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Environmental Stimulation (environmental + stimulation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Psychology	80%

Selected Abstracts

Extending the evaluation of a computer system used as a microswitch for word utterances of persons with multiple disabilities

JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 9 2005
G. E. Lancioni
Abstract Background Microswitches can be vital tools to help individuals with extensive multiple disabilities acquire control of environmental stimulation. This study was aimed at extending the evaluation of a computer system used as a microswitch for word utterances with three participants with multiple disabilities. Method Sets of 7 or 12 word utterances were used for the participants. The utterances were divided into three groups, which were exposed to intervention successively. During the intervention and a 2-month post-intervention check, the participants' emission of the target utterances led the system to present favourite, matching stimuli (i.e. provided that it recognized the utterances). Results Intervention data showed that (1) the participants increased the frequencies of the target utterances and (2) the computer system recognized approximately 80% of those utterances. These findings were maintained at the post-intervention check. An analysis of the levels of occurrence of individual utterances showed statistically significant differences among them, in line with the notions of preference and choice. Conclusions The computer system was useful as a microswitch to enable access to favourite stimuli. There is a need to improve the accuracy of the system with respect to its recognition of the participants' utterances. [source]

Listen to the noise: noise is beneficial for cognitive performance in ADHD

THE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 8 2007
Göran Söderlund
Background:, Noise is typically conceived of as being detrimental to cognitive performance. However, given the mechanism of stochastic resonance, a certain amount of noise can benefit performance. We investigate cognitive performance in noisy environments in relation to a neurocomputational model of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dopamine. The Moderate Brain Arousal model (MBA; Sikström & Söderlund, 2007) suggests that dopamine levels modulate how much noise is required for optimal cognitive performance. We experimentally examine how ADHD and control children respond to different encoding conditions, providing different levels of environmental stimulation. Methods:, Participants carried out self-performed mini tasks (SPT), as a high memory performance task, and a verbal task (VT), as a low memory task. These tasks were performed in the presence, or absence, of auditory white noise. Results:, Noise exerted a positive effect on cognitive performance for the ADHD group and deteriorated performance for the control group, indicating that ADHD subjects need more noise than controls for optimal cognitive performance. Conclusions:, The positive effect of white noise is explained by the phenomenon of stochastic resonance (SR), i.e., the phenomenon that moderate noise facilitates cognitive performance. The MBA model suggests that noise in the environment, introduces internal noise into the neural system through the perceptual system. This noise induces SR in the neurotransmitter systems and makes this noise beneficial for cognitive performance. In particular, the peak of the SR curve depends on the dopamine level, so that participants with low dopamine levels (ADHD) require more noise for optimal cognitive performance compared to controls. [source]

A new microswitch to enable a boy with minimal motor behavior to control environmental stimulation with eye blinks

BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS, Issue 2 2005
Giulio E. Lancioni
This study assessed whether a boy with profound multiple disabilities and minimal motor behavior would be able to control environmental stimulation using repeated eye blinks with a newly developed microswitch (i.e. an electronically regulated optic sensor mounted on an eyeglasses frame). The study was carried out according to an ABAB design and included a 3 month post-intervention check. Data showed that the boy had a large increase in the target response (repeated eye blinks) to activate the microswitch and produce environmental stimulation during the B (intervention) phases. This performance was maintained at the post-intervention check. Practical and developmental implications of the findings were discussed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]