gradeactigraphsnotonlyagainstPSG,butagainstexisting,well-validatedresearch-gradeactigraphs.Thepresentstudyassessedthevalidityandreliabilityofanewresearch-gradeactigraph(GENEActiv;Activinsights)againstanovernight,laboratory-controlledPSG,additionaltoawell-validatedresearch-gradeactigraph(Actiwatch-2;PhillipsRespironics)oversevenconsecutivedays,innaturalisticconditions.Arepeated-measuresdesignwasutilizedtoassesssleep/wake,andinvestigatedifferencesbetweensleepparameters:totalsleeptime,sleepefficiency,wakeaftersleeponset,andsleeponsetlatency.Participantswere36healthyindividuals(22males,14females)betweenages18–40(M=25.61,SD=4.95).Asubsetof19participants(M=26.00,SD=5.50)attendedanovernightPSGduringtheweek-longactigraphystudy,undercontrolled-laboratoryconditions.Bland-AltmananalyseswereusedtoinvestigateagreementbetweenActiwatch-2andGENEActiv,anddetectdeviationsofsystematicbiasacrosssleepparameters.Furtheruseofepoch-by-epochcomparisonswereusedtoinvestigatethevalidityoftheactigraphicdevices,relativetoPSG.[INSERTRESULTS/CONCLUSION]Keywords:actigraphy,polysomnography,reliability,validity.

7. 10:00-10:10AMSelf-compassionandSubjectiveSleepQualityinMidlifeWomen.EmmaHoustonSupervisor:A/ProfChristinaBryantAbstract:Midlifeisatimeofcomplexityforwomen,characterisedbysubstantialbiological,physical,andpsychosocialchangesassociatedwithreproductiveaging.Sleepdifficultiesareparticularlyprevalentduringthemenopausetransition,withnight-timeawakeningsthemostcommonlyreportedsymptom.Recentfindingssuggestthatself-compassion,amodifiabletraitdefinedasrelatingkindlytowardtheselfduringtimesofdifficulty,accountsforsomeofthevariationinwomen’sexperiencesandsubjectivewell-beingduringthe


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menopausetransition.Emergingresearchalsosuggeststhathigherlevelsofself-compassionmaybeassociatedwithimprovedsubjectivesleepquality.However,tothebestofmyknowledge,nostudyhasconsideredtherelationshipbetweenself-compassionandsleepqualityinmidlifewomen.Theaimofthisstudywas,firstly,toinvestigatetherelationshipbetweenmenopausalfactorsandsubjectivesleepqualityinmidlifewomen.Itwashypothesisedthat(i)womenexperiencinghotflushesandnightsweats(HFNS)symptomswillexperiencepoorerself-reportedsleepqualitythanwomenwithoutHFNSsymptoms,and(ii)forwomenexperiencingHFNS,higherhotflushinterferenceratingswillpredictpoorerself-reportedsleepquality.Thisstudyalsoaimedtoinvestigatetherelationshipbetweenself-compassionandsubjectivesleepqualityinmidlifewomen.Itwashypothesisedthatmidlifewomenwithhigherlevelsofself-compassionwillreporthighersubjectivesleepquality.Thiswasacross-sectionalstudyusingself-reportquestionnairesfrom276womenaged45–65,whohadparticipatedinapreviousstudyofmidlifewomen’shealthandwell-being.Hierarchicalregressionwillbeusedtoexaminetherelationshipsbetweenself-compassion,menopausalfactors,andsubjectivesleepquality.

8. 10:10-10:20AM

TheEffectofAlcoholontheNeuralControloftheTongue(Genioglossusmuscle).RachelGreigSupervisors:A/ProfAmyJordanandDrChristianNicholasAbstract:Obstructivesleepapnea(OSA)isacommonformofsleep-disorderedbreathing(SDB)andhasnegativephysical,mentalandcognitivehealthoutcomes.OSAischaracterisedbypartial(hypopnea)orfull(apnea)collapseoftheupperairwayduringsleep.Thetongue-rootmuscle(genioglossusmuscle;GG)isthelargestoftheupperairwaydilatormuscles(UADMs)involvedinupperairwaypatencyandhasbeenimplicatedinOSA.AlcoholhasbeenshowntoexacerbateOSAandsnoring,however,preciselyhowitcompromisesUADMfunctioningisunknown.Oneproposedmechanismisaneuralmusclememoryphenomenoncalledafter-discharge(AD).ADischaracterisedbyacontinuedelevationofasinglemotor-unit(SMU)firinginresponsetoanexcitatorystimulus(e.g.hypoxia)beyondthecessationofthestimulus.Itisunderstoodtoprovidemusclestabilitybysmoothingabruptchangesofactivitylevels(e.g.inthetransitiontosleep).CompromisedADhasbeenimplicatedinOSA-relatedapneasandalcoholhasbeenshowntodampenADinanimalstudies.PreviousstudieshavedemonstratedthatGGmuscleactivityiscomprisedofdifferentiatedSMUfiringpatternsinrelationtotherespiratorycycle:consistentfiring;firingthatincreasesduringinspiration/expiration;andfiringthatonlyoccursduringinspiration/expiration.Whilepreviousstudieshaveshownanincreaseofinspiratory-modulatedactivityinresponsetohypoxiaandduringpost-hypoxiaAD,preciselywhichSMUactivitypatternsdrivethisincreaseisunknown.IthasalsobeendemonstratedthatincreasedGGactivityisprimarilyachievedthroughSMUrecruitmentandlongerfiringdurationsasopposedtoincreasedfiringrates.ThepresentstudyaimedtoinvestigatetheeffectofalcoholonGGSMUfiringpatterns1)duringbaseline,2)inresponsetohypoxiaand3)duringpost-hypoxiawhenADistypicallyelicited.Fine-wirerecordingelectrodeswereinsertedintothe


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GGof15healthy,awakeparticipantsovertwosessions(analcoholandplacebocondition).Itwashypothesisedthat1)therewouldbeaglobalreductionofGGbaselineactivityinthealcoholcondition,2a)hypoxiawouldincreaseGGactivityviarecruitmentandlongerfiringdurationsintheplaceboconditionbut2b)thiseffectwouldbedampenedinthealcoholconditionand3a)ADwouldresultfrompersistentactivityininspiratory-modulatedunitsintheplaceboconditionbut3b)itwouldbereducedinthealcoholcondition.

9. 10:20-10:30AMTheWiredWell:UseofTranscranialDirectCurrentStimulationamongUniversityStudents.NicholasToogoodSupervisors:DrPatrickGoodbournandDrJasonForteAbstract:Anincreasingnumberofhealthyindividualsareself-administeringtranscranialDirectCurrentStimulation(tDCS)forcognitiveenhancement.Aproportionoftheseindividualsappearstobeuniversitystudents,assalesoftDCSdevicesincreaseduringuniversityexamperiods.TheaimofthisstudywastoexplorepatternsofwillingnesstousetDCSinastudentsample(n=262),asmeasuredbytheJusterscale(apurchase-probabilitymeasure)andanoveltDCS-dosagemeasure.AdditionalpsychometricmeasuresincludedtheDomain-SpecificRisk-TakingScale(DOSPERT),whichassessesrisk-takingattitudes;andCognitiveAppraisalScales(CAS),whichassessstylesofcognitiveappraisal(e.g.threatandchallenge).Sincethreatappraisalstendtoincreasewithgreaterproximitytostressfulachievementevents,andareassociatedwithgreaterrisk-taking,itwashypothesisedthatstudentswouldexpressgreaterwillingnesstousetDCSclosertoanupcomingexam.ItwasfurtherhypothesisedthatindividualdifferencesinwillingnesstousetDCSwouldbeexplainedbydifferingperceptionsofrelevantrisksandbenefits,ratherthanappetitesforriskperse.ThefindingspromisetocharacterisestudentattitudestowardstDCSuse,andelucidatetheindividualandcontextualfactorsassociatedwithendorsementofthistechnology.

PSYCHOBIOLOGY211:00AM-12:30PMLathamTheatre

1. 11:00-11:10AMPortrayalsofAlcoholinMoviesAccessibletoAustralianMinors:AContentAnalysis.MichaelBennettSupervisor:ProfCharlesAbrahamAbstract:Recentnationalsurveydatahasrevealedthatriskyalcoholuse,includingunderagedrinkingandbingedrinkingremainsprevalentamongyoungpeopleinAustralia,withsimilarpatternsfoundintheUS,theUKandEurope.Concurrently,anemergingsetofcross-sectional,longitudinalandexperimentalresearchhasdemonstratedstrongassociationsbetweenexposuretoalcoholportrayedinmoviesandtheattitudesandbehaviorsofadolescentstowardalcohol.Whilesuchfindingshaveprovidedstrongevidencethatmoviesmayplayaroleinhowadolescentsvicariouslylearnabout,andacttowardalcohol,verylittleisknownabouthowalcoholisactuallyportrayedinmoviesintermsofthenormsaboutalcoholusethey


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conveyortherolemodelstheyprovideforadolescentviewersinrelationtoalcohol.Theaimofthepresentstudywastoanalysetheportrayalofalcoholinrepresentativesampleofpopularteenagemovies,releasedinAustraliaandaccessibletoanunder-18audiencesviaquantitativecontentanalysis.A-prioriinclusionandexclusioncriteriawereappliedtoaset24googlesearchgeneratedmovielists,producingarepresentativesampleof40popularteenagemoviesreleasedinAustraliabetween1998and2018.Acodinginstrumentwasthendevelopedforsceneandcharacterlevelanalysis.Itfocusedonthefollowingparameters:Explicitorimplicitdepiction,depictioncontext(time,location,activityetc),frequencyofvisual/verbalalcoholdepictions,usercharacteristics(age,gender,roleinscene,stateofintoxication,amountofalcoholconsumed),motivationsofuse/non-use,consequencesofuse/non-use,kindofuse(responsible,irresponsible,illegal)andoverallalcoholmessagebyscene.Whilstresultshavenotyetbeenfinalised,giventhatmovieshavealreadybeenfoundtobepowerfulinfluencesonadolescentattitudesandbehaviourtowardalcohol,thisstudy’sexplorationofthenorms,rolesmodelsandmessagesthatpopularteenagemoviesacrossclassificationsareportrayinginrelationtoalcoholislikelytohaveseveralimportantimplicationsforparentsandclassificationbodies,andaddconsiderablytocurrentknowledgesurroundingsourcesofadolescentlearningaboutalcohol.Futureresearchshouldaimtoascertaintowhatdegreealcoholcontentandmessagesaboutalcoholuseinmoviesareactuallyperceivedbyadolescentaudiences.

2. 11:10-11:20AM

Theeffectofperceptionofelectricalscalpstimulationonbrainactivity.MeaganMcDonaldSupervisor:DrJasonForteAbstract:Transcranialdirectcurrentstimulation(tDCS)isaformofnon-invasiveelectricalbrainstimulationwheremild,unidirectionalcurrentisappliedtothescalp.PreviousresearchhasfoundthattDCSincreasescognitiveperformanceinareassuchasworkingmemoryandresponseinhibition.ThisstudyaimedtoinvestigatetherelationshipbetweentDCS,responseinhibitionperformanceandtheexperienceofsideeffectsduringstimulation.Thirty-oneundergraduatepsychologystudentscompletedaGo/No-GotaskwhileeitherreceivingactiveorshamtDCS.Electrodeswereplacedontheforeheadovertherightdorsolateralprefrontalcortexandontherightforearm.Ratingsofsubjectiveexperienceweretakenatvaryingtimepointsduringthestimulation.Resultswillbeanalysedtodeterminewhethertheexperienceofsideeffectsduringstimulation,andnotjustthepresenceofstimulationitself,effectsresponseinhibitionperformance.FindingswillinfluencefuturestudieslookingattDCSbyexplainingtheimpactthatparticipants’subjectiveexperiencemayhaveontaskperformance.

3. 11:20-11:30AMExaminingSingingProficiencyPhenotypesinTwins.ElipdaTsindosSupervisors:DrYiTingTanandProfSarahWilsonAbstract:Singingisauniversalhumanbehaviourthattranscendsplacesandcultures.Therehavebeenpromisingfindingsregardingtheheritabilityformusicrelatedtraits,suggestingapotentialgeneticbasistosinging.Thecomplexneural


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networkthatallowssinging,referredtoasTheSongSystem,consistsofpartlyindependentperception,motor,auditorymapping,andmemorycomponentsthatcanbeindividuallyimpaired.Thisresultsinavarietyofsingingproficiencyphenotypesthatexistinthepopulation.Theheritabilityofsingingabilityphenotypeswasinvestigatedinthisstudyusing__pairsof__monozygoticand__pairsofdizygotictwins,aged15to90.Twinsundertookanonlinestudyinvolvingthreesingingtasks,onepitchperceptiontask,andsurveyquestionsinvestigatingpotentialenvironmentalanddemographicinfluencestotheirsinging.Pitchaccuracymeasuresofpitchdeviationandintervaldeviationwereusedinalatentprofileanalysistoisolatesingingabilityprofiles.Theheritabilityofsingingabilitywasexaminedusingconcordancesofsingingaccuracyprofilesbetweenmonozygoticanddizygotictwinpairs.Lastly,adiscriminantfunctionanalysiswasuseddiscoverpotentialcombinationsofenvironmentalanddemographicfactorsthatcouldpredictgroupmembershiptoeachsingingprofile.Resultspending.

