Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Character – Psychological aspects'

Chinese characters are used by about one-fifth of the world population. Each character can generally be analyzed and represented at three orthographic levels including single stroke, component and whole character. Regardless of the number of strokes a Chinese character has, it always occupies a square area. Such special spatial layout leads to a great variation in stroke density, i.e., visual complexity, among Chinese characters. Here in this thesis, the effects of visual complexity on Chinese character recognition were examined to investigate the visual processing of Chinese characters in both central and peripheral vision. Empirical findings from four psychophysical studies will be reported. First, the efficiency of detecting and recognizing Chinese characters of different complexity levels was studied. Human recognition of a more complex Chinese character was found to be generally less efficient than that of a simpler one. The relationship between efficiency and complexity had a log-log slope of approximately -1, suggesting that the basic features for recognizing a single Chinese character might be less complex than the simplest object used, which is a single stroke. Analysis results of the detection and recognition efficiency were consistent with a two-stage processing model of Chinese character recognition—feature detection followed by feature integration. Results in peripheral vision suggested that the feature integration process was adversely influenced by internal crowding. Second, the spatial frequency characteristics of recognizing Chinese characters of different complexity levels were examined. The results showed that the peak tuning frequency for recognizing a more complex Chinese character was higher and the bandwidth of the spatial tuning functions was narrower than for recognizing a simpler character. In addition, the effects of size on such spatial frequency characteristics depended on the complexity level. The comparison of human performance against the corresponding performance of a CSF-limited ideal observer model implied that the processing mechanism of recognizing simple and complex characters was different. Moreover, similar results were observed among native Chinese and non-Chinese readers, suggesting that expertise might not influence front end processing properties such as the spatial frequency characteristics of Chinese character recognition. Third, the importance of utilizing spatial frequency information of different orientations (i.e., horizontal versus vertical) in Chinese character recognition was investigated. Results showed higher efficiency in utilizing vertical than horizontal stroke information for Chinese character recognition among native Chinese readers whereas non-Chinese readers used both vertical and horizontal stroke information similarly. Fourth, the effects of the target-flanker similarity in complexity on crowding in Chinese character recognition were examined. The results suggested that the behavior of feature integration process in peripheral vision might be consistent with summation theory, which stresses on the relationship between the processing capacity of neurons and the processing demand of stimuli. The “excessive feature integration explanation” of crowding was also discussed in the context of the current findings. Building on previous research in the literature, results from the four studies in this thesis were synthesized in a proposal of a visual information processing model for Chinese character recognition.
published_or_final_version
Psychology
Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy

This thesis identifies and explores the types of communication modes that exist in video games. Different types of communication are identified and discussed based on Frye's audience centered theory of modes. The inferior communication mode, the mimetic communication mode, the leader-centered communication mode, the romantic communication mode, and the mythical communication mode are all explained. A convenience sample of six video game players were interviewed about video games. An analysis of their self-identification statements revealed that players seek a high level of romantic communication when playing video games. The romantic communication mode makes the video game world an idealized place where the players are able to manipulate their circumstances or show more intelligence than the user in reality. Uses of the communication modes are also explained.
Department of Telecommunications

