1

The University of Western Australia

School of Psychology

Presents

UWA Honours Conference

2016

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UWA Honours Conference 2016: Session Times

Tattersall Lecture Theatre (LT) is adjacent to the Bayliss Foyer, on the right.

Wilsmore Lecture Theatre (LT) is adjacent the Bayliss Foyer, on the left. G.33 Bayliss is at the Northern entrance of the Bayliss building.

Bayliss G33 Tattersall LT Wilsmore LT

8.00 AM Opening Ceremony (Bayliss Foyer)

8.15 AM

8.30 AM Memory and

Cognition

Perception Autism &

Neuropsychology 8.45 AM

9.00 AM

9.15 AM

9.30 AM

9.45 AM

10,00 AM

10.15 AM

10.30 AM Morning Tea (Bayliss Foyer)

10.45 AM

11.00 AM Clinical & Suicide Ageing & Sport

Psychology

I/O & Social Psychology

11.15 AM

11.30 AM

11.45 AM

12.00 PM

12.15 PM

12.30 PM

12.45 PM

1.00 PM Lunch (Bayliss Foyer) & Prospective Honours Students Presentation

(Wilsmore LT) 1.15 PM

1.30 PM

1.45 PM Decision Making &

Behavioral Economics

Anxiety Face Perception &

Intelligence 2.00 PM

2.15 PM

2.30 PM

2.45 PM

3.00 PM

3.15 PM

3.30 PM

3.45 PM

4.00 PM Afternoon tea (Bayliss Foyer)

4.15 PM Keynote Presentation (Wilsmore LT)

4.30 PM

4.45 PM Best Presentation Award and Closing Ceremony (Wilsmore LT)

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Session Chairs

UWA Honours Conference 2016: Speaker Schedule

8.00 AM Opening Ceremony (Bayliss Foyer) 8.15 AM Bayliss G33 Tattersall LT Wilsmore LT

8.30 AM Hayley Louise Belstead Dominique Buchanan Cleary Michelle Catherine Hammond

8.45 AM Amy Louise Devine Giorgia Mary Harkin Caitlin Joy Tan De Souza

9.00 AM Hayley Lauren Quekett Nishani Kanchana Jayawardena Natalie Louise Kaiko

9.15 AM Arnold Elton Rodricks Kendra Leigh Dommisse Ciara Leigh Mitchell

9.30 AM Yiheng Wu Rachel Louise Prouse Simon Thomas Thuijs

9.45 AM David Gabriel Khouri Petrina Yuen Ting Wong Laura Anissa Gabriel

10.00 AM Anindita Karajagi Nateesha Christine Tuckett Leon Raphael Osborn

10.15 AM Jianing Li Aurora Celeste Tait Catherine Laura Brogan

10.30 AM Morning Tea (Bayliss Foyer) 10.45 AM

11.00 AM Alyshia Hannah Byrne Lilian Yuet Li Choo Mitchell John Harris

11.15 AM Elliot Treffry Baker-Young Lucy Tamara Glazov Drew Patrick Butson

11.30 AM Vanessa Lynn Brown Anna Rose Jorgensen Jordan Bianca Iley

11.45 AM Anna Claire Badcock Zoe June Mansell Alix Jennifer Smith

12.00 PM Florence Yin Ying Soh Grace Kuen Yee Tan Hannah Maria Goldfinch

12.15 PM Lillian Li-Yan Seow Cathryn Ellen Lee McKenzie Naomi Jacinta Shona De Kleine

12.30 PM Asha Natalwala Angela Stojanoska Robert Desmond James Knox

12.45 PM Gabriella Jean Watts Leanne Gin Ai Hew Amy Eileen Moyer

1.00 PM Lunch (Bayliss Foyer) & Prospective Honours Students Presentation

(Wilsmore LT) 1.15 PM

1.30 PM

1.45 PM Antonio Di Pietro Dudley Philip Thomas Allitt Lauren Marie Dragon

2.00 PM Hannah Marie Jennings Mikaela Ashleigh Bennington Martina Nesossi

2.15 PM Andrew Gerald Dobson Georgia Anne Frew Maira Vicente Braga

2.30 PM Alexandria Marie Kenyon Mingkui Gao Charles Gilbert Viska

2.45 PM Catherine Jane Mazza Jessie Veronica Georgiades Prue Alexis Watson

3.00 PM Caitlin Jeane McAuliffe Dylan Paul Gilbey Ella Rose Gorman

3.15 PM Jesse Sandhu Reid Hannah Kathleen McGrechan Michelle Li-Yen Ooi

3.30 PM Belinda Xie Johanna Thorslund Majzner Joey Leroy Possum Darbyshire

3.45 PM

Karen Mary Meagher

4.00PM Afternoon Tea (Bayliss Foyer)