4. 11:30-11:40AM

TheImpactoftheAddictionFrameonBehaviouralProblems.JessicaFrankSupervisor:ProfNicholasHaslamAbstract:Theconceptofaddictionisundergoingmarkedconceptualexpansion.Partofthischangeinvolvesthekindsofvicesthatcanbedeemedaddictive.Whethercertaincompulsivebehaviouralproblemsconstituteaddictionsisahottopicinresearchhoweverlittleconsiderationhasbeengiventohowthisdiagnosticreformulationwillaffectpublicperspectivesofpeoplewiththeseproblems.Addictivedisordersarethemosthighlystigmatizeddisorderandtheadditionofanaddictiveframetoproblemsnotalreadyassociatedwiththislabelmayinducenegativestigma.Thisresearchaimstoexplorewhetherframingabehaviouralproblemasanaddictionleadstochangesinattitudestowardspeoplewiththeseproblems.288mTurkparticipantswereprovidedwithvignettesdescribingpeoplewith3differentbehaviouralproblems.Theproblemswereeitherdescribedasanaddictionorgivennocausalexplanation.Participantswerethenaskedquestionsregardingtheiropinionsoftherespectivecharactersinthevignettes.Theseaddressedseveralaspectsofstigmaincludingthedesireforsocialdistance,prognosticpessimismandattributionsofblame.Additionally,theywereaskedtoratedifferentcasualexplanationsfortheproblemintermsoftheirplausibilityaswellastheeffectivenessofmedicalorpsychologicaltreatmentinterventions.Wepredictedthattheaddictionframefortheproblemwouldleadtoanincreaseddesireforsocialdistance,increasedattributionsofblameandhigherprognosticpessimism.Additionally,wepredictedthatbiologicalcausesandtreatmentswouldbeendorsedmorefortheaddictionframedvignetteandthatpsychologicalcausesandtreatmentswouldbeendorsedlesswhencomparedtothenon-addictionframedproblems.Resultsareyettobefinalized.


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5. 11:40-11:50AMBoozeontheBigScreen:ExaminingIrresponsibleAlcoholUseandTreatmentPortrayalsinFilm.SamuelGuiseSupervisor:ProfCharlesAbrahamAbstract:Themediaispartofadynamicsystemofinteractingfactorsthatshapedrinkingculture,thatultimatelyaffecthowindividual’susealcoholandperceivetreatments.Asignificantbodyofresearchindicatesalcoholconsumptionsignificantlyincreasesindividual’sriskofinjury,chronicillnessesandmortality,inadditiontosignificantsocialandeconomiccosts.OnegroupthatexperienceconsiderablepersonalharmduetoalcoholusearethosewithAlcoholUseDisorder(AUD).AkeyfeatureofAUDisirresponsiblealcoholuse.Thefilmindustryisparticularlyinterestingbecauseitallowsnuancedalcoholportrayalsandisunrestrictedbyadvertisinglaws.Researchdemonstratesarelationshipbetweenalcoholportrayalsinfilmandalcohol-relatedbehaviours.ThemostwidelysupportedexplanationforthisrelationshipemergedfromSocialCognitiveTheory(SCT),whichpositsvicariouslearningoccursbyobservingthebehavioursandconsequencesofothers,includingonscreencharacters.Asfilmaccessibilitygrowssotoodoestheirinfluenceonbehaviour.Usingcontentanalysis,thecurrentstudyexamineshowirresponsiblealcoholuse,interventions,treatmentandserviceareportrayedinfilm.Thesampleofalcohol-relatedfilmswassystematicallysourcedfromarangeofonlinedatabases.Ofthe470filmsreturnedbythesearch,18metfilmselectioncriteria.Furthersceneselectioncriteriawereapplied,yielding380scenes.Scenesmeetingaminimumoffoursceneselectioncriteriawereselectedforcontentanalysis(n=144).Contentanalysiswasperformedusingcomprehensive93categorycodinginstrumentdevelopedforthisstudy.Note:Findingsarepending,asdataprocessingisstillunderway.Although,preliminarydataextractionshowsthereisalargedisparitybetweenirresponsiblealcoholuseandtreatmentportrayals.Inthefewexampleswheretreatmentisshown,amajorityoftheportrayalsareofAA.

6. 12:00–12:10PMNoeffectofschizotypyonvisualsurroundsuppressionforluminance,contrastorsize.ClaudiaOkeSupervisor:DrPatrickGoodbourne,OliviaCarterAbstract:Perceptionisinfluencedbycontext.Forexample,ahigh-contrastsurroundtypicallydecreasestheperceivedcontrastofacentralregion.Thisvisualsurroundsuppressioneffectisreducedinpeoplewithschizophrenia,afindingcommonlyattributedtoanimbalancebetweenneuralexcitationandinhibition.However,studiesinpatientscanbeconfoundedbytheeffectsofmedication,illnessduration,andinterferencefromotherdeficitssuchasreducedattention.Accordingly,weinvestigatedtherelationshipbetweensurroundsuppressionandpsychometricallydefinedschizotypy,arangeofnormalpersonalitytraitsthatresemblesymptomsofschizophreniaatasub-clinicallevel.Inasampleofpsychologicallyhealthyindividuals,wemeasuredthepointatwhichasurroundedreferencestimulusandatestwithnosurroundwereperceptuallymatchedforeachofthreeproperties:


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luminance,contrast,andsize.ScoresontheOxford-LiverpoolInventoryofFeelingsandExperiences(O-LIFE)wereusedasadimensionalmeasureofschizotypy.PreliminaryBayesiancorrelationanalysessuggestnorelationshipbetweenthemagnitudeofsurroundsuppressioneffectsandO-LIFEsubscalescores.Suchabsenceofarelationshipsuggeststhatpreviousreportsofreducedsurroundsuppressioninschizophreniamayhavebeeninfluencedbymedicationorotherextraneousfactors.Alternatively,surroundsuppressionforluminance,contrastandsizemayrepresentinformativeconditionsinwhichschizophreniaandschizotypyaredisassociated,withimplicationsforourunderstandingofthesimilaritiesanddifferencesintheirunderlyingneurobiology.

CLINICALPSYCHOLOGY11:30-3:00PMLathamTheatre

1. 1:30-1:40PMTheRoleofSleepDisturbanceinEmergingMentalIll-Health.MonikaFridgantSupervisors:DrChristianNicholasandDrJessicaHartmannAbstract:Sleepandcircadiandisturbancesareimplicatedinthedevelopment,maintenanceandpersistenceofmostpsychiatricillnesses.Existingresearchsuggeststhatthesedisturbancesarealreadyprevalentandclinicallyimpactfulinthe‘at-risk’state,priortotheonsetofaseriousillness.Whilstcurrentinvestigationsofthisrelationshiparelimitedtotheultra-highriskforpsychosis(UHR)population,robustliteraturesuggeststhatsleepdisturbancesarelikelyrelevanttothedevelopmentofothermajordisorders.Toextendthisliteraturebeyondpsychosis,thepresentstudyinvestigatedsleepdisturbancesinadolescents(age12–25)atelevatedriskforseveralseverementalillnesses.Thenewlydeveloped‘ClinicallyHighAtRiskCriteria’(CHARMS)prospectivelycaptureapluripotent‘at-risk’state,andaimtoidentifyindividualsatriskfortheirfirstepisodeofmajordepression,bipolardisorder,psychosisorborderlinepersonalitydisorder.Participantscompletedmeasuresofdailysleep-wakepatterns,sleepquality,chronotypeandpsychopathologyatbaselineand12-monthfollowup.Themainanalysesofthethesisprovideaprevalenceestimateandprofileofsleepdisturbanceinthispopulationatbaseline,andinvestigatetheirpredictiveroleintheseverityofpsychopathologyandfunctioningatfollowup.Basedontheseresults,thethesiswillconsidertheutilityoftreatingsleepdisturbancesinemergingillness,ascurrentliteraturesuggeststhattheymayrepresentbothabiomarkerandmodifiableriskfactor.

2. 1:40-1:50PM

TheNUCOG:ClinicalImplicationsofFactorAnalysisFindingsforaCognitiveScreeningTool.DaveMussoffSupervisors:ProfStephenBowden,DrKellyAllott,DrCharlesMalpasAbstract:TheNeuropsychiatryUnitCognitiveAssessmentTool(NUCOG)wascreatedinresponsetotheneedforabriefneurocognitivescreeningtool.Sincethe


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NUCOGhasprovenusefulduringscreening,ithasalsobeenadoptedasadiagnostictest.Whileinter-itemreliabilityhasbeenstudied,theimpliedlatentfactorshavenot.TheNUCOGiscomposedof24itemsacross5categories.Wecomparedthe5-factorsimpliedbythesecategoriestoa6-factorCattell-Horn-Carroll(CHC)basedmodel,astheCHCframeworkhasbeenusedtoexplainvarianceinothercognitivetests.WehypothesisedthatthemodelgroundedinCHCresearchwouldhavebetterfitthanthefactorsimpliedbytheNUCOGauthors.Weusedasampleof600NUCOGtestresultsgatheredroutinelyfromRoyalMelbourneHospitalpatients.Wedividedthissampleinhalfforcross-validationpurposes.Forthefirsthalf,weusedCFAandESEMtoconsidereachmodel.Fortheauthor-impliedmodel,a5-factormodelwasrejectedastwofactorscorrelatednearlyperfectly,causingMplusnottobeabletocompletethestatisticalanalysis.Whilethe6-factorCHCmodelwasfoundtohavegoodfit,itwasultimatelyrejectedasover-factored.Statistically,a3-factormodelbasedontheauthor’sinitialgroupingsandcombininghighlycorrelatedfactorswasfoundtohaveverygoodfit.Similarly,a4-factormodelbasedontheCHCframeworkandcombininghighlycorrelatedfactorswasalsofoundtohaveexcellentfitstatistics.Ultimately,theCHCmodelwasselectedbecauseitissupportedbycognitivetheory.Inaddition,therewasrelativelylittlevariancein6outofthe24itemswithpronouncedceilingeffects;theauthorsmayconsiderreducingthetestby25%ifbrevityisthegoal,orreplacingtheitemstoincreasetestspecificityanddivergentvalidity.


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3. 1:50-2:00PMPublicResponsestoComplexMentalIllness:AnInvestigationoftheRolesofSymptomatologyandSex.EllenRankinSupervisor:DrChristopherGrootAbstract:Schizophreniaiscommonlyregardedasoneofthemoststigmatizedpsychiatricdisorders.Previousinvestigationsofstigmaaboutschizophreniahavefocusedonresponsestothedisorderasawhole.However,schizophreniaisadistinctlyheterogenousdisordercharacterizedbyvarianceinillnesscourseandsymptomatology.RecentworkintheMentalIllnessStigmaLabdemonstratedthatpublicstigmaisdifferentiallyelicitedinresponsetoillnessfactorsatvariouslevels,includingoverallsymptomprofile,individualpositivesymptomsandsubtypesofthosesymptoms.Thisstudybuiltonthisstreamofresearchbyexaminingpublicresponsestoindividualnegativesymptomsofschizophrenia.Participantswererandomlyallocatedtooneoftenvignetteconditionsthatmanipulatedtheindependentvariableofnegativesymptomsubtype.Participantsthenrespondedtoaseriesofquestionnairesmeasuringtheirstigmatizedcognitive,emotionalandbehaviouralresponsestothevignette’sprotagonist.Thispresentationwillreportonthebehaviouralstigmadataforthcomingfromtheavolitionandalogiasymptomcontrasts.

4. 2:00-2:10PM

ArecallerswithBPDstigmatisedbytelephonecounsellors?EmmaWaldronSupervisor:DrChristopherGrootAbstract:BorderlinePersonalityDisorder(BPD)ishighlystigmatisedbymentalhealthworkers.Stigmatisedresponsestowardsthisclientgroupfromclinicianscannegativelyimpactbothimmediateandlong-termtreatmentoutcomes.Ithasbeenpreviouslyestablishedthatinterpersonaldynamicsandrisk-relatedelementsofcommonBPDpresentationsmaydrivestigmatisedrespondingfrommentalhealthworkers.Thisresearchhasbeenexclusivelyundertakeninface-to-faceclinicalsettings.WhilemanypeoplewithBPDwilladditionallycontacttelephonecounsellingformentalhealthsupport,howtelephonecounsellorsrespondtoclientswithBPD-likepresentationsisnotyetknown.Thecurrentstudysoughttoaddressthisgap.Participantsweretelephonecounsellorsaged18andoverfromLifeline,WellwaysandOn-The-Line.ThestudywasentirelyonlineandcompletedusingQualtricssurveysoftware.Atwo-wayexperimentalbetweensubjectsfactorialANOVAwasusedtoassestheeffectofpresentationtype(BPDanddepression/control)andrisk(withandwithoutNSSI/threatsofsuicide)ontelephonecounsellorstigma.Bespokevignetteswereusedtomanipulatepresentationandtypeandriskandaseriesofquestionnaireswereemployedasmeasuresofstigma.ThepresentationwillreportondifferencesinqualityofthetherapeuticalliancebetweenBPDandcontrolconditions.


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5. 2:10-2:20PMInvestigatingpathwaysofrecoveryinyoungpeople'smentalhealthrecovery.BelinshaYouzchalveenSupervisors:DrAbiBrooker,DrSimonRice,ProfSueCottonAbstract:Mentalhealthrecoveryisauniqueexperienceforeachperson.However,thisideaisnotoftencapturedbytheavailableliteratureasmoststudiesfocusmoreonthestatisticalevidenceofrecovery,ratherthanthepathwayofrecoveryitself.Thisstudyinvestigatesadeeperunderstandingonyoungpeople’smentalhealthrecoveryexperiences(i.e.what“receivingtreatment”andmaylooklikebetweenenteringandexitingamentalhealthservice).Fromretrospectivedata,clusteranalysiswasconductedtoidentifyprobabilisticpathwaysofrecovery-takingintoaccountfactorssuchastheyoungperson’slevelofengagementthroughoutcare,theirpreviousadverseevents,psychosocialstressors,andextentoffamilyinvolvement.Furthertestswereconductedtoinvestigatewhethercertainriskfactorsareassociatedwiththedifferentkindsofpathwaysidentified.Weanalyzedmedicalrecordsofyoungpeopleaged15to25yearswhoreceivedoutpatienttreatmentforcomplexdepressionfromYouthMoodClinic,OrygenYouthHealthandwhoweredischargedfromtheclinicinthefirsthalfof2018(1January2018–31June2018).Thissampleconstituteyoungpeoplewhooftenexperiencedmoderate-severemoodsymptoms,withcomorbiddisordersandongoingsuicidality.