Holistic processing and left-side bias are both behavioral markers of expert face recognition. In contrast, expertise in Chinese character recognition involves left-side bias but reduced holistic processing (Hsiao & Cottrell, 2009). Here I hypothesized that this reduction in holistic processing may be related to writing rather than reading experience. In Experiment 1, I tested Chinese literates who could read and write Chinese characters fluently (Writers), and Chinese literates who had limited writing practices and thus had reading performance far exceeding their writing ability (Limited-writers). I found that Writers perceived Chinese characters less holistically than Limited-writers. In contrast to what previous research suggested, reduction in holistic processing in Chinese readers depended on writing experience instead of reading performance. In addition, reading performance was affected by font familiarity and context for Limited-writers but not Writers. Writing experience seems to enhance analytic processing and awareness of orthographic components of Chinese characters, which may in turn facilitate reading in unfamiliar fonts. By contrast, both Writers and Limited-writers showed a similar level of left-side bias in processing symmetric Chinese characters, suggesting that left-side bias is a consistent expertise marker for orthographic processing uninfluenced by writing experience. In Experiment 2, I investigate the developmental trend of holistic processing in Chinese character recognition and its relationship with reading and writing abilities by testing Chinese children who were learning Chinese at a public elementary school in Hong Kong on these abilities. I found that the holistic processing effect of Chinese characters in children was reduced as they reached higher grades; this reduction was driven by enhanced Chinese literacy rather than age. In addition, I found that writing performance predicts reading performance through reduced holistic processing as a mediator. Overall, the results of this study suggest that writing hones analytic processing, which is essential for expert Chinese character recognition, and in turn facilitates learning to read in Chinese. This study is also the first to identify Limited-writers as a window onto basic processes of reading.
HKU 3 Minute Thesis Award, 2nd Runner-up (2012)
published_or_final_version
Psychology
Master
Master of Philosophy

This case study aims to better understand the process through which a college theatre actor creates and presents a dereified reified "self' (the character(s) they are portraying) in a play environment, and to consider to what extent this process is conscious. In essence, the actor attempts to take nothing for granted, taking apart and examining assumptions and their cultural context. This study posits that the actor is consciously aware of and is able to recognize and manipulate culture to construct a "self' (the character) within a "play universe." This study is unique as it focuses on the actors themselves as the agents of reification as well as dereification as their processes intersect with the director, the script, and eventually the audience. This study also considers the influence of play theory on developing and breaking the "rules" of the created cultural world of the stage play by utilizing the anthropological research methods supplemented with an analysis of the personal journals of cast members. The subject population is a cast of college-age students (18-28 years old), both males (9) and females (8), from Ball State University's Theatre and Dance Department who participated in the fall 2007 production of The Human Faustus Project, directed by Jennifer Blackmer.
Department of Anthropology

Why do people tell stories? Whether it be the oft repeated, endlessly varied fairy tales passed from one generation to the next, the carefully patterned and strictly worded epics of the ancients or tall-tales told around the kitchen table, people have been telling stories to themselves or others since the day someone uttered the first words ever heard on this planet. In the following essay story-telling is called narrativity and is discussed as a function of the desire to impose meaning on experience. The six stories of Drawing the Reader In are about story-telling and how people fail or succeed as story-tellers. Neither can be said to fully answer the question above, rather they elaborate on the possibilities of there being an answer.

The purpose of this study was to build theory about parasocial relationships and to examine what affect, if any, religion had on parasocial relationships. Using qualitative methods, the researcher watched the show three times with five women followed by an in-depth interview. The women chosen were LDS stay-at-home moms who had watched a soap opera for at least a year. From this data came several surprising findings about religion and soap opera viewing. The women said they did not feel guilty about the content of the shows, rather the time required to watch. This guilt was alleviated by structuring their daily tasks around watching the shows. Also, since the women viewed the show as entertainment, they were less likely to judge the actions of the characters as harshly as if it were real-life. Current life situation was also the biggest factor in whether or not a parasocial relationship existed and how strong that relationship is. This thesis illustrates the need for a comprehensive theory about parasocial relationships. As the media becomes more prominent in our lives, parasocial relationships will need to become understood in greater detail in order to understand what possible effect, if any, they could have.

Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Division of Humanities, Department of English, 2007.
Bibliography: p. 239-289.
Introduction -- Fantastic metamorphosis as childhood 'otherness' -- The metamorphic growth of wings : deviant development and adolescent hybridity -- Tenors of maturation: developing powers and changing identities -- Changing representations of werewolves: ideologies of racial and ethnic otherness -- The desire for transcendence: jouissance in selkie narratives -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Appendix: "The great Silkie of Sule Skerry": three versions.
My central thesis is that fantastic motifs work on a metaphorical level to encapsulate and express ideologies that have frequently been naturalised as 'truths'. I develop a theory of motif metaphors in order to examine the ideologies generated by the fantastic motif of metamorphosis in a range of contemporary children's and young adult fantasy texts. Although fantastic metamorphosis is an exceptionally prevalent and powerful motif in children's and young adult fantasy literature, symbolising important ideas about change and otherness in relation to childhood, adolescence, and maturation, and conveying important ideologies about the world in which we live, it has been little analysed in children's literature criticism. The detailed analyses of particular metamorphosis motif metaphors in this study expand and refine our academic understanding of the metamorphosis figure and consequently provide insight into the underlying principles and particular forms of a variety of significant ideologies.
By examining several principal metamorphosis motif metaphors I investigate how a number of specific cultural beliefs are constructed and represented in contemporary children's and young adult fantasy literature. I particularly focus upon metamorphosis as a metaphor for childhood otherness; adolescent hybridity and deviant development; maturation as a process of self-change and physical empowerment; racial and ethnic difference and otherness; and desire and jouissance. I apply a range of pertinent cultural theories to explore these motif metaphors fully, drawing on the interpretive frameworks most appropriate to the concepts under consideration. I thus employ general psychoanalytic theories of embodiment, development, language, subjectivity, projection, and abjection; poststructuralist, social constructionist, and sociological theories; and wide-ranging literary theories, philosophical theories, gender and feminist theories, race and ethnicity theories, developmental theories, and theories of fantasy and animality. The use of such theories allows for incisive explorations of the explicit and implicit ideologies metaphorically conveyed by the motif of metamorphosis in different fantasy texts.
In this study, I present a number of specific analyses that enhance our knowledge of the motif of fantastic metamorphosis and of significant cultural ideologies. In doing so, I provide a model for a new and precise approach to the analysis of fantasy literature.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
[12], 294 p

In Experiments 3 and 4, event-related potentials were recorded to verify the findings of the first two behavioral experiments. Similarly, Experiment 3 employed the lexical decision task and Experiment 4 used the position decision task. First, results revealed that a series of ERP components (P150, P200, and N400) were found to be related to the effect of position-specific radical frequency when the lexical decision task was used (Experiment 3). However, when replacing the lexical decision task with the position decision task but keeping illegal characters as fillers, the effect of position-specific radical frequency became quite weak, which was only associated with P200 (Experiment 4a). Moreover, when using the position decision task but replacing illegal characters with geometric figures as fillers, there were no effects of position-specific radical frequency any more (Experiment 4b). Second, the task was found to influence the time course for effects of position-free radical frequency, which was reflected by P200 in the lexical decision task (Experiment 3) and by N400 in the position decision task (Experiments 4a and 4b). Finally, simple character frequency could play a role in processing compound characters in which simple characters were used as radicals, but such effect was significant only in the position decision task and it was reflected by a change in N400 (Experiments 4a and 4b).
These findings indicate that position-specific radicals could play a role in character recognition, but this effect appears to be constrained by the task and/or the composition of materials. In contrast, effects of position-free radicals keep stable across different tasks and composition of materials. In addition, the findings also suggest that simple character information could exert influence on compound character processing, but only when characters are processed implicitly (e.g., in the position decision task). Implications of this research and future directions are discussed.
This research was designed to examine the processing of different kinds of radical frequency information, i.e. frequency as a position-free radical, frequency as a position-specific radical, and frequency as a stand alone character. Whether the task or the composition of materials could influence the processing of such information was also examined. The first two were behavioral experiments and results indicated that effect of the position-free radical frequency was stable across the lexical decision task (Experiment 1) and the position decision task (Experiment 2). Effect of the position-specific radical frequency emerged only when the lexical decision task was available (Experiment 1).
Wu, Yan.
Adviser: Hsuan Chih Chen.
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 72-04, Section: B, page: .
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-108).
Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Abstract also in Chinese; includes Chinese characters in Appendix A-C.