Keynote Presentation (Wilsmore LT)

Best Presentation Award and Closing Ceremony (Wilsmore LT)

4.15PM

4.30PM

4:45PM

Session Bayliss G33 Tattersall LT Wilsmore LT

8.30-10.30 Hayley Louise Belstead Dominique Cleary Caitlin Joy Tan De Souza

11.00-1.00 Alyshia Hannah Byrne Lilian Yuet Li Choo Mitchell John Harris

1.45-4.00 Belinda Xie Dudley Philip Thomas Allitt Michelle Li-Yen Ooi

4

Research as tool for social intervention:

Some big and small pictures

Keynote Address: 4.15 pm

Presented by Prof Stephen Zubrick

Stephen Zubrick is a Senior Principal Research Fellow based at the Telethon Kids

Institute and holds a Professorial appointment in the Graduate School of Education at the

University of Western Australia. Prior to joining the University of Western Australia, he

spent 12 years as Head of the Division of Population Science at the Telethon Kids Institute.

His qualifications are in the fields of clinical psychology, neuropsychology and speech and

hearing science. Steve had a lengthy career in Western Australia as the state’s Assistant

Principal Clinical Psychologist and was based at the Neurosciences Unit, where he assessed

and managed children with complex developmental disorders. Steve now specialises in

creating and executing large-scale state and national cross-sectional and longitudinal studies

of child and family development. He chairs the Consortium Advisory Group responsible for

the on-going conduct of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, and is a member of

the Steering Committee of the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children.

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UWA Honours Conference 2016: Presentation Titles and Abstracts

8.30-8.45 AM

Bayliss G33 Working Memory: Remembering in the face of distraction.

Hayley Belstead—Donna Bayliss

Bayliss, Bogdanovs and Jarrold (2015) demonstrated that in a working memory task, providing a

delay after presentation of memory items resulted in better memory performance compared to

when processing tasks were presented immediately after the memory item. This was interpreted

as evidence of consolidation, a process of transforming memory traces into durable

representations that are less susceptible to decay during subsequent processing. Ricker (2015)

contends that due to the lack of masking in the Bayliss et al. study, it is impossible to distinguish

between effects of consolidation and effects of sensory encoding. The current study investigates

this contention using the same task paradigm with masked and non-masked conditions. If the

findings of Bayliss et al. reflect consolidation processes only, there should be no effect of

masking. If the findings are due to sensory encoding, the beneficial effects of providing a delay

should only be seen in the non-masked condition.

Tattersall LT How Women Really See Bodies: The Serially Dependent Nature of Body

Images

Dominique Cleary—Jason Bell

The prevalence of eating disorders and body dissatisfaction has increased in recent years, and

continues to do so, creating a clinical issue of great concern as well as an area of concern for

many non-clinical populations. Researchers in the field of body perception have attempted to

understand how body perception may differ as a function of eating disorder symptomologies.

This study explored perception of body images in the context of a recently discovered perceptual

phenomenon known as serial dependence; where stimuli perceived for short time scales appear

more similar. 103 female participants between 17 and 24 participated in a perceptual experiment

and completed measures of eating disorder symptomology to examine women’s perception of

body images on short time scales, to determine whether serial dependence occurs in the context

of body images, and whether any individual differences influenced perception of body images.

Results will be discussed.

Wilsmore LT Facial Emotion Processing in Individuals with Autistic-Like Traits

Michelle C. Hammond—Nigel Chen & Murray Maybery

Disparities in featural and configural processing may be responsible for the emotion recognition

deficits seen in Autism Spectrum Disorder. This study compared two groups of adults with high

and low levels of autistic-like traits, to determine whether different emotion processing strategies

were utilised. Using a novel emotion-matching task, processing strategies were analysed based

on real-time eye movements. Results demonstrated that groups did not significantly differ in

their reliance on featural and configural processing. However, in the baseline condition, the low

autistic-like trait group performed comparatively better. Thus, our results provide evidence for

deficits in emotion matching in individuals with high levels of autistic-like traits. While it may

not necessarily be due to impairments in configural or featural processing, the impairment could

lie in the ability to integrate the two together (i.e., a facilitation effect). Furthermore, evidence

from this study is useful for determining whether autistic-like traits lie on a continuum.