6. 2:20-2:30PM

DepressiveSymptomsandPreclinicalAlzheimer'sDisease.JaniceLaiSupervisors:DrYenYingLim,ProfRobHesterAbstract:Alzheimer’sDisease(AD)isthemostcommontypeofdementia-aleadingcauseofdeathinAustralia–whichhasnoknowncurenorpreventativetreatment.Itisaneurodegenerativediseaseoccurringinlatelifethatischaracterisedbygradualover-accumulationofproteinsinthebrainandcognitivedecline.AspathologicalsignscanpredatediagnosisofADbydecades,studyingthecorrelatesofADduringitslongpreclinicalphasecouldinformthedevelopmentofpreventativetreatments.Depressivesymptomatologyisonesuchcorrelate,thoughdepressionresearchhasfailedtoyieldsuccessfultreatmentsforADtodate.Existingliteratureonthistopichasusedolder,clinicalsamples,andhasexclusivelystudieddepressivesymptomsasaclusterbuthavenotexploredwhetherspecifictypesofsymptomatologyismorerelatedtoADthanothers.Thecurrentstudyinvestigatesthecorrelationsbetweendepressivesymptomsubtypesandcognitivedeclineinalargesampleofcognitivelynormal,middle-agedAustralians,withafamilyhistoryofAD.ThisgrouplikelyincludesanenrichedsampleofadultswithageneticpredispositiontoADsomeofwhommayalreadybeintheasymptomatic,preclinicalphaseofthedisease.ParticipantsregisteredintheHealthyBrainProject(HBP)completedmoodquestionnairesandcognitivetestsviatheHBPonlineplatform.Withthisdata,Iwillconductanexploratoryfactoranalysistoidentifysubstratesofdepression,thenfindthecorrelationbetweenthesesubstratesandcognitioninthesample.Thiswillprovideamorefine-grainedunderstandingofhowdepressionisrelatedtoAD.


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7. 2:30-2:40PMPredictorsofprocessingspeedinfirstepisodepsychosis:a15yearcohortstudy.SeanMurrihySupervisors:DrJacquelineAnderson,ProfSueCotton,DrAmityWatsonAbstract:Individualswithfirstepisodepsychosistypicallyhaveprocessingspeeddeficits.Thesedeficitsarepresentbeforetheonsetofpsychosis,appeartobestablethroughthecourseofillness,andareassociatedwithfunctionaloutcomes.Betterunderstandingofthepredictorsofprocessingspeeddeficitsmayleadtoimprovedcareforthosemostatriskofpoorlong-termcognitiveoutcomes.115participantswhoattendedtheEarlyPsychosisPreventionandInterventionCentre,Melbourne,between1998and2000,wereassessed15yearslateronarangeofvariablesincludingdemographics,functioning,substanceuse,symptomatologyandprocessingspeed;theircharacteristicsatbaselineandinearlytreatmentwereassessedusingclinicalfileaudit.Regressionanalysiswasperformedtodeterminethepredictorsoflong-termprocessingspeed,andtheimportanceofpredictorsfromdifferenttime-pointsthroughillness.

8. 2:40-2:50PM

CognitiveAbilityandMetabolicPhysicalHealthinFirstEpisodePsychosis.SarahWhitsonSupervisors:DrKellyAllott,DrBrianO'DonoghueandProfRobHesterAbstract:Psychoticdisordersareheterogenousbutgenerallyrefertoexperiencesinfivekeysymptomdomains.Previousliteraturehasexaminedwhethercognitiveimpairmentsareacorefeature,sincetheyareapparentbythefirstepisodeofpsychosis(FEP).Worsenedphysicalhealthisalsocommonamongpopulationswithpsychosis,thoughthismaybeduetofactorsrelevanttochronicsamples.AsystematicliteraturesearchindicatesthatdespitecognitionandphysicalhealthinFEPpsychosisbeinggrowingareas,therelationshipbetweenthesevariablesisunderresearched.TheaimistoexaminewhethercognitiveandphysicalhealthdifferinindividualswithFEPcomparedtocontrols,andinvestigaterelationshipsbetweencognitionandhealthwithintheFEPsample.ItwashypothesisedthatindividualswithFEPwouldshowimpairedcognitionandhigherincidenceofoverweightorobesityanddysregulatedglucosecomparedtocontrols.WithintheFEPpopulation,therewouldbeanegativerelationshipbetweenBMIandcognitiveperformance.BaselinedatawasexaminedfromtheSTAGESstudyatOrygen.Participantsincluded43controlsand86individualswithFEPmeetingstrictcriteriatolimitconfoundingfactors.Between-groupdifferenceswereanalysedusingavarietyofparametricandnonparametrictests.PreliminaryresultsindicatecognitivedeficitsinindividualswithFEPasexpected,butlittleevidenceforworsenedhealthinFEPbarsignificantlyhigherpulse.

9. 2:50-3:00PM

MediatingNeuroticismandPsychopathology:TheRoleofCognitiveFlexibilityandIntoleranceofUncertainty.EricaClarkeSupervisor:DrLitzaKiropoulosAbstract:Thereisabodyofevidencesuggestingthatanxiety,depression,andeating


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disordersfrequentlyco-occur,worseningoutcomesforthoseaffectedandcomplicatingtreatment.Asaresult,identifyingcommonalitiesbetweenthesedisordersmayinformmoreeffectivetreatment.TraitNeuroticismhasbeenheavilyimplicatedinthedevelopmentandmaintenanceofpsychopathologyingeneral,andMcEvoyandMahoney(2012)conductedastudyinvestigatingthisrelationship.TheyproposedamodelinwhichIntoleranceofUncertainty(IU)mediatedtherelationshipbetweenNeuroticismandvariousanxietydisorders.Thecurrentstudyaimedtoexpanduponthismodelbyconsideringanotherpotentialmediatingvariable,CognitiveFlexibility(CF).AsbothIUandCFhavebeenfoundtooccuracrossdepressionandeatingdisordersaswellasanxietydisorders,itishypothesisedthatIUandCFwillbothpartiallymediatetherelationshipbetweenNeuroticismandanxiety(socialanxietyinparticular),depression,andeatingdisorders.Participants,recruitedfromaUniversityofMelbournestudentsampleandviaAmazonMTurk,havebeenaskedtocompleteanonlinequestionnairecontainingmeasuresassessingtheirtraitNeuroticism,IUandCF,aswellasanxiety,depression,andeatingdisordermeasures.Uponcompletionofdatacollection,theproposedmodelwillbetestedwithamediationalanalysisusingtheSPSSPROCESSsyntax.

CLINICALPSYCHOLOGY23:30–5:00PMLathamTheatre

1. 3:30-3:40PMPsychosocialandBehaviouralContributionstoSuicideAttemptsinYoung.ClinicalPopulationsVitaPilkingtonSupervisors:DrAbiBrooker,DrSimonRice(Orygen),ProfSueCotton(Orygen)Abstract:Thisprojectrecognisesthehighratesofsuicideideationandattemptsamongyoungpeople,withevenhigherratesamongclinicalpopulationsofyoungpeople.Thethesisaimstoinvestigatethecontributionsofseveralpsychosocialandbehaviouralexperiencestosuicideattemptsamongyoungpeoplewithcomplexmentalhealthproblems.Intermsofpsychosocialfactors,thethesisisexaminingyoungpeoples’experiencesofsocialisolation,burdensomeness,andfamilyconflict.Thebehaviouralfactorsbeingdiscussedareprevioussuicideattempts,deliberateself-harmandpatternsofcaregiverengagementwiththeclinicthroughouttheyoungperson’scare.Thesamplebeingusedisacohortofyoungpeople(n=86)whowereoutpatientsatOrygen’sYouthMoodClinicandweredischargedduringthefirstsixmonthsof2018.Thisincludesyoungpeoplebetweentheagesof15–25,mostofwhomhavehadunsuccessfulpreviousmentalhealthtreatmentandwhoexperiencesuicideideationatentrytotheservice.Previousresearchintofactorsthatcontributetoyouthsuicidalityhaveprimarilyrelieduponself-reportmeasures.Thisstudyisinsteadusingclinicalcasenotes,recordingclients’reportstocliniciansaboutthepsychosocialandbehaviouralexperienceslistedabove.Particularnotewastakenaboutfamilycontactwiththeclinicinordertoidentifyanyoptimalpatternsoffamilyengagementwithyouthmentalhealthservices.


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Theanalysiswillbearegressionusing:socialisolation,burdensomeness,familyconflict,previoussuicideattempts,deliberateself-harm,andpatternsoffamilyengagementasindependentvariables.Thedependentvariablewillbesuicideattemptsthroughouttheyoungperson’sepisodeofcare.Theresultsofthisstudyarepending.

2. 3:40-3:50PM

PersonalityandPsychologicalAdjustmenttoMultipleSclerosis:ACross-SectionalExaminationofIllnessSchemasandCopingStrategies.RebekahDavenportSupervisor:DrLitzaKiropoulosAbstract:Duetotheunpredictabilityofmultiplesclerosis(MS),andnoavailablecure,individuals’experienceswithMSareoftenfraughtwithuncertaintyandclinicallevelsofpsychologicaldistress.Thepresentcross-sectionalresearchexaminesthesalienceofillnessschemasandcopingstrategiesasmediatorsoftherelationshipbetweenpersonalitytraits(neuroticismandoptimism)andpsychologicaladjustmenttoMS.SuchpersonalitytraitshavebeenshowntoinfluencepsychologicaloutcomesinMS,however;personalityisarelativelystablenon-cognitiveskillandthusanuntenabletreatmenttarget.Asampleof182individualsdiagnosedwithMScompletedanonlinesurveyassessingpersonality,illnessschemas,copingstrategies,depressionandanxiety,andillnessacceptance.Thepresentstudyaimstoexaminefourparallelmultiplemediationmodels,hypothesisingtwoadaptivepathwaysfromoptimismtoillnessacceptance:(1)implicatingproblem-focusedcoping;and(2)greaterperceptionofcontroloverMS.Twomaladaptivepathwayswerehypothesisedfromneuroticismtodepressionandanxietysymptomatology:(1)implicatingemotion-focusedandavoidantcopingstrategiesrespectively;and(2)perceptionsofaninternalillnesscause,agreatertimeline,andmoresymptomsandconsequences.Pathwaysremainunclearasanalysesareongoing.Keywords:multiplesclerosis,illnessschemas,copingstrategies,psychologicaladjustment,depression,anxiety,acceptance

3. 3:50-4:00PM

ThePredictorsandRisk-factorsofCardio-vascularDiseaseinPatientswithFirst-episodePsychosis.IdaGhatgeSupervisors:ProfSueCotton,DrAmityWatson,ProfRobHester,DrAswinRatheeshAbstract:Psychoticdisordersareamongstthemostcomplexandburdensomeillnessesworldwide.Thefirst-episodeofpsychosis(FEP)isaveryimportantstageofillnessandisconsideredthecriticalperiodforintervention.Outcomesofpsychoticillnessesareassociatedwithhighclinical,familial,personalandsocialburden.Outcomesofpsychoticillnesses,havebeendifferentiallydefined,butprimarilyincludephysicalhealth,diagnostic,social,neuro-cognitive,andQualityofLife.DuetosignificantlyhighratesofmedicalmorbidityandmortalityinFEPpatients,weaimtoinvestigatetheriskfactorsandpredictorsofpoorphysicalhealthoutcomesinFEPpatientscomparedtothegeneralpopulation.Furthermore,thereisscarceevidenceinoutcomeresearchforindividualswhowerediagnosedandtreatedfortheirpsychoticsymptomsatthesamestageofillness,i.e.FEP.Thisstudyfollowsupa


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sampleof101participantswhowereadmittedatEarlyPsychosisPreventionandInterventionCentre,inMelbourne,Australia,between1998and2000andwerebetweentheagesof15-29years.Cardio-vasculardisease(CVD)inpatientswithpsychoticillnessesistheleadingcauseofmortalityduetophysicalandnaturalcauses.IncreasedriskforCVDisassociatedwiththeuseofanti-psychoticmedicationandlifestylefactorssuchassmoking,illicitsubstanceuse,poorphysicalactivityandpoornutrition.Firstly,wehypothesisethatatthefollow-uppointof15-20years,FEPindividualswillhavehigherratesofcardiovascularriskcomparedtoageandsexmatchedcontrols.Secondly,Increasedcardiovascularriskwillbepredictedbyuseofanti-psychoticmedicationandlifestylefactors.Thesamplewillbeanalysedusingalogisticregressionmodel.Resultsofthisanalysisarecurrentlyunknownandinprogress.

4. 4:00-4:10PM

SexDifferencesinVerbalandVisualMemoryinBipolarDisorder.JinwonSonSupervisors:ProfKimFelmingham,DrAndreaGogos,DrTamsynvanRheenenAbstract:Inadditiontoitsaffectivedysregulation,neurocognitiveimpairmentisamajorfunctionaldisabilityofbipolardisorderaffectingapproximately40%to60%.Yet,literaturewhichinvestigatesfortheeffectsofsexinthecognitivedeficitsofbipolardisorderisbyfarunderstudied.Shortfallsinmemoryisoneofthemostconsistentlyreportedimpairedcognitivedeficitinbipolardisorder.Inthisstudy,thesexdifferencesinvisualandverbalmemoryofbipolarpatientswillbemeasuredusingtheHopkinsVerbalLearningTest-Revised(HLVT-R)andtheBriefVisuospatialMemoryTest-Revised(BVMT-R).