This study examined the roles of sub-character processing, phonological awareness, morphological awareness, and orthographic knowledge, measured using twelve different tasks hypothesized to indicate these four broad constructs, in Chinese character recognition and English word reading among 536 Hong Kong Chinese kindergartners, second- and fifth-graders. The twelve tasks generally showed an increase in performance with grade level. Confirmatory factor analyses comparing alternative models of these four constituents of Chinese word reading revealed a dynamic pattern of children's latent linguistic or reading processing skills development: The best-fitting model of kindergartners' processing was one that included two broad constructs, broadly termed metalinguistic processing and orthographic processing. In contrast, second-graders showed a fine-grained sensitivity to four distinct skills of sub-character processing, phonological awareness, morphological awareness, and orthographic knowledge. Finally, the latent processing skills of the fifth-graders converged into phonological and orthographic processing. The contributions of each of these initially specified constructs, i.e., sub-character processing, phonological awareness, morphological awareness, and orthographic knowledge, to Chinese word reading varied across each separate grade in regression analyses. The sub-character processing construct was uniquely associated with kindergarten Chinese word reading only. In contrast, the morphological awareness construct was uniquely associated with Chinese word reading in both second- and fifth-graders. The orthographic knowledge construct was uniquely associated with word reading across ail three grades. However, the phonological awareness construct was not uniquely associated with Chinese word reading in any of the groups of children, though it was uniquely associated with English word reading, even with Chinese character recognition skill statistically controlled. These findings demonstrate how Chinese word reading might develop across age and highlight the importance of sub-character processing, morphological awareness and orthographic knowledge for Chinese word reading development as well as the importance of phonological awareness for English word reading.
Tong Xiuli.
Adviser: Catherine McBride-Chang.
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: B, page: 3806.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 151-166).
Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Abstracts in English and Chinese; includes Chinese characters.
School code: 1307.

The aim of this study is to discover to what extent and in what way Peterson and Seligman’s (2004) twenty-four character strengths are present in Winnie the Pooh storybooks, and how they are depicted. Character strengths are a well-known theory in positive psychology and the analysis of children’s literature is a respected genre. A qualitative examination of the text was conducted using content and thematic analyses to extract examples of the strengths. The exemplars were coded and recoded before being subjected to a peer and supervisor review. The excerpts indicated that all strengths are depicted in the text, but Pooh is the only character to exhibit them all. A discussion of the findings revealed that no single strength could be deemed more prominent as they are intrinsically interconnected. It is recommended that the findings be reworked into a training manual for guardians to foster character strengths in young children.
Psychology
M.A. (Psychology)

