Date of Award

1-1-1985

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Abstract

The present study investigated a theoretical model of neuroattentional self-control systems postulated by Tucker and Williamson (1984) by examining how the systems they outline present themselves behaviorally. One system, the Activation system, was described as functionally important for preparing the organism for maintaining a tonic, motoric readiness for action. It is complemented by an Arousal system, whose main function was to perceptually orient the central nervous system to novelty in the stimulus array. The former was postulated to be left-lateralized while the latter was said to be right-lateralized, in terms of hemispheric specialization. To examine this model, 40 subjects (20 males, 20 females), all right handed, were classified into groups by how they scored on tests of trait anxiety and introversion/extraversion, based on previous research which had demonstrated that these measures were related to lateralized brain function. Specifically, it was hypothesized that introverted, high anxious (I-HA) subjects would prefer to utilize a left-hemispheric, Activational attentional style while less anxious, extraverted subjects (E-LA) would preferentially utilize an attentional style characterized by the Arousal system. Spectrally-analyzed EEG data were obtained while the subjects processed prose material. Based on the operating characteristics highlighted in Tucker and Williamson's model (1984), it was hypothesized that the I-HA group would demonstrate a lower percentage of recall than the E-LA group at faster rates of presentation as well as when the main points of the passage were considered. Additionally, it was hypothesized that during prose processing, the I-HA group would show more left hemispheric usage whereas the E-LA group would show more right hemisphere usage, as shown in EEG power spectral measures. In all of the memory performance measures, no findings were consistent with the hypotheses stated. Only minimal EEG findings were noted which supported our claims, but these were complicated by complex, high-level interactions. Those results are discussed in terms of the relationship of personality to lateral brain function and arousal as well as future considerations for further testing of this model.

Download

Share

COinS