5. 4:10-4:20PM

SymptomValidityandPerformanceValidityinClinicalNeuropsychologicalAssessments.StephanieAuYeungSupervisor:ProfStephenBowdenAbstract:Inneuropsychologicalpractice,therearesignificantdiscrepanciesbetweenmedicalrecord,patients’self-report,observedbehaviourandresultsofneuropsychologicalassessments.Thisismainlyduetofeigningorexaggerationofneuropsychologicalillnesses,termedasmalingering.Validitytestingishenceacrucialprocessinneuropsychologicalevaluationstodetectsuchintentions.However,thegrowingbodyofresearchsuggestsaseparateevaluationofvaliditytestingintosymptomvalidity(SV)testandperformancevalidity(PV)test.ThispaperpartiallyreplicatedthestudybyVanDykeetal.(2013),usingconfirmatoryfactoranalysistoexaminethebest-fittingmodelforfactorstructureunderlyingconstructsofSV,PV,symptomreportandcognition.ThecurrentstudyexaminedtheclinicalscalesontheMinnesotaMultiphasicPersonalityInventory-2(MMPI-2)ortherestructuredform,MMPI-2-RF,tomeasureindividuals’self-reportedsymptoms.ThestudyalsoinvestigatedthesymptomvalidityscalesontheMMPI-2orMMPI-2-RF;theReliableDigitSpanadoptedfromtheWechslerAdultIntelligenceScale(WAIS)ortheWechslerMemoryScaletomeasureindividuals’SV.Further,thestudyexaminedtheWAIS-IIIorWAIS-IVcompositescoresummary


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tomeasureindividuals'cognitiveperformance.Lastly,thestudyinvestigatedtheTestofMemoryMalingeringscorestomeasureindividuals’PV.Thisstudyhypothesisedthatathree-factormodelwouldbestfitthedataset.ThestudyhypothesisedthatcognitiveperformanceandPVwouldloadonseparateconstructs,butsymptomself-reportandSVwouldloadonthesame‘symptom’constructduetosharedmethodsvariance.ThisisstudyisstillintheprocessofdatacollectionatSt.Vincent’sHospital.

6. 4:20-4:30PM

DoesHairCortisolConcentrationpredictPTSDsymptomatology?MarkDonatoSupervisors:ProfKimFelmingham,ProfMeaghanO'DonnellAbstract:Ofthosewhosufferatraumaticinjury,around10%willgoontodevelopPosttraumaticStressDisorder(PTSD)12monthsaftertheincident.ByidentifyingthosewhoarevulnerabletoPTSD,earlypsychologicalinterventioncanbeimplementedtoimprovementalhealthoutcomesfollowingatraumaticevent.Forthisreason,ariskpredictiontoolcalledthePosttraumaticAdjustmentScale(PAS)hasbeenusedtopredictpsychopathologyaftertrauma(O’Donnelletal.,2008).Thisstudyassessedwhetherhaircortisolconcentration(HCC)collectedintheacuteaftermathofatraumacanalsopredictfuturePTSDsymptomatology.ParticipantsinthisstudyhadtheirhaircollectedandwereadministeredthePASintheimmediateafteratraumaticinjury.Aroundfourweeksafterhairwascollected,theywereadministeredaMINI-7interviewtodiagnosePTSD.ResultsfoundthatlowerHCCpredictedfuturesymptomatologyoverandabovethePAS.ThisisthefirststudywhichhasshownthathaircortisolcollectedaftertraumaticinjurycanpredictfuturePTSDsymptomatology.

7. 4:30-4:40PM

ThereIsNoRelationshipBetweenScreenTimeandCognitiveorBehaviouralAttention.ReeveAshtonSupervisor:A/ProfKatherineJohnsonAbstract:Concernabouttherelationshipbetweenscreen-mediauseanddeficitsinchildren’sbehaviouralattentionrecentlysparkedguidelinesrecommendinglimiteddailyscreenexposure(screentime).ThecurrentstudyexaminedthisrelationshipusingadimensionalmeasureoftheAttentionDeficitHyperactivityDisorder(ADHD)symptomspectrum.Furthermore,thestudyextendedonpreviousresearchbyalsoexploringwhetherscreentimepredictedresultsonawell-establishedmeasureofsustainedattentionandresponseinhibition.Participantswere234children(meanage7.3years)fromVictorianschools.Tomeasuresustainedattention,childrencompletedthefixedSustainedAttentiontoResponseTask(SART).Behaviouralattentionwasmeasuredusingteacher-reportedresultsontheStrengthsandWeaknessesofADHD-SymptomsandNormal-Behaviours(SWAN).Finally,parentsreportedthechild’sweekdayscreenuseonmultipledevices.Preliminaryresultssuggestthatscreentimedoesnotpredictoutcomesofbehaviouralinattentionorhyperactivity-impulsivity.Furthermore,screentimedoesnotpredicterrorsofcommissionoromissionontheSART,norregularlapsesof


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attentionascharacterisedbyTau.Thus,findingssuggestthatthereisnorelationshipbetweenscreentimeandbehaviouralorcognitiveattentioninchildren.

8. 4:40-4:50PM

'SpitHappens'Aninvestigationoforalmicrobiota,socioeconomicstatus,oralhealthbehavioursanddietinanadultcommunitysample.LuciaCorbelSupervisors:DrJulianSimmons,DrOrliSchwartzAbstract:Oralmicrobiotaarecommensal(symbiotic),communitiesofeukaryotes,viruses,archaeaandmostnotablybacteriathatcolonisetheoralcavity(Wade,2016).Thecompositionandrelationshipswithincoloniesoforalmicrobiotahavebeenimplicatedinlinkswithoverallhealthandwellbeing(Blaser&Falkow,2009).Increaseddiversityhasbeenusedasaproxyforgoodhealth(Wade,2016).Despitethis,littleisknownabouttherelationshipbetweenbacteriaandcommonpsychosocialdeterminatesofhealthincludingsocioeconomicstatus(SES),oralhealthbehavioursanddiet.Thepresentcross-sectional,exploratorystudyinvestigatedrelationshipsbetweenmicrobiotaandpsychosocialfactors,includingSES,oralhealthbehavioursanddiet,relatedtohealth.Participants(over12yearsold)wererecruitedfromMelbourneMuseumandreportedoralhealth,dietarybehavioursanddemographicinformationviaacomputer-basedsurvey.Salivarydiversitywasmeasuredusingasinglemeasure,Shannon’sIndex,obtainedfrom16Sribosomalribonucleicacid(rRNA)genesequencing.ResultsareexpectedtoindicatethatincreasedmicrobialdiversityislinkedtohigherSES,increasedoralhealthbehavioursandhigherdietarycarbohydrateconsumption.ThoughweexpectresultstoindicateoralhealthbehavioursanddietmoderatetheeffectofSESondiversity,theseinteractionswillonlybeexploredifsignificantrelationshipsarerevealed.

9. 4:50-5:00PM

Manlymuscularityandfemininethinness?Testingthegenderroleshypothesis.BridgetWattSupervisor:DrScottGriffithsAbstract:ResearchusingWesternsampleshassuggestedthatconformitytotraditionalgenderrolesmayberelatedtoeatingdisordersymptomatology.Genderrolesencompasscognitions,affectandbehavioursgenerallyascribedexclusivelytomenorwomen.Theliteraturereviewoutlinedthatinitially,anassociationwasfoundbetweenfemalegenderroleadherenceandpursuitofthinness.Asaresult,thefemininityhypothesisemerged,proposingthatfemalegenderroleconformity,encompassingdeference,maypromoteapproval-seeking,motivatingpeopletoembodytheculturallyprizedthinfemalebody.Furtherfindingselucidatedacomparablerelationshipbetweenhighmalegenderroleconformity,includingperceiveddominance,andattemptstoincreasemuscularity,conceptualisedasthemasculinityhypothesis.Thegenderrolestheoryintegratesthesetwocomplementarypredictions,supportedbyevidencethathighmasculinityisrelatedtomuscledysmorphiaandfemininitywithanorexianervosa,pathologicalpursuitsofmuscularityandthinness,respectively.However,anuntestedassumptionofthegenderrolestheoryisthatlaypeoplealsoperceivemuscularityasmasculineandthinnessasfeminine.ThecurrentstudyinvestigatedN=900undergraduatepsychologystudentsfromavarietyofculturalbackgroundsattheUniversityof


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Melbournethroughanonlinequestionnaire.Datapertainingtoconformitytomasculineandfemininenorms,desiresformuscularityandthinnessandassociatedbehaviourswerecollected,thefindingsadheringtopreviousstudies.Furthermore,perceptionsofmaleandfemalebodiesvaryingbymuscularityandbodyfataccordingtogenderroleconformityprovidedfurthersupportofthegenderroleshypothesis.DespitethelimitationsofusingmeasuresdevelopedinWesterncontextsandimagesoffair-skinnedbodies,thefindingsprovidecontributetothegrowingbodyofevidenceinsupportofthegenderrolestheory.

LANGUAGE/COGNITION19:00-10:30AMMedleyTheatre

1. 9:00-9:10AMBilingualwordprocessing:incongruentaffectiveconnotationsinL1andL2.YafeiYangSupervisors:DrSimonDeDeyneandDrMeredithMcKagueAbstract:Withthegrowingneedforacquiringasecondlanguage,theroleofemotioninlanguageprocessingisgainingincreasingattention.However,littleresearchhasinvestigatedthedifferencesinemotionintwohighlydifferentiatedlanguages,suchasChineseandEnglishandnonehasinvestigatedhowbilingualsprocesswordswithconflictingaffectiveconnotationsbetweentheirL1andL2.ThecurrentstudyfilledinthesegapsbyinvestigatinghowChinese-EnglishbilingualsprocessEnglishwordswiththatdiffersubtlyintheiraffectiveconnotationbetweenChineseandEnglish.Participantswere50Chinese-Englishbilingualsand50nativespeakers,ranginginagefrom18to44years.WeaskedthemtoperformanEtrinsicAffectiveSimonTask(EAST)inwhichtheyhadtopresseitheragoodkeyorabadkeyinresponsetoalistofwords.Inthefirstconditions,theyjudgedthevalanceofthewords(goodkeyforpositivewords).Inthesecondcondition,theword’svalanceshouldbeignoredandtheprimarytaskbecamethecolourdiscrimination(e.g.goodkeyforgreenwords;DeHouwer,2003;Altarriba&Basnight-Brown,2010).Evenwhenthevalenceofwordswasirrelevanttotheprimarytask,thekeyresponsestothecolouredwordsshouldbefasteriftheresponsehadbeenallocatedearliertoaconceptofthesamevalenceduetotheautomaticactivationoftheaffectiveconnotations.Itwashypothesizedthatsucheffectshouldbeweakerforbilinguals.Then,allparticipantsprovidedtheratingsofvalanceandarousalofthewords.Chinese-Englishbilingualsalsoprovidedthetranslationsofthewordstheyrespondedto,whichallowedustocheckwhattheywerethinkingwhenrespondingtotheEnglishword.

2. 9:10-9:20AM

Theeffectofutilityoncommunicativepriorityandsemanticcategorisation.KatherineTrailSupervisor:A/ProfCharlesKempAbstract:Ourtendencyashumanstopartitiontheworldintocoherentcategoriesisintegralinourabilitytocomprehend,rememberandcommunicatewithothers.Investigationofsemanticcategorisationacrosslanguagesindicatesthatwhilesomeuniversalpatternsexist,thereislargevariationincategorystructuresandnamingacrosscultures.Observationalresearchhasnotedthattheusefulnessorutilityofan


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objectoritscategorysystemeffectsnaming,asobjectsofhighimportanceareregularlynamedandhavesemanticdomainsofhighercomplexity.Therelevanceandimportanceofobjectswillinfluencenotonlywhethertheyarenamed,buthowoftentheyareconversedabout,thusalteringtheircommunicativepriority.Toinvestigatetherelationshipbetweenutility,communicativepriorityandcategorisation,wecreatedanonlinecommunicationparadigmwhereparticipantscommunicatedinpairstodividestimulidifferingononedimensionintotwodistinctcategories.Theutility;measuredthroughapointsystem,differedbetweenconditions(controlversusa‘positivebonus’utilitycondition).Further,participantswereassignedtoeitherasingleordoubleobjectconditiontoinvestigatecommunicativepriority.Itishypothesisedthatcategoryboundarieswillshiftinawaythatmaximisestheutilityofthesystem.Further,whenparticipantsaregivenachoicebetweentwoobjects,itisexpectedthatobjectsofhighutilitywillbechosentobetalkedaboutmoreoftenthanobjectsoflowerutility.

3. 9:20-9:30AM

Languageevolution:Theroleofenvironmentandcommunication.MichaelaVranic-PetersSupervisors:A/ProfAmyPerforsandA/ProfCharlesKempAbstract:Categorysystemsallowhumanstoorganiseourimmenselycomplexenvironmentsintomoremanageableunitsthatmakeiteasiertocommunicateaboutourworld.Efficientcategorysystemssatisfyatrade-offbetweenopposingpressurestobesimpleaswellasinformative(Kempetal.,2018).Butwhydodifferentlanguagesconstructdifferentcategorysystems?Forexample,whydosomeculturesspecifyhighlycomplexfolkbiologysystemswhileothersconstructmoregeneralsystems?Theenvironmentalandsocialcontextsofspeakersmaymotivatesimplicityorinformativenesstobefavoured,resultinginmoregeneralormorecomplexcategorysystems,respectively.Evidenceforthissimplicity-informativenesstrade-offhasbeenfoundinmultipledomainsincludingkinshipterms,containernames,spatialrelationships,colourandnumbersystems(Kemp&Regier,2012;Xu,Regier&Malt,2016;Khetarpaletal.,2013;Regieretal.,2007,2015;Xu&Regier,2014).However,thisresearchislargelycross-sectionalandonlyinvestigateslimiteddomainsofcertainlanguages.Pastresearchhasnotyetestablishedageneralandpredictivefactormodelofcategorisation,whichrequiresshowingexperimentallyhowfactorseffectcategorystructure.Therefore,weaimtoshowthatbyalteringtheutility,whichrepresentsthe‘usefulness’ofsuccessfulinteractions,differentcategorystructureswillform.Inourstudy,participantsorganizeobjectsintocategoriesinanonlinegame.Wehypothesizethatcategoryboundarieswillshiftinawaythatmaximisesautilitypayoffforspeakers;andthatthefrequencywithwhichobjectsaretalkedaboutwillalsoadapttomaximisethisutilitypayoff.