6

8.45-9.00 AM

Bayliss G33 Short-term Consolidation: A Central-attentional, or Modality-specific Process?

Amy Devine—Donna Bayliss

Short-term consolidation (STC) is one process which is likely to be involved in encoding

information into working-memory. STC is the process of directing attention to a working-

memory representation, in order to make that representation more durable, and less vulnerable to

interference from new information entering working-memory. Past research has conceptualized

STC as a central-attentional process, based on the finding that visual STC interferes with

auditory processing. However, this research is limited in that it only investigates the STC of

visual stimuli. Recent research investigating the STC of both visual and verbal stimuli suggests

modality-specific aspects may be involved. Therefore, it is currently unclear whether STC is a

central-attentional, or modality-specific process. To investigate this, fifty-six students were

presented with a visual, and verbal memory-task, in order to determine whether STC is a central-

attentional, or modality-specific process. Results were mixed, but suggest STC involves some

modality-specific aspects. Implications will be discussed.

Tattersall LT Shape perception: Multi-channel based systems for size and aspect-ratio

discrimination.

Giorgia Harkin—David Badcock & Edwin Dickinson

In order to interact with our environment successfully, the ability to detect and discriminate

objects is fundamental for shape processing. Size (2D area) and aspect-ratio (height:width ratio)

are two essential cues for discriminating shape. Currently, the coding mechanisms that are

responsible for detecting such properties are not well understood. Previous studies have

suggested that size and aspect-ratio aftereffects are encoded by a multi-channel system, when an

adaptor and test are presented sequentially. The current study tested whether the size and aspect-

ratio effects that arise from the influences over time, are also observed when simultaneous

contrasts in size, or aspect-ratio are presented. A series of two visual discrimination experiments

suggested that the results were consistent with multi-channel coding. The findings demonstrate

that size and aspect-ratio are detected by multiple channels, tuned to ranges of size and aspect-

ratio, in both sequential and simultaneous presentations.

Wilsmore LT The underlying mechanisms of object bias in gaze processing

Caitlin de Souza—Nichola Burton & Gillina Rhodes

Determining where another person is looking is an important skill in social communication.

Research has found that gaze direction is biased towards the location of objects (Lobmaier,

Fischer & Schwaninger, 2006). It has thus been suggested that the observer considers the

thoughts and intentions of another individual when making a decision about where they are

looking. To investigate this explanation, we examined whether the influence of objects on

perceived gaze direction depends on levels of autistic traits. Participants completed Lobmaier et

al.’s (2006) gaze direction task. They were asked to determine where they thought a face was

looking. In some trials, an object was present at or near true fixation point. The extent to which

perceived gaze direction was biased towards this object was measured. Results and their

implications for object bias in gaze processing will be discussed.

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9.00-9.15 AM

Bayliss G33 Does Social Context Affect Belief Change? — Private vs. Public Expressions of

Belief and the Continued Influence of Misinformation

Hayley Quekett—Ullrich Ecker

Previous research looking at belief change following a refutation has largely neglected the fact

that persuasion and belief formation typically occur in a social context. The present study

investigated social-context effects (specifically whether individuals believe their responses will

be private vs. public) on the effectiveness of a belief-incongruent refutation. Participants rated

their endorsement of a claim, and provided an estimate of the perceived social norm, both before

and after receiving a refutation that disputed the claim. Two potential outcomes were considered:

Belief change may be stronger and more closely aligned to the norm change in (A) the public

condition, indicating a social-context effect of conformity, or (B) the private condition,

indicating social context effects of commitment, whereby public commitment may impede

change in expressed belief. Results will be discussed in the context of the impact of the

private/public factor on the effectiveness of the refutation.

Tattersall LT Stretching reality: Reconsidering approach and avoidance tendencies towards

female body shapes.

Nishani Jayawardena—Jason Bell

The aim of the present study was to explore approach and avoidance tendencies towards female

body shapes as in Woud et al., (2011) using a more valid representation of thin and non-thin

female body shapes. It was hypothesized that individuals would demonstrate an automatic

approach tendency towards thin bodies and an avoidance tendency towards non-thin bodies. 95

females performed a Stimulus Response Compatibility task (SRC) and completed several self-

report questionnaires measuring Body Shape Concern, Dietary Restraint and Thin-ideal

internalization. A 2 (Movement: Approach, Avoidance) x 2 (Body Shape: Thin, Non-thin)

repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated that participants automatically approached thin bodies

whilst avoiding non-thin bodies. Research in other areas of psychopathology has found that these

automatic behavioural tendencies are more pronounced in clinical populations. Future research

should replicate this study using participants clinically diagnosed with an eating disorder. It is

possible such research can improve the efficacy of current intervention paradigms.