The main purpose of this study was to determine: * If there is a relationship between certain personality traits and participation in sport. * Whether cricket players possess certain personality traits in general and with regard to levels of play, playing positions and age. The literature study indicated that the study of personality tend to be complex and showed a relationship between personality traits and participation in sport. Furthermore the literature study showed that personality is not static, but dependant on acquired traits and responses. The empirical study revealed that certain personality traits in cricket players figure stronger than others regarding levels of play, playing positions and age, for example cricket players on club level tend to have more self control than school players and bowlers tend to show a larger tendency to disregard social rules and tend to be more enthusiastic, and greater risk-takers than batsmen and wicketkeepers.
Educational Studies
M.Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Li Hong.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-142).
Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Text in Afrikaans
Die doel met hierdie navorsing is om vanuit 'n geestesgesondheidsperspektief ondersoek in te stel na die rolkonflik van die werkende moeder. Die literatuurdoelstellings behels dat rolgedrag verduidelik word. Veranderlikes binne die organisasie- en werksfeer asook farniliesfeer wat tot rolkonflik by die werkende moeder aanleiding gee is beskryf. Die groeisielkunde is vanuit die analitiese, humanistiese en eksistensiele paradigmas aangebied, ten einde 'n geestesgesonde persoonlikheidsprofiel te ontwikkel. Wat die operasionele doelstellings betref, is die veranderlikes wat tot rolkonflik aanleiding gee en die persoonlikheidsfunksionering van tien werkende moeders met hulle eerste kind, deur middel van 'n ongestruktureerde onderhoud, ondersoek. Die verband tussen rolkonflik en 'n geestesgesonde persoonlikheid is vasgestel, om te bepaal hoe geestesgesondheid die hantering van rolkonflik beinvloed. Die resultate dui daarop dat die werkende moeder, met die ervaring van haar rol as moeder, groei in haar persoonlikheidsfunksionering getoon het. Uit die resultate blyk dit dat dit 'n positiewe gesindheid teenoor loopbaan, min werksekuriteit vir die moeder wat in haar eie praktyk werksaam is, onbuigsame werksomstandighede, ondersteuning deur betekenisvolle ander, rolbeperking en hoë deurdringbaarheid tussen die moeder se moeder- en werkrol, temas is wat die rolkonflik wat die werkende moeder ervaar, en gevolglik haar geestesgesondheid, bei:nvloed. Die resultate dui daarop dat die werkende moeder konflik tussen haar moeder- en werkrol, rol as eggenote en eie tyd ervaar. Unieke veranderlikes wat tot rolkonflik lei in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, wat in die navorsing geidentifiseer is, is rolbeperking en gebrek aan werksekuriteit vir die moeder wat haar eie praktyk bedryf. Die geestesgesonde persoonlikheidsfunksionering van die werkende moeder is met die ontwikkelde persoonlikheidsprofiel vergelyk. Dit blyk dat akkurate en realistiese waarnemings van ervarings, vryheid om emosies te beleef, geloof, toekomsgerigtheid en innige interpersoonlike verhoudings die werkende moeder se geestesgesondheid positief kan beinvloed, en tot makliker hantering van rolkonflik lei. Hierteenoor blyk dit dat gebrek aan seltkennis, gebrek aan vryheid van keuse, min emosionele beheer asook onaanvaarbaarheid en onverdraagsaamheid teenoor ander, eienskappe is waar sy heelwat in haar persoonlikheidsfunksionering kan groei. Aanbevelings vir die hantering van rolkonflik deur die werkende moeder is vir die bedryfsielkundige praktyk en die werkende moeder self geformuleer, asook aanbevelings vir verdere navorsingsgeleenthede.
The aim of this research was to study the role conflict experienced by the working mother from the mental health perspective. The literature study includes a description of role behaviour as well as variables within the organisational, work and family spheres that influence role conflict. Growth psychology is presented from analytical, humanistic and existential perspectives, culminating in a profile of the mentally healthy personality. The operational aims involved an investigation of variables that influence role conflict and the personality functioning of ten working mothers who are bringing up their first child. This was conducted through unstructured interviews. This involved determining the relationship between role conflict and a mentally healthy personality, to determine how mental health facilitates coping with role conflict. The results indicate that the working mother showed growth in her personality functioning as a result of the experience of her role as mother. However, the results also indicate that a positive orientation to career, minimal job security for the mother working in her own business, inflexible working conditions, support from significant others, role restriction and high penetrability between the roles of mother and worker, are themes that influence the conflict that the working mother experiences which, in turn, influences her mental health. The working mother experiences conflict between her roles as mother, worker, spouse and individuaL Unique variables that influence role conflict in the South African context were identified, namely, role restriction and minimal job security for the mother who operates her own business. The mental personality functioning of the working mother was compared with the developed personality profile. It seems that accurate and realistic observation of experiences, freedom to express feelings, religion, future orientation and close interpersonal relationships, influence the working mother's mental health positively and lead to better coping with role conflict. In contrast she could grow in terms of the following characteristics: lack of self-knowledge, little freedom of choice, little control over emotions as well as unacceptance and intolerance of others. Recommendations were made to the industrial psychology practice and the working mother herself, on how to handle role conflict, and also regarding future research possibilities.
Industrial and Organisational Psychology
D. Comm. (Bedryfsielkunde)