4. 9:30-9:40AM

Exploringlearningfunctionsinrecognitionmemoryinrelationtoitemexposure.HannaOughSupervisor:DrAdamOsth


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Abstract:Whileitiswidelyestablishedthatstrengtheningcertainitems(throughslowerpresentations,increased/spacedrepetitions)generallyhaspositiveconsequencesonmemory,theeffectsofvariedpresentationduration(studytime)ondiscriminabilityremainratherunexplored.Takingintoaccountthatthespecificfunctionalrelationshipbetweenstudytimeandrecognitionmemoryisyettobeestablished,thispaperaimstospecifyafunctionthatbestrelateslearningtoexposureusingawordrecognition-decisiontaskwitheightpresentationtimes(rangingfrom100msto4000ms).Thethreefunctionstobeexploredaretheexponential,power,andlinearfunctions,wherebythedistinctpropertiesofthesefunctionsarerelatedtomemoryundertheoreticalframeworks,suchasRetrievingEffectivelyfromMemory(REM).UsingtheDiffusionModeltointegrateresponselatency,wemodelledmemorystrengthasafunctionofpresentationtimes,andamodelselectionprocedurewasconductedtodeterminewhichofthethreefunctionsbestdescribedhowlearningoccursovervaryingstudytimes.

5. 9:40-9:50AM

TestofSequence-sensitiveCategorizationmodelsusingbimodalstimuli.AbigailTurosSupervisor:A/ProfDanielLittleAbstract:Categoryjudgmentsinvolvetheintegrationofinformationacrossmultipledimensions.Animportantdistinctionisbetweenintegralandseparabledimensions.Twomodelscanaccountforcategoryjudgmentsusingthesedimensions;sequence-sensitiveexemplarretrievalanddecisionboundmodels.Ithasbeenshownthatbimodalstimuli,suchassoundandvisualstimulustogetherareprocessedasintegral.ThecurrentstudyaimedtofurtherinvestigatetheprocessingofbimodalstimuliduringcategorisationinamodifiedGarnertask.Itwashypothesisedthatprocessingwouldreflectseparabledimensionsandthatsequentialeffectswouldbeobserved.Thestudywasaninterventionexperimentwithrandomisedcontrolledtrials.Stimuliconsistedofatonethatvariedinpitchandayellowsquareonthemonitorthatsimultaneouslyshiftedupanddown.Eightstudentsweretestedacrosssixsessions.Ineachsessionthreeconditionswerecompleted;control,correlatedandfiltering.AnalysisinvolvedexaminingthestandardGarnereffects.Differencesbetweentaskswerealsoexaminedusingone-wayANOVA.Atwo–wayANOVAwasusedtoassessdifferencesbetweenitemandtasks.Sequentialeffectswerealsoassessedandasequencesensitiveexemplarmodelwasusedtoexplaintheeffectsandwasfittedtothedata.

6. 9:50-10:00AM

SerialPositionandResponseTimeDistributionscharacterisingFreeRecallInitiationasafunctionofRecallRequirements.AimeeReedSupervisor:DrAdamOsthAbstract:Primacyandrecencyeffectsareamongthemostwidelystudiedphenomenawithinthefieldofhumanmemory.Wemodeledresponsetime(RT)distributionsasafunctionofserialpositioninordertoconstructamorecomprehensivetheoreticalunderstandingofhowprimacyandrecencycompeteforresponseinitiation.Awithin-subjectsdesignwasemployed;participantswererequiredtocompletetwo60-minutesessions,withatleast48hoursinbetween


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sessions.Participantswerepresentedwithalistof12words(studyphase),displayedoneatatime.Weinvestigatedtwomodelsofprimacy:theseparateprimacyandrecencygradientsmodel(assumingprimacyandrecencyitemsdonotcompeteforretrieval),andthecombinedmodel(assumesprimacyandrecencyaccumulatorsarecompeting).Wemanipulatedrecallrequirementsattest(implementingtwoconditions:"ONE"and"ALL"),basedontheassumptionthatparticipantswouldbemuchlesslikelytoreinstatethestartofthelistwhenonlyrequiredtorecalloneitem.Ifthepreferencefortheseparategradientsmodelisduetheburdenofrecallingmanyitems,onlythe“ALL”conditionshoulddemonstratepronouncedRTdifferences,producingadistinctpowerlawfunction.However,iftheburdentorecallmanyitemsisnotresponsible,thenprimacyitemsshouldhaveslowerRTsinboth“ONE”and“ALL”conditionsandtherecencyfunctionmayappearmoreexponentialinshape.FormalmodelingusingtheLinearBallisticAccumulator(LBA)modelcombinedserialpositionandresponsetimedistributionstotestanumberofcompetingmodelsoffreerecallinitiation.Keywords:Primacy,Recency,FreeRecallInitiation,LBA

7. 10:00-10:10AM

Individualisedwordfrequencyandrecencyinitemrecognitionmemory.CourtneyO’BrienSupervisor:ProfSimonDennisAbstract:Inarecognitionmemorytask,participantsmustdecidewhetherthewordspresentedwereseenonastudylist(targets)orwerenotseenatstudy(lures).TheWordFrequencyEffect(WFE)isareliablyobservedpatterninitemrecognitionmemory,wherelowfrequency(LF)wordsarebetterdiscriminatedthanhighfrequency(HF)words,withhigherhitrates(HR)andlowerfalsealarmrates(FAR).However,theunderlyingcausesoftheWFEhavebeenapointofcontentionwithintheliterature.Thisstudyinvestigatedtheroleofpre-experimentalcontextincludingwordfrequencyandrecencyinitemrecognitionmemory.Experiencesamplingwasusedtoexaminetheeffectofindividualfrequenciesandrecenciesonrecognitionmemory,asopposedtothepopulationmeasuresthataretypicallyused.Participantscollectedemaildataforaperiodoftwomonths,beforecompletingarecognitionmemorytask.Thestudylistwascomprisedofamixofhighandlowfrequencywordsaswellasamixofrecencies,allindividualisedtotheparticipant.ItwasexpectedthatLFwordswouldshowhigherHRs,lowerFARsandhigherdiscriminabilitythanHFwords.Itwasalsoexpectedthatmorerecentlyseenwordswillbelesswellrecognisedthanlessrecentlyseenwords,withdecreaseddiscriminability,higherFARsandlowerHRs.Resultsfromthistaskwilladdtothecurrentbodyofliteratureinvestigatinghowpre-experimentalcontext,includingfrequencyandrecency,influencesitemrecognitionmemory.

8. 10:10-10:20AM

Alibi-generationandMemory:UnderstandingHumanMemoryforWhereUsingExperienceSamplingTechnology.ElizabethLaliberteSupervisor:ProfSimonDennisAbstract:Theroleofmemoryandpsychologicalfactorsinthecontextofalibi


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provisionisafairlynewandemergingfield,andthelegalsystemhasyettoacknowledgetheapplicabilityofmemoryinaccuraciestoaninnocentsuspect’salibi.Weexaminetheexistingpsychologicalfactorstheorizedtoimpactalibiprovisionandinvestigatetheroleofretrievalcuesinautobiographicalmemorytoexaminehowindividualsisolateandrecallordinaryevents.Experiencesamplingtechnologywasusedtoincreaseecologicalvalidity.Participantsinstalledanapplicationthatcollectedexperiencesamplingdatapertainingtotheirwhereaboutsovera4-weekperiod.Wethenexaminehowpeopleremember‘where’theyhavebeen(i.e.memoryforwhere)whenpromptedwithaspecifictimeanddateofanevent,whatkindofinformationpeopleusewhentryingtoretrievetheir‘memoryforwhere’(i.e.spatialandtemporaldistances),andhowconfidenttheywerewiththeirresponse.Keywords:episodicmemory;memoryforwhere;experiencesampling;alibi

9. 10:20-10:30AM

DistractorEffectsonFeatureProcessinginMultidimensionalPerceptualCategorisation.EleanoreWilliamsSupervisor:A/ProfDanielLittleAbstract:Giventhelimitedcapacityofthevisualsystem,attentionisrequiredtoselectasubsetofinformationforfurtherprocessing.Space-basedaccountsofattendingtoseparabledimensionsacrossmultiplelocationsplacerestrictionsonstimuluscharacteristicsandmakeassumptionsthatdonotaccountforthetimecourseofinformationprocessinganddecisionmaking.Inanefforttoexaminehowflexiblyattentioncanbedistributedinvisualspace,weuseSystemsFactorialTechnology(SFT;Townsend&Nozawa,1995)andparametricmodelcomparisontodiagnoseinformationprocessingarchitecture.Severalstudieshavefoundthatprocessingvariesasafunctionofpresentationandthepresenceandtypeofdistractors.Weseektoexaminetheeffectofthesefactorsonprocessingarchitecture.

LANGUAGE/COGNITION211:00AM-12:30PMMedleyTheatre

1. 11:00-11:10AMSensorywordlearning.SophiaHodgsonSupervisor:DrNatalieEgarovaAbstract:Wordsaretypicallylearnedininformation-richcontextswhichallowlearnerstomakeassociationsbetweenthedifferentaspectsofaword(suchasitswrittenandspokenforms,anditsmeaning).However,researchinthisareafrequentlyusessterileexperimentaldesignswhichavoidthecomplexitiesofcontext-embeddedlearning;forexample,byfocusingonthelearningofwordformswithoutmeaning,orassociatingpseudowordswithnon-existentobjects.Thisstudyusedstate-of-the-artpaintechnologytocreatenovelsensationstoprovidemeaningstobeassociatedwithpseudowords.Specifically,thisstudyinvestigatedthedifferencesintherecognitionandrecallofpseudowords


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learnedwithmeaningspresentedindifferentmodalities:(1)nodefinition(i.e.thecontrol),(2)writtendefinition,and(3)sensation.Inthetestphase,participantswereaskedtopressabuttonindicatingwhethertheyhadpreviouslyseentheword.Analysesareplannedfortheresponsetimestopseudowordsonthefinaltest.Differencesareexpectedbetweenthedifferentpresentationmodalitiesofthepseudowords.

2. 11:10-11:20AM

ACross-culturalEvaluationofDistributionalModelsofWordMeaning.MeghnaKadalbajooSupervisor:DrSimonDeDeyneandDrMeredithMcKagueAbstract:Universally,languageisusedastheprimarymethodofcommunicationbetweenhumans.Givenourincreasinglyglobalisedworld,researchoncross-culturallanguagedifferenceshasneverbeenmorerelevant.Literatureinthefieldofpsycholinguisticshastraditionallyfocusedonhowconcretewordsarerelatedtaxonomically(banana–fruit)ratherthanthematically(banana–monkey).Furthermore,theimpactofemotionalratingsofwords–referredtoasaffectiveconnotations–hasoftenbeenneglectedintheoriesofwordmeaning.AlthoughsomestudieshavefounddifferencesinaffectiveconnotationsbetweenWesternandEasternlanguages,experimentalfindingsareoftenrestrictedtoasingledomainandthuslackgeneralisability(Estes,Golonka&Jones,2010).Thecurrentstudyaimstotakeafirststeptowardsmeasuringtherelativecontributionofaffectiveconnotationinwordmeaningacrossdifferentlanguages.Incontrasttopastapproaches,whichhaveusedbipolaradjectivescales(Osgood,May&Mirron,1975),thepresentstudywillutiliseapartialrankingtasktoderiverepresentationsofwordmeaningacrosscultures.Anonlinestudywillbeadministeredinthreedifferentlocationstocollectdataforthreelanguages:Australia(English),China(Chinese)andUruguay(Spanish).Similaritymatrices,drawnfromthepartialrankingtask,willbeappliedtoamultidimensionalscalingproceduretoderiveasubjectivelow-dimensionalrepresentationofwordmeaning.Additionally,multilingualdistributionalmodelsofmeaning,derivedfromlanguage,willbeusedtocapture–andelucidate–potentialsemanticstructuresbetweenEnglish,Chinese&Spanish.Asthedatacollectioniscurrentlyunderway,resultsarepending.However,thefindingsfromthepresentstudywillbeusedtofurtherourunderstandingofhowlanguageencodestheculturallyspecificmeaningofconcepts.ReferencesEstes,Z.,Golonka,S.,&Jones,L.L.(2011).Thematicthinking:Theapprehensionandconsequencesofthematicrelations.InPsychologyoflearningandmotivation(Vol.54,pp.249-294).AcademicPress."Osgood,C.E.,May,W.H.,&Miron,M.S.(1975).Cross-culturaluniversalsofaffectivemeaning.UniversityofIllinoisPress.