Wilsmore LT Investigating Face Processing deficits related to Autistic traits in a typically

developing sample of children

Natalie Kaiko—Linda Jeffery & Romina Palermo

Face identity and expression recognition are fundamental to social functioning and

communication, yet these abilities vary within the general population. In the current study we

examined whether the face identity and expression recognition deficits seen in children with

autism are also present in typically developing children with milder autistic traits. Face

processing and level of autistic traits was assessed in a sample of 150 typically developing

children, aged six to nine years-of-age. It was hypothesized that, after controlling for age and

gender, there would be a significant negative correlation between the individual’s autistic trait

level and their performance on the facial identity and expression recognition tasks. Results will

be discussed in the context of the negative association between identity recognition and level of

autistic traits recently observed in samples of typical adults.

8

9.15-9.30 AM

Bayliss G33 Do First Impressions Persist?

Arnold Rodricks—Ullrich Ecker

Research has shown that discredited information continues to influence people’s reasoning

despite the discreditation; this has been labelled the continued-influence effect of

misinformation. There is currently a debate whether this effect also occurs in impression

formation, with some arguing that initial impressions are effortlessly updated and misinformation

fully discounted. To investigate this, the present study looked at how misinformation influences

people’s impressions of others. Participants were provided with examples of behaviours that a

fictitious person (“John”) had allegedly engaged in. Depending on the experimental condition,

these behaviours did or did not include an aggressive behaviour, which subsequently was or was

not discredited. Results showed that discredited information did not influence the likability and

perceived aggressiveness of John, nor predictions regarding John’s future behaviour, suggesting

that people are able to discount discredited misinformation. However, misinformation did have

an influence on an indirect measure, namely valence ratings of John’s face.

Tattersall LT Keeping it real: Synthetic images under-represent body size

Kendra Leigh Dommisse—Jason Bell

The increasing prevalence of body image disturbance has led researchers to further understand

how individuals process body shapes. Large areas of research have found that the way people

attend to and perceive body images are often fundamentally different for those with high versus

low eating disorder symptomology. In these research areas, the use of computer-generated

synthetic body stimuli is increasing. This is due to the ease in which these images can be

manipulated, providing researchers with more control. While these images are easily created,

they are often missing details and local features. The present study examined whether synthetic

body images are able to adequately represent perceptual differences across a full range of bodies,

from very underweight to very overweight. Overall individuals were able to discriminate

between synthetic body images, however, our result indicate that there is little perceptual

difference between extreme body images, Further findings will be discussed.

Wilsmore LT A game to improve social attention in children with autism spectrum disorders

Ciara Mitchell—Gail Alvares & Nigel Chen

Typically developing individuals preferentially attend to social information. However,

individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may fail to attend to social information, which

impairs later social development. This study examined whether reduced social attention may be

improved through a novel training game. Forty-one primary-school aged children with ASD

were randomly assigned to play the training game or a comparable control version. Two eye-

tracking assessments were administered before and after the game to assess changes in attention.

Gaze towards social versus non-social information was measured to estimate attentional

preference. Results demonstrated that training increased children’s bias toward social

information. In particular, children increased their initial orienting to, but not their maintenance

of, attention to social stimuli. However, training failed to change attention in a visual search task.

This study provides evidence that a brief social attention task can modify attention in autism.

Future research may want to investigate this further.

9

9.30-9.45 AM

Bayliss G33 Bridging the Cognitive-Behavioural Gap: The Effects of Misinformation on

Behaviour

Yiheng (Mono) Wu—Ullrich Ecker

Misinformation is resistant to correction and continues to influence subsequent memory and

reasoning—this is termed the continued influence effect (CIE). However, typical CIE paradigms

only measure cognitive variables, providing little behavioural insights. To this end, we

experimentally manipulated the (mis)information participants received about (the inefficacy of)

“Fair Trade” (FT) and whether the misinformation was subsequently refuted. Participants’

demand for FT products (i.e., consumer behaviour), and beliefs and attitudes towards FT (i.e.,

cognitive variables) were then measured. Misinformation (and refutations) did not influence

behaviour in Experiment 1. Experiment 2 enhanced the strength of the misinformation and found

partial support for the hypothesis that correcting misinformation translated into behavioural

change. Conversely, the CIE was consistently replicated when examining cognitive variables.