3. 11:20-11:30AMReasoningaboutdataselection.CiaraHartSupervisor:A/ProfCharlesKempAbstract:Inrealworld,peoplearesometimesforcedtoreasonsaboutsamplesthatmaynotberepresentativeofapopulation.Itisimportanttotakeinto


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considerationsamplebiaseswhendrawinginferencesfromit.Acriticalpointthatremainscontestedbytheoreticalresearchconcernswhetherornotpeopleareabletocorrectlyadjustforsamplingwhenreasoningaboutdata(Fiedler,2000,Hayes,Banner&Navarro,2017andXu&Tenenbaum,2007).ThecurrentstudyseekstoremovethisambiguitythroughworkingwithinaBayesiancausalframeworktoexploreinferencesaboutalargenumberofscenariosthatarecharacterizedbydifferentunderlyingcausalstructures.Bayesianmodelsareusedthroughoutthestudyasayardsticktotestnormativeapproachestosampling.Itwashypothesisedthatpeoplewillbeabletoadjustforsamplingina‘roughly’normativeway(adjusttheirinferencesinthecorrectdirection)whenreasoningaboutsimplecausalsystemsandweexpectedthatperformancewillbebetterthanwhatpreviousliteraturedescribes(Fielder,2000).Participants,recruitedusingAmazon’sMechanicalTurk(AMT),tookpartinanonlinesurveywhichinvolvedobservingsomeobjects(mice)alongwiththeirfeatures(presenceorabsenceofcertainenzymes).Theywerethenaskedtomakeinferencesaboutthefeaturesthatanewobject(mouse)mightormightnothave.Aninitialanalysisofparticipantsresultssuggestthatpeopleareadjustingforsamplingconditionsinthenormativedirection.Limitationsandimplicationsofthestudywillalsobediscussed.

4. 11:30-11:40AMExaminingthelatentstructureofVerbalPairedAssociatessubtestoftheWechslerMemoryScaleFourth-Editionusingfactoranalysis.RachelFureySupervisor:ProfStephenBowdenAbstract:TheaimofthisstudywastoexplorethelatentstructureoftheVerbalPairedAssociates(VPA)subtestsoftheWechslerMemoryScaleFourthEdition(WMS-IV)usingconfirmatoryfactoranalysis(CFA).TheVPAsubtestsarecommonlyusedasameasureofverbalmemoryabilitiesinpre-surgicaltemporallobeepilepsypatients.Asitisestimatedthat30to60%ofthesesurgeriesstillresultinsignificantverbalmemorydecline,refiningthemethodsusedtopredictandmanageindividualriskofpostoperativedeclineisanimportantresearchfocus.CFAisthestrongesttoolavailabletoassesstheconstructvalidityofpsychometrictests.Using250archivalVPAdatacasesfromStVincent’sHospitalinMelbourne,threehypothesisedfactorstructureswereinvestigated.ThefirsthypothesiswasbasedontheCattellHornCarroll(CHC)modelofcognitiveabilities,whichimpliesatwo-factorstructurecomprisedofeasy(semanticallyrelated)andhard(semanticallyunrelated)itemsrespectively.Thesecondhypothesiswasbasedonthehub-and-spokemodelofsemanticclustering,whichsuggestsathree-factorcomprisedofgroupsofitemsdifferentiatedbysemanticcategories.ThethirdhypothesiswasthatnolateralisingeffectswouldbeobservedbetweenrightandleftTLEpatientsinrelationtothesemodels,becauseTLEisstagedlesion.Initialresultssuggestthatathree-factorsemantic-clusteringmodeldemonstratesthebestfit,andthattheCHC-impliedmodeldemonstratespoorfit.AnalysesontheTLEsubsampleareyettobeconducted.Initialfindingsimplythattheencodingofnewverbalmemoriesisrelatedtomodality-specificinformationinthewordpair,suchassemanticcategory.


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5. 11:40-11:50AMDissectingDigitSpan:AfactoranalyticreplicationstudyusingtheWAIS-IV.LucieZwartSupervisor:ProfStephenBowdenAbstract:Themisinterpretationofconstructdefinitions,suchasworkingmemory,severelyunderminestheclinicalutilityofneuropsychologicalassessment,suchastheWechslerAdultIntelligenceScale(FourthEdition),whichmaycreateconfusionandmisunderstandingwithintheclinicalpopulation.Asameasureofworkingmemory,theDigitSpantaskanditscomponentForwards,Backwardsscoreshavetraditionallybeenthoughttorepresentseparateconstructs(e.g.Lezak,Howieson&Loring,2012).ThisstudyservesasareplicationandextensionofBowden,Petrauskas,Bardehagen,MeadeandSimpson(2013)usingtheaddedDigitSpanSequencingintheWAISIV.ItwashypothesisedthatConfirmatoryFactorAnalysiswouldidentifyanunderlyingfactorstructureseparatingeasyversusharditemswithintheForwards,BackwardsandSequencingSpantests.Aheterogenousneurosciencessampleof284participantsfromarchivaldatacollectedatStVincent’sHospitalMelbournewasutilisedforanalysis.ExploratoryStructuralEquationModellingdeterminedatwo-factorstructurewithgoodmodelfit[(X^2(118,N=283)=125.79,p=0.295].ConfirmatoryFactorAnalysiswillbeemployedtofurtherconfirmthefactorstructure,andguidethehypothesisedinterpretationthatthethreeDigitSpansubtestsmeasureasinglegeneralconstructofWorkingMemory,asdepictedbytheCattell-Horn-Carrollmodelofcognitiveability.


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6. 11:50AM–12:00PMInvestigatingtherobustnessofconfidenceintervalsforstandardisedmeandifferences.KathrynHovendenSupervisor:DrPaulDudgeonAbstract:Confidenceintervalsforstandardisedmeandifferences(suchasCohen’sd,Hedges’gandBonett’sdelta)arefrequentlyusedinpsychologicalresearchtomakeinferencesaboutthesizeofaneffectatthepopulationlevel.Manyofthecurrentlyavailableestimatorsrelyontheassumptionsofnormalityorhomogeneityofvariance,andperformpoorlywhenoneorbothoftheseconditionsisnotmet.Inthisresearchproject,Iwillinvestigateanewmethodforcalculatingconfidenceintervalsaroundstandardisedmeandifferencesbasedonheteroscedastic-consistentestimators,whichtheoreticallydoesnotrelyoneitheroftheseassumptions.ThroughMonteCarlosimulation,Iaimtocomparetherobustnessofthisestimatortothecurrentlyavailablemethodsacrossarangeofskewness,kurtosis,populationeffectsize,samplesizeandheterogeneityofvarianceconditions.Furthermore,throughtheuseofformalstatisticalmodelling,Iaimtoextendthecurrentliteraturebydeterminingtheextenttowhicheachofthesefactorsdrivesnon-robustness.

7. 12:00-12:10PM

IsErrorCheckingNecessaryforSuccessfulArithmeticComputations?CatherineTranSupervisor:DrJasonForteAbstract:Dotenumerationperformanceispredictiveofarithmeticability,butthesharedmechanismsofenumerationandarithmeticremainunclear.Understandingthesemechanismswillinforminterventionstoassistpeoplewithmathematicaldifficulties.Akeyfeatureofbothslowenumerationandarithmeticiserrorchecking.However,itisnotcleariferrorcheckingisnecessaryforprecisearithmeticandenumeration.Totestthis,wecomparedstandardspatialenumerationandarithmetictasks(whereallitemswerepresentedspatiallyatthesametime–allowingerrorchecking)withtemporalenumerationandarithmetictasks(whereitemsarepresentedsequentially),thatpreventindividualsfromgoingbacktopreviouslycounteditemsforthepurposeoferrorchecking.Alltasksrequiredparticipantstocalculateatotaloffoursetsofnumeralsorsubitisableclustersofdotspresentedatonce(spatialtask)oroneatatime(temporaltask).Analysisoftheaccuracyandresponsetimesofenumerationandarithmeticperformancewillbeusedtodeterminewhethererrorcheckingisanessentialorahabitualmechanismforarithmeticcomputations.Itisexpectedthatiferrorcheckingisnecessaryforarithmeticandenumerationinpeoplewhoareslowatthesetasks,thatperformanceinthetemporaltaskwillbecompromisedrelativetothespatialtask.Theresultswilldeterminewhethererrorcheckingcanexplainindividualdifferencesinarithmeticperformance,andwillperhapsinformstrategiesusedtoimprovearithmeticinpeoplewithlownumeracy.


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8. 12:10-12:20PMInvestigatingtheDifferencesinObservationalandExperientialSensoryWordLearning.AbigailLimSupervisor:DrNatalieEgarovaAbstract:ThepresentstudyaimstoinvestigatehowsensoryAbstractwordlearninginadultsoccurindifferentcontextssuchasthroughobservationordirectexperience.Datafrom20participantswasanalysed(Meanage=22.97years,SD=2.95).Participantshadtolearnandrememberthemeaningofpseudowordswhichwerepairedwithhotandcoldpainstimuliinalternatingobservationalandexperientialblocks.ANOVAsandt-testswereconductedforeachconditiontoexamineifresponsetimessignificantlydiffered.Preliminaryanalysessuggeststhatpainmaymodulatewordlearning.Thecurrentstudycontributestoexistingstudiesonadultwordlearningbyextendingitbeyondconcretewordlearning.

9. 12:20–12:30PMTrackingthetimecourseofsensorydampeningfollowingresponseerrorsAlexandraKonskiSupervisor:MackenzieMurphy,DrDanielFeuerriegel,ProfRobertHester,A/ProfStefanBodeAbstract:Inoureverydayliveswemakeperceptualjudgementsaboutourenvironments.Sometimeswemakeincorrectjudgementsleadingtoerrorcommission.Astereotypicalcascadeofprocessesoccursaftererrorcommission,whichtypicallyresultsinslowerbutimprovedaccuracyonsubsequentjudgements.Inthefirst~300ms,sensoryprocessingisdampenedtherebyimpairingperformanceduringthistime.Interestingly,arecentstudy(Steinhauser&Andersen,2018,Neuroimage)usingSSVEPstoindexattentiononaresponseconflicttask,foundanincreaseinattentiontotask-relevantstimuliduringthistimewindow,providingevidenceforarapidincreaseissensoryprocessingposterrorcommission.UsingSSVEPstotrackthetimecourseofattention,weinvestigatedwhetherthisrapidboostinattentiontorelevantstimulialsoexistsfollowingerrorcommissiononperceptualdiscriminationtask.Wepresentedtargetgratingsconsistingofleftward-andrightward-orientedstripeswithinacircularaperturewhichcontrast-reversedat20Hz.Thiswasencircledbyadistractorgrating,alternatingat30Hz.For100ms,thecontrastofeithertheleftward-orrightward-orientedstripesinthetargetgratingswasincreasedandparticipantswererequiredtojudgeandrespondwhichofthestripeswerestrongerincontrast.Contraststrengthwasvariedtoadjusttaskdifficultyandachieveasetproportionoferrors.WefoundthatSSVEPamplitudesweredampenedbetween300-400msprecedingresponseerrorsandfromthetimeoferrorcommissionto200msafter.OurfindingssupporttheexistingevidenceforsensorydampeningfollowingerrorsandsuggestthatthefindingsbySteinhauser&Andersenmaybespecifictotheirtaskdesign.


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DECISIONMAKING1:30-3:00PMMedleyTheatre

9. 1:30-1:40PMHowdomembersofthepublicmakeresearch-fundingdecisions?NicoleDoyleSupervisor:DrPatrickGoodbourn,DrJasonForteAbstract:Sincetheso-called‘replicationcrisis’inpsychology,therehasbeengrowingconcernthatlowreproducibilityinscientificresearchmayunderminetheaccumulationofknowledge,threatenitspubliccredibility,andleadtoreducedresearchfunding.Australiangovernmentbudgetallocationsforpsychologicalresearchhavedeclinedinrealterms,andalready-lowresearchgrantsuccessratesaredeclining,leadingtoincreasedcompetitionforscarcefinancialresources.Publicconsultationinthefundingprocessisparamount,astaxpayersultimatelyfundgovernment-supportedresearchandareitsprimarybeneficiaries.Accordingly,wesoughttocharacteriseandunderstandhowmembersofthepublicevaluateresearchers’trackrecordstomakeresearch-fundingdecisions.Participants(N=189)fromtheUnitedStates,UnitedKingdom,Canada,AustraliaandNewZealandcompletedanonlinetaskrequiringthemtodistributeresearchfundingbetweentwohypotheticalresearchersbasedonthreemetrics:traditionalmetrics,(e.g.citations),‘altmetrics’(e.g.social-mediashares),andreproducibility(e.g.successfulreplications).Oneachtrial,researcherprofilesweremanipulatedtocreateaquantitativetrade-offbetweentwometrics;thisallowedustocalculatepsychometricfunctionsforeachparticipantdescribingtheweightingofeachmetricrelativetotheothers.Clusteranalysisrevealedfourdistinctgroupsofparticipants,comprisingthosewho(i)prioritisedreproducibilitybutpenalisedhighaltmetricrankings(21%ofparticipants);(ii)prioritisedbothtraditionalmetricsandreproducibility,butpenalisedaltmetrics(27%);(iii)distributedfundingequallyirrespectiveofmetrics(37%);and(iv)weightedallmetricshighlyandapproximatelyequally(15%).Thesefindingsprovideinsightintothoseattributesofresearchersandtheirresearchprioritisedbykeystakeholders—thegeneralpublic.

10. 1:40–1:50PMAdversityinNegotiations:Self-Efficacy’sRoleinManagingSetbacks.JulieJaSupervisor:ProfPhilipSmith,ProfMaraOlekalnsAbstract:Themomentsthatdirectlyfollowafteranadverseeventinanegotiationareacrucialwindowperiodwherenegotiatorsareabletosteertherelationshipawayfromfurtheradversity,howeverlittleisknownaboutwhatfactorsmayhelpthisprocess.Usinga2x2experimentaldesign(N=200),thepresentstudyusedasequenceoftwonegotiationstotesttherelativeimpactofself-efficacyoncognitiveappraisalstrategies(reflective,immersed)andemotion(positive,negative)onnegotiators’economicoutcomesandemotionalsatisfactionafteradversity.Resultsindicatedthatafterthesecondnegotiation,Self-efficacyinfluencedtherelationshipbetweensatisfactionselfbutonlyinthereflectivecognitiveappraisalcondition.Contrarytoexpectations,thesefindingsindicatethatinthereflectivecognitiveappraisal,higherlevelsofSelf-efficacywereassociatedwithlowerlevelsoffeelingsabouttheselfwhentheemotionwaspositiveandthatinsteadhigherlevelsofself-


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efficacywasassociatedwithlowerlevelsoffeelingsabouttheselfwhentheemotionwasnegative.Maineffectsofself-efficacyoneconomicoutcomeandsatisfactionwithinstrumentaloutcomewerealsofound,suggestingthatoverall,asself-efficacyishigher,outcomesforeconomicandsatisfactionwithselfwillalsoincrease.Implications,futuredirectionsandlimitationsarediscussed.

11. 1:50–2:00PMTheEffectofMotorCostsonChange-of-MindDecisions.RainaAngdiasSupervisor:A/ProfStefanBode,WilliamTurnerAbstract:Anintegralaspectofdecision-makingistheabilitytoreviseourconfidenceinadecision–thatis,tochangeourminds,especiallyinresponsetonewevidenceoraftermakinganerror.Anemergingviewwithinthemetacognitionliteraturesuggeststhatconfidencejudgmentsintegratemultiplesourcesofinformation,andithasrecentlybeenhypothesisedthataction-relatedinformationcanpositivelybiasdecisionconfidence.Here,wetestedthishypothesisdirectlyandinvestigatedwhetherexpendedeffort,orthe“sunk”motorcostsofadecision,biasesperceptualconfidence.Forty-fourparticipantsperformedadifficultluminancediscriminationtaskthatinvolvedidentifyingwhichoftwodynamicstimuli(flickeringgrayscalesquares)wasbrighter.Participantsreportedtheirchoicebysqueezinghand-heldforce-sensitivedynamometers.Wevariedtheeffortrequiredtoreportadecisionacrossthreelevels(low,medium,high).Importantly,therequiredeffortlevelwasonlyrevealedafterparticipantshadinitiatedtheirresponse.Participantsthenratedtheirconfidenceintheirchoice,rangingfrom0%(Certainlyincorrect)to100%(Certainlycorrect).Overall,participantsweremoreconfidentindecisionsthatrequiredgreaterefforttoreport,andthiseffectremainedaftercontrollingforaccuracyandresponsetimes.Thesefindingssuggestthatconfidencejudgmentsaresensitivetothemotorcostsofanalreadyexecutedresponse.Ourfindingsareconsistentwithcontemporarymodelsofmetacognition,whichpositthatmotoroutputscaninformpost-decisionconfidence.

12. 2:00–2:10PMLeveragingcrowdwisdomtoaidforecastinginthecontextofanAustralianelection.AnDangSupervisor:DrGeoffSawAbstract:TheCoalition’ssurprisewinintheAustralianFederalElectionofMay2019brokealongstringofaccurateresultsbyAustralianopinionpollingcompanies,andraisedquestionsabouttherobustnessofforecastingmodelsthataresolelybasedonaggregatingpollingdata.Thistalkintroducesanovelforecastingmodelthatseekstoimprovetheaccuracyoncurrentpollingmodelsbyleveragingthewisdomofthecrowd,thesurprisinglyaccurateresultsthatmaybeobtainedbycombiningagroupofindividualjudgments(Davis-Stober,Budescu,Dana,&Broomell,2014).Ithasbeenargued(e.g.Arrowetal.,2008)thatcrowd-basedforecastingmethodssuchaspredictionmarketswilloutperformpollsbecausetheyareabletoincorporatereal-timechangesinpublicsentiment,andaggregatebothpublicandprivateinformation.Theproposedmodelseekstoachievegreaterrobustnessagainstpollingerrorsbycombiningpollingdatawithcrowd-baseddata.


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InthistalkIwillanalyzetheperformanceofpolling-andcrowd-basedmethodsofforecastingthe2019AustralianFederalElection.Iwilldiscussissuessuchastheextenttowhichpollingandcrowderrorsarecorrelatedwitheachother,andtheextenttowhichpollstersarepublishingresultsthatareindependentfromeachother.

13. 2:10–2:20PMManagingAdversityinNegotiation:TheRoleofAppraisal,EmotionandTrust.DanaMeadsSupervisor:ProfMaraOlekalns,ProfPhilipSmithAbstract:Negotiatorsoftenfaceadversity,however,factorsthatcanassistnegotiationstocontinuesuccessfullyafterexperiencingadversityhavenotbeenclearlyidentified.Thecurrentstudyinvestigatestheroleofcognitiveappraisal,emotionandtrustinmitigatingthenegativeconsequencesofadverseeventsinnegotiation.Participants(N=200)tookpartintwostimulatednegotiations.Thefirstnegotiationhadasmallbargainingrange,whichisdifficultastherearefewoptionsavailableforagreement.Thus,creatingadversity.Aftercompletingthefirstnegotiation,fourfactorsoftrustweremeasured:Ability,Benevolence,BehaviouralIntegrityandValueCongruence.Thesecondnegotiationwasmanipulatedusinga2(Appraisal:ReflectivevsImmersed)by2(Emotion:PositivevsNegative)experimentaldesign.Thesecondnegotiationwasmorecomplexandincludedissuesthatofferedparticipantstheopportunitytoworktogethertocreatevalue.Economicandsubjectivevalueoutcomes(SVI)wereself-reportedforthesecondnegotiation.ResultsshowedthatAbilityinfluencedtherelationshipbetweenreflectiveappraisal,emotionandtheSVIsub-scale,FeelingsabouttheIndividual.Contrarytoexpectations,thisrelationshipindicatesthathighertrustinAbilityafterthefirstnegotiationisassociatedwithhigherFeelingsabouttheIndividualafterasubsequentnegotiation,whenpositiveemotionisexperiencedwithreflectiveappraisal,butnotwithimmersedappraisal.

14. 2:20–2:30PM

DoArbitraryNormsInfluenceGenerosity?RhysHaslamSupervisor:A/ProfPiersHoweAbstract:Peoplearemorelikelytoengageinabehaviourwhentheyknowthatthemajorityofotherpeoplehavealsoengagedinthatsamebehaviour.Thisphenomenonisknownasthedescriptivenormeffect.Itisstillunclearastowhyandinwhatcontextthiseffectoccurs,butrecentworkbyPryor,PerforsandHowe(2019)hasshownthatpeoplewillfollowdescriptivenormsevenwhentheyareknowntobearbitrary,suggestingthatthesenormsdonothavetoprovideusefulinformationforconformitytooccur.However,participantsinthoseexperimentshadnoconsequencestotheirdecisionandthereforehadnoreasontoengageinslower,deliberatethinkingwhenmakingtheirchoice.ThecurrentstudyexaminedifthefindingsbyPryoretal.(2019)wouldgeneralizetoacontextinwhichaperson’sdecisionwouldaffectthemselves.ThiswastestedbyreplicatingthearbitrarynormparadigmusedinPryoretal.(2019)withtheinclusionofadonationchoiceviatheDictatorGame.Theintroductionofmoneyledtotwocompetinghypotheses.First,theincreasedpersonalcostof


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followingthenormwouldpromptparticipantstothinkmoreaboutthedecision,andthustheywouldnotbeinfluencedbyclearlyarbitrarynorms.Alternatively,thepersonalcostmaynotencourageparticipantstothinkdeliberatelyabouttheirdecision,thustheywouldcontinuetofollowthenorm.Wefindthatwhenmoneyisinvolved,peoplearelesslikelytofollowarbitrarynorms.

15. 2:30–2:40PMNegativeMoralValenceandContextual-informationExpectancyInduceMoral-JudgementUncertainty.JoshuaWhiteSupervisor:A/ProfStefanBodeAbstract:Inthecourseofsociallife,weoftenmakemoraljudgmentsintheabsenceofallthesurroundingcontextualinformationthatinformsthem.Indeed,weoftenmaketemporarycontext-absentmoraljudgmentsexpectingthatmorecontextualinformationwillinevitablycometolightthatmayrequiretheirupdate.Thepresentstudyinvestigatestheeffectofsuchcontextual-informationexpectancy,aswellasstimulusmoralvalence,onthecertaintyofmoraljudgments.Participants(N=62)observedavariantofthedictatorgame,wherebya‘Decision-maker’isgiven10dollarsandmustdecidehowmanywholedollarsthereoftosharewithanotherperson(the‘Receiver’).Participantssubsequentlymadecontext-absentmoraljudgmentsabouttheDecision-maker’saction,bothwhenexpectinglatercontextualupdateabouttheReceiversdeservingness(context-updatetrials),andwhenknowingthatnofurthercontextualinformationwasforthcoming(context-statictrials).Participantsmadethesemoraljudgmentsforallcombinationsofcontext-expectancyconditionandDecision-makeroffer(i.e.themonetaryamountgiventotheReceiver;$0–10).Moral-judgmentresponsetimesweremodelledwithgammadistributed,identity-linkedgeneralisedlinearmixedmodelsutilisingthecontext-expectancycondition,Decision-makeroffer,andtheinteractiontherebetweenasfixedpredictorvariables,withthebestmodelselectedusingAIC.Resultsrevealsignificantresponsetimeeffectsforcontextexpectancy(b=0.024s,p=.013)andDecision-makeroffer(b=-0.026s,p<.001)andsupportthehypothesisthatbothnegativemoralvalenceandcontext-expectancyinduceuncertaintyinmoraljudgments.

16. 2:40–2:50PMTheeffectofsetsizeonprocessingarchitectureinchangedetectiondecision-making.LaurenClaireFongSupervisor:A/ProfDanielLittle,DrAntheaBlundenAbstract:Currentmodelsofchangedetectionhaveaimedtocharacterisetheitemcapacityofvisualshorttermmemory(VSTM)aseitherhavingadiscretenumberofslotsthatholdalimitednumberofitems,orasalimitedresourcethatflexiblyallocatesacrossmultipleitems.However,thewaythatdecision-makingismadeinchangedetectionparadigms,alongwiththetime-courseofsuchdecisions,havebeenlargelyoverlooked.RecentworkbyBlunden,Hammond,Howe,andLittle(2019)employedanextensionofSystemsFactorialTechnology(SFT;Townsend&Nozawa,1995)andtheLogicalRulesmodel(Fifić,Little,&Nosofsky,2010)toinvestigatethearchitectureofdecision-making(i.e.whetherprocessingis


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conductedinaserial,parallel,orcoactivefashion),decisionalstoppingrule(i.e.exhaustive,orself-terminating)andcapacitylimitations(i.e.limitedcapacity,unlimitedcapacity,orsupercapacity)invisualdisplaysoftwoitems.Theyfoundthatprocessingoftwospatiallyseparatedstimuliwasconductedinaparallelself-terminatingfashionwithlimitedcapacity.However,bothlaboratory-basedresearch,andchangedetectioninareal-worldsettingoftenrequiremonitoringofmorethantwoitems.Therefore,thecurrentstudyaimedtocharacterisedecision-makinginaone-shotchangedetectionparadigmusing1to4spatiallyseparatedluminancediscs.Twofactorialmanipulationswereused-changediscriminability(i.e.highorlow),andworkload(i.e.nochange,onechange,ortwochanges).Usingpooleddatafromtheresults,wefoundthatprocessingwasalsoconductedinaparallelself-terminatingfashionwithlimitedcapacityacrosssetsizes2,3and4.Thisalignswiththesamplesizemodelaccount(Sewell,Lilburn,&Smith,2014),whereafinitenumberofsamplescanbetakenfromavisualdisplay,assumingthatsamplesaretakenuniformlyfromeachlocation.Hence,assetsizeincreases,thequalityofsamplesdecreasesasindividualshavealimitedcapacitytosamplefrommultiplesourcesofvisualinformation.

VISION3:30–5:00pmMedleyTheatre

1. 3:30-3:40PMDissociableeffectsofperceivedpositionandperceivedmotioninthehigh-phiillusion.SidneyDaviesSupervisor:DrHinzeHogendoornAbstract:Ithasbeenproposedthatthebrainemploysanticipatorymechanismsthatallowustocompensatefortheprocessingdelaysinherentinneuraltransmission.Arangeofmotion-basedvisualillusions(suchastheflash-lageffect)havebeentakenasevidenceforpredictivemechanismsinvisualmotionprocessing.Arecentadditionisthehigh-phiillusion,inwhichamovingtextureissuddenlyreplacedbyanew,uncorrelatedtexture.Theobserverperceivesthetransientreplacementasrapidmotioneventhoughnomotionispresented.Ithasbeenshownthatwhentheinducingmotiondurationisshort,theillusory‘jump’isperceivedasforward,whereaswhentheinducingmotiondurationislong,thejumpisperceivedasbackward.Here,weinvestigatedwhetherthisillusorymotionissufficienttocausemotion-inducedpositionshifts.Combiningthehigh-phiillusionwiththeflash-grabeffect,weexploredtheinteractionbetweenpositionandmotionsignals.Consistentwithpreviousreports,thehigh-phijumpwasperceivedasforwardforshortinducerdurationsandbackwardforlongerdurations.Importantly,wealsodemonstratedthatastatictargetflashedconcurrentlywiththetransientismislocalised,indicatingevenillusorymotionissufficienttoinducemotion-inducedpositionshifts.Interestingly,althoughthetargetwasshiftedforwardforshortinducerdurationsandbackwardforlonginducerdurations,thetime-courseofmislocalisationwasfoundtohaveanearlieronsetthanperceivedmotiondirection.Thissuggestspredictivemechanismsinwhichmotionsignalsinfluenceperceivedpositionareimplementedveryearlyinthevisualhierarchy.