Our study represents one of the first experimental demonstrations of misinformation-correction

on behaviour, and reiterates the need for future misinformation research to capture both cognitive

and behavioural outcomes.

Tattersall LT Global Shape Processing: An analysis of polar angle and thresholds for

detection in visual search tasks

Rachel Prouse—David Badcock & Edwin Dickinson

In order to understand the world around us, the visual system identifies, recognizes and

discriminates between shapes. The current study extended the research conducted by Dickinson

et al. (2013), Haley (2013) and Bailey (2014), to examine whether polar angle, or the angle

subtended by points of maximum curvature, is a critical cue for object recognition. Within

Experiment 1, visual search tasks were used to explore whether polar angle is a potential ‘cue’

for object recognition. As hypothesized, as the polar angle of the distractor stimuli became closer

to 120, participants produced longer reaction times when searching for the target stimulus,

despite the number of distractor stimuli present. In Experiment 2, participants completed a 2 x 2

forced choice task to examine the threshold discrimination levels required for the tuning of

separate channels. These results supported previous literature, providing evidence that there are

detectors within the visual system tuned to polar angle.

Wilsmore LT Crafting Persuasive Messages to Promote Vaccination: The Role of Social

Norms and Herd Immunity

Simon Thuijs —Mark Hurlstone & Isabel Rossen

Parents are increasingly becoming more hesitant to vaccinate their children, a trend jeopardising

positive public health outcomes. A controlled trial was conducted to determine the efficacy of

different persuasive messages in increasing parents’ intent to vaccinate their children with the

measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Parents from the United States (N = 403) were

randomly assigned to receive one of four normative messages about vaccination: (1) descriptive

norm––the percentage of parents who vaccinate their children with MMR; (2) injunctive norm––

that parents believe vaccination is the responsible thing to do; (3) both the descriptive and

injunctive norm; or (4) a control group. In addition, parents were also randomly assigned to

receive a description of herd immunity, or no message (control). Results will be discussed in

context of the experimental groups with the highest intent to vaccinate. Implications for the

design of future public health interventions and campaigns are discussed.

10

9.45-10.00 AM

Bayliss G33 Recognition Benefit for Previously Presented Words within Event-Based

Prospective Memory Tasks.

David Khouri—Shayne Loft & Vanessa Bowden

Prospective memory (PM) refers to remembering to perform an intended action at some

designated point in the future. There are several competing theories of the cognitive processes

engaged in event-based PM tasks with opinion divided as to exact nature of the mechanisms

involved. This experiment implemented a relatively novel measure of a post PM task recognition

benefit to provide further insight into these processes. This experiment embedded several

different forms of PM tasks that required participants to, identify target words presented, within

an ongoing task involving word pronunciation. Participants were then tested for their recognition

of non-target words that were presented during the ongoing task. The degree of recognition

benefit varied between the different PM tasks. PM tasks which induced deeper processing during

the ongoing task demonstrated a higher recognition benefit. These results suggest the presence of

specific PM processes which vary according to the nature of the PM task.

Tattersall LT I can’t get me out of my head: the effect of eating disorder-specific rumination

on attentional biases to thin-body imagery

Petrina Wong—Jason Bell

Rumination about eating, shape and weight concerns and attentional biases to thin-body imagery

are two cognitive processes that have been associated with eating disorder symptomology.

Recent evidence suggests that these two processes are correlated, however no existing research

has examined the directionality of this relationship. The current study sought to investigate

whether inducing eating disorder-specific rumination would lead to an increase in attentional

bias towards thin-body imagery. Female undergraduate students were randomly assigned to a

rumination or distraction condition. Attentional biases towards thin-body imagery were measured

using a dot-probe task prior to and following a rumination or distraction induction. Results

revealed that all participants initially exhibited an attentional bias away from thin bodies,

however participants induced to ruminate about their eating, body shape, and body weight

showed less avoidance to thin bodies after the rumination induction. Limitations, direction for

future research, and theoretical and practical implications will be discussed.