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2. 3:40–3:50PMDowaterviewsrestoresustainedattention?AnnabellePontvianneSupervisor:A/ProfKatherineJohnsonAbstract:AttentionRestorationTheoryproposesthatexposuretocertaintypesofnaturalstimulirestoresdirectedattention.Empiricalevidenceisequivocalhowever,andtheresearchisoftenlimitedtoexposuretovegetationoranindiscriminateblendofwaterandvegetation.ThisstudyexaminedthedifferentialeffectsofexposuretowaterandvegetationonsustaineddirectedattentionperformanceSeventy-nineuniversitystudents(26males)weretestedontheSustainedAttentiontoResponseTask(SART),thenquasi-randomlyallocatedtooneofthreeconditionsinwhichtheywereshowneitheradigitalimageofameadowwithtrees,abeach,oracity,for40seconds.TheythenperformedtheSARTagain.Usinganeye-tracker,theparticipant’spupildiameterswererecordedduringtheSARTs,providingameasureoftonicarousal.Perceivedrestorationafterviewingtheimagewasalsomeasured.Itisanticipatedthatexposuretothewaterandvegetationnaturalsceneswillhaveabeneficialeffectonperceivedrestoration,andthenumberoferrorsmadeontheSART,buttherewillnotbeaphysiologicaleffectunderpinningthepsychologicalrestoration.

3. 3:50–4:00PMExploringtheNeuralComponentsofConfidenceBasedJudgementsandTheirRoleinSelectiveAttentionMackenzieMurphySupervisor:A/ProfStefanBode,DrDanielFeuerriegelAbstract:Perceptualdecisionmakingisubiquitousinoureverydaylives,andsometimeswhenwecommittoadecision,wemakeanerror.Muchoftheliteratureinperceptualdecisionmakinghasexploredthebehaviouralandneuralresponsesthatoccurasaresultoftheseerrors.However,whatisnotsowellunderstoodishowpeople’sfeelingsofconfidenceareincorporatedintothisdecision-makingprocess.Studieshaveshownthatfollowingerrors,thereappearstobeasensorydampeningeffecttotask-relevantinformation.However,arecentstudybySteinhauserandAndersen(2018)hasshowntheoppositeeffectwhereparticipant’sattentiontotaskrelevantinformationwasinfactheightenedaftererrorcommission.Theaimofthecurrentstudyistoexplorewhetherthisadaptivepost-errorincreaseinattention(asshownbySteinhauserandAndersen,2018)canalsobeexplainedbyfeelingsoflowconfidence.ByadoptingasimilarmethodologicalapproachtoSteinhauserandAndersen(2018),thestudyaimedtotracksensoryresponsemodulationsbyrecordingsteady-statevisualevokedpotentials(SSVEPs)inamodifiedperceptualdiscriminationtask.Targetgratingswerepresentedconsistingofleft-tiltingandright-tiltingstripeswithinacircularaperturethatcontrast-reversedat20Hz.Foraperiodof100ms,thecontrastwasincreasedononesetofstripesandparticipantshadtojudgewhichsetofstripeswasmoreobvious.Thiswasthetargetstimulus.Afterparticipantsmadearesponse,thesametargetstimulusappearedagainfor400mson50%oftrials(secondtarget),followedbyaconfidencerating.Thissecondtargetwasincludedsothatparticipantswouldstarttoanticipateadditionalinformation.Itwashypothesisedthatontrialswhenthesecondtarget


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didnotappearparticipantswouldstillincreasetheirattentiontowardsthestimulus(indexedbyanincreaseSSVEPamplitude),butonlyinsituationsoflowconfidence.

4. 4:00–4:10PMMotionextrapolationintheflash-lageffectdependsonperceived,ratherthanphysicalspeed.LyshaLeeSupervisor:DrHinzeHogendoornAbstract:Theflash-lageffectisawell-knownparadigmusedtoinvestigatehowobjectlocalizationandmotionencodinginteractwithinthevisualsystem.Inthisillusion,aflashthatisphysicallyalignedwithamovingobjectappearstolagbehindtheobject.Motionextrapolationisapopularaccountforthiseffect,inwhichmotioninformationisusedtopredictand‘shift’anobject’sperceivedpositionforwardalongitstrajectory.Here,westudytheextrapolationaccountoftheflash-lageffectbyusingthefloatingsquareillusion(inwhichtheobjectsdefinedbydynamicnoiseareperceivedtomovefasterthanobjectsdefinedbystaticnoise)todissociateperceivedandphysicalvelocity.Wehypothesizedthatmanipulatingperceivedspeedwouldalsoaffectthedegreetowhichthemovingobjectisextrapolatedinspace,andassuchthemagnitudeoftheflash-lagillusion.Participants(N=28)viewedacircularversionoftheflash-lageffect,inwhicharotatingwedgewasdefinedbyoneofseveralcombinationsofstaticanddynamicnoise.Aspredicted,objectsdefinedbydynamicnoiseonastaticnoisebackgroundyieldedthelargestflash-lagmagnitudes.Afollow-upcontrolexperiment(N=20)wasconductedtoverifythatperceivedvelocitywasinfactbeingmanipulatedbythestimuli.Thesefindingssuggestthattheflash-lageffectdependsonperceived,ratherthanphysicalspeed,providingabetterunderstandingofthespecificmechanismsunderlyingspatiallocalizationwithinthevisualsystem,andbyextensionforhowthebrainenableseffectiveinteractionwithdynamicenvironments.

5. 4:10–4:20PMVisualStatisticalLearning:TheRoleofFamiliarity.RachelYamSupervisor:A/ProfAmyPerforsAbstract:Statisticallearning(SL)isamechanismthroughwhichcognitivesystemsdiscoverenvironmentalregularitiesbytakingininformationandpredictingevents.Thisunderpinsabroadrangeoflearningsinceitinvolvesprocessingandpredictinginput.SLresearchremainmixedregardingitsdomaingenerality,andfactorsforindividualdifferencesinSLremainsunclear.Despiteperceptualfluency(PF)–thepropensitytoencodeandrememberspecificstimuli–beingcitedasonepossiblefactor,experimentalresearchislacking.Thispaperendeavouredtoresolveinconsistenciesinliteraturebyfirstarguingforageneral-yet-constrainedconceptionofstatisticallearning.Wethenexamineiffamiliaritems,potentiallyenhancingPFthroughmoreefficientencoding,aidsstatisticallearning.174universitystudentsconsistingChineseandnon-ChinesespeakersweregivenSLandPFtasksontwodifferentstimulisets:novelshapesandChinesecharacters.Consequently,theChinesespeakerswouldfindtheChinesestimulihighlyfamiliar;allotherparticipant/stimulussetcombinationswouldnotinvolvefamiliarity.Two2x2ANOVAswereconductedtoinvestigateifparticipantandstimulustypepredictSL


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andPFscores.Weexpectedaninteractionbetweenparticipantandstimulustype,withChinesespeakershavingbetterSLandPFperformanceonChinesestimulibutallotherparticipant/stimuluscombinationsperformingsimilarly.PreliminaryresultssuggestthatChinesespeakersdidhavebetterSLandPFscoresonChinesestimuliascomparedtonon-Chinesespeakersonthesamestimuli,andthatbothparticipantgroupsperformedsimilarlyontheshapestimuli–implyingtheinfluenceofPFvariationonindividualdifferencesinSL.

6. 4:20–4:30PMFeature-FeatureBinding:ASolutiontotheVisualBindingProblem?FeivenFanSupervisor:A/ProfPiersHoweAbstract:Consciousperceptionofcoherentobjectsrequiresthebindingofindividualfeaturesfromseparatebrainregions.Recentresearchsuggeststhatthevisualsystemindependentlyassociateseachfeatureofthevisualfieldwithaparticularspaceandtime,suchthatfeaturesthatco-occurinthesamelocationortimeperiodareperceivedtogethertobelongtooneobject.Thisisinsupportofthefeature-locationtheoryofvisualbinding.Itremainsuncertainwhetherobjectsdefinedbyastructuralhierarchyinpart-wholecolourconjunctionscouldbepre-attentivelyboundandprocessedtogetherbyaprocessofdirectfeature-featurebinding.Thisstudyextendspreviousresearchbyimplementingapart-wholecolourxcolourconjunctionstimulus,thathasbeenshowntobeefficientlyprocessed.Itishypothesisedthattheerrorsinfeaturereportswillbecorrelatedinbothi)timeandii)space,whichwouldsuggestdirectfeature-featurebinding.Participantswere75individuals(64female,11male),ranginginagefrom17to32years(M=19.19,SD=2.12).Aone-sidedt-testdesignwasusedtoidentifycorrelationsintheerrorsoffeaturereportsacrossfourexperiments(temporalandspatialbinding).Contrarytopredictions,wedidnotfindsignificantcorrelationsintheerrorsoffeaturereports.Itwasconcludedthatfeaturesofobjectsthatconferahierarchicaladvantageareprocessedindependentlywithanassociatedspatiotemporaltag.Furtherresearchmaywishtoinvestigatewhetherdirectfeaturebindingoccursintheprocessingofintegralfeaturesofanobject(i.e.heightandwidth).

7. 4:30–4:40PMDoesPerceptualDistinctivenessDeterminetheOccurrenceofAttributeAmnesia?ShutSumLauSupervisor:A/ProfPiersHoweAbstract:Attributeamnesiaisacounter-intuitivephenomenonthatobserversareunabletorecallasalientattributeofanobjectorimagetheyhavejustseeniftestedunexpectedly.Previousresearchsuggestedfamiliaritywasthekeyfactorelicitingtheamnesiaeffect.Asvisuallong-termmemorywasprimarilyconceptual,thisresearchaimedtoinvestigatewhetherthisfamiliarityfactorwasattributabletoperceptualdistinctiveness.Accordingly,wehypothesisedthatthephenomenonwouldonlyoccurforperceptualchangesbutnotforconceptualchanges.Duringtheexperiment,113(18male)participantsfromUniversityofMelbournewereallocatedtooneofthefourconditions:(i)uniqueimageswithacomparisonoftwodifferentanimals,(ii)uniqueimageswithacomparisonoftwomirrorimagesofthesameanimal,(iii)uniqueimageswithacomparisonoftwostatechangeimagesofthe


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sameobject,and(iv)repeatedimageswithacomparisonoftwodifferentanimals.Theyrespondedtoaseriesof45trials,followedbyasurprisetrial,andlastly,fourpost-surprisetrials.Thepre-surprisetrialsaskedparticipantstoreportthelocationofthetarget.Onthesurprisetrial,participantswereunexpectedlyaskedtoreportthetargetbasedoneitheritsconceptualorperceptualchanges.Thepost-surprisetrialswerethesameasthesurprisetrial.Chi-squaredtestsrevealednosignificantdifferencesbetweenthe(ii)and(iii)conditions,suggestingattributeamnesiawasnotattributabletoperceptualnorconceptualdistinctivenessinimages.Attributeamnesiawasonlyobservedintherepeatedcondition(iv),supportingtherobustnessoffamiliarityintheoccurrenceofattributeamnesia.Futureresearchisencouragedtoinvestigatetowhatextentandhowexpectationmanipulatesmemoryrecallforattendedinformation.

8. 4:40–4:50PMThere'saTimeandaFace:TheTimeCourseofCompositeFaceProcessing.CarmenLynchSupervisor:A/ProfDanielLittleAbstract:Theuniquenatureoffacesasobjectsisdefinedthroughtheirabilitytobeprocessedholistically.Thecompositefacetaskhaswidelybeenusedasatooltoindexsuchholisticprocessing.Inthistask,itisdifficulttomakerecognitiondecisionsaboutonehalfofacompositefacewithoutexperiencinginterferencefromtheotherhalf,describedasafailureofselectiveattention.Thiseffecthasbeendocumentednumeroustimes,yetwhatholismtrulymeansiscontentious;variousothertasksusedtomeasurecompositefaceshavefounddifferentresults.Thepresentstudyaimedtoexaminethetypeofprocessingfoundinthecompositefacetaskthroughtheuseofaresponsesignalparadigm,wherebythetotalamountoftimetomakearecognitiondecisionismanipulatedandtheresultingchangesinaccuracyaremapped.Theoutcomeisadepictionofthetimecourseofcompositefaceprocessing.

9. 4:50–5:00PMHowisinformationstoredinvisualshort-termmemory?JacobMcKewSupervisor:A/ProfPiersHoweAbstract:Themeansbywhichinformationisstoredinvisualshort-termmemory(VSTM)hasbeendebatedoverrecentdecades.LuckandVogel(1997)proposedthatVSTMislimitedincapacitynotbythenumberoffeatures,butthenumberofobjects.This‘objectadvantage’suggeststhatinformationwouldbebestrememberedwhenallfeatures(e.g.colours)arecombinedintoasingleobjectratherthandistributedoverseveralobjects.However,thephenomenonofchunking,wherebyunitsofinformationaregroupedintochunkssothatmoreinformationmayberemembered,countersthe‘objectadvantage’hypothesis.Thus,twoexperimentswereconductedtoclarifythis.InExperiment1,usingachangedetectionparadigm,participantswererequiredtoindicateiftwosequentiallydisplayedvisualarrayswerethesameordifferent.Eacharraycontained12colours,displayedasone,three,or12objects.Achangeinonecolouroccurredinhalfthetrials.Itwashypothesisedthatmemoryperformancewouldbebestforthethreeobjectcondition.


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AsimilarchangedetectionparadigmwasutilisedinExperiment2,buteacharraycontainedanine-digitstring,andinhalfthetrials,digitstingsstingsweredividedbytwohyphenstoformchunksofthree.Achangeinonedigitoccurredinhalfthetrials.Inhalfthetrials,participantswererequiredtopartakeinarticulatorysuppressiontoimpairmaintenancerehearsal.Itwashypothesisedthatmemoryperformancewouldbebestforthehyphenated,non-articulatorysuppressioncondition.Resultsforbothexperimentsarepending.

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