Wilsmore LT The Mediating Effect of Performance on Developmental Changes in Expressive

Language Lateralisation in Children

Laura Gabriel—Allison Fox

Developmental changes in the direction and degree of lateralisation of expressive language have

been identified. However, many studies failed to control for the effect of age-related changes in

task performance on lateralisation. Furthermore, lateralisation during a task has been assumed to

remain constant in many studies. The purpose of this study was to test whether lateralisation

changed during a task. Also, this study tested whether performance mediated the relationship

between age and expressive language lateralisation using functional transcranial Doppler

ultrasonography (fTCD) in a group of twenty-five children, aged seven to eleven. It was

hypothesised that performance would mediate the relationship between age and lateralisation.

Results indicated that the laterality indices generated during the Animated Description paradigm

could be classified into two distinct periods. Findings also indicated that performance did not

mediate the age-related changes in direction or strength of lateralisation. Limitations, direction

for future research and implications will be discussed.

11

10.00-10.15 AM

Bayliss G33 Forgetting from Working Memory

Anin Karajagi—Simon Farrell

Processing distracting information facilitates forgetting of stimuli within working memory.

Previous studies show that when a distraction task follows a list of items, a uniform negative

impact on recall of all stimuli is observed. In contrast, when a list of items is presented

interspersed with distraction tasks, making one distraction burst more unique than the rest shows

that its impact most affects list items presented closest in time. This study aimed to investigate if

one possible explanation for these differential effects is that distraction bursts parse list items

into clusters or groups within working memory, and thus, the effect of its processing affects

groups most associated with distracting information. Participants were presented with grouped

stimuli followed by a distraction task. Results indicate a uniform effect on all preceding stimuli

whether grouped or ungrouped. Implications for grouping being a factor in explaining

contrasting effects on recall from previous studies are discussed.

Tattersall LT Does Shape Information aid in Detecting the Direction of Global Motion?

Nateesha Tuckett—David Badcock

Regardless of the inherent difficulties of visual processing, there are many strategies employed to

make it seem simple. Identifying and processing geometrical regularities within the environment

and temporal segmentation are amongst these. To investigate the effectiveness of contour

alignment and temporal segmentation in the discrimination of global motion (GM), signal

detection thresholds using a global-Gabor (GG) stimulus were obtained and compared. It was

hypothesized that contour alignment in the shape of a diamond and also temporal segmentation

of the critical stimulus elements will assist in the discrimination of GM. Further, when these two

cues are combined it is expected that discrimination will be at its best. As expected, the addition

of a structured geometrical cue made it easier to determine direction. Surprisingly, the presence

of noise did not make it harder or easier. The temporal segmentation cue appears to have had

minimal impact, unless combined with the shape cue

Wilsmore LT Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Fails to Enhance Working Memory

Leon R. Osborn—Allison Fox

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has been used experimentally to increase

neuronal excitability in the brain, and has also been used to improve working memory ability.

This study tested whether tDCS modulates working memory by examining n-back task

performance (with 3 levels) between active and sham stimulation groups.

Electroencephalography (EEG) was also used to examine whether the P3 event-related potential

(ERP) amplitude differed between active and sham groups. It was hypothesised that the active

tDCS group would exhibit enhanced behavioural performance on the n-back task compared to

sham. It was further hypothesised that the active tDCS group would show greater P3 amplitude

at all 3 load levels of the n-back task compared to sham. Contrarily, there was no significant

difference between the active and sham groups on behavourial measures. There was also no

significant difference in P3 amplitude between the active and sham groups.

12

10.15-10.30 AM

Bayliss G33 Do People use a Recency Strategy Because it is More Variable?

Jianing Li—Simon Farrell

Serial position functions in immediate free recall have been focused of many studies, which have

been regarded as a key to examine the mechanism of memory retrieval. Our study is to look at

what variables impact people choose different recall strategy (initiate recall from the beginning,

middle or end). As there is large variability in the items if people use recency strategy (compared

with a primacy strategy), and the preference of a recency strategy, we explored the relations

between recency strategy and variability. A threshold task was performed which contained three

groups, normal group (control group), high threshold and low threshold. Low threshold

encouraged people to utilize primacy strategy; whereas, High threshold encouraged people to

adopt recency strategy. However, the results showed that threshold cannot impact people choose

different strategy. The preference of recency strategy may not relate to the larger variability

when people use recency strategy.

Tattersall LT Visual Perception and Attention Across Stimulus Domains

Aurora Tait—Troy Visser

When two targets are displayed in quick succession, we often fail to detect the second target –

known as the ‘attentional blink’ (AB). Distractors, especially those similar to targets, increase

AB occurrence. However, indicating the length of the time-delay between targets (temporal

cueing) can eliminate the AB over-and-above target-distractor similarity. It was theorised that

such cueing works to reduce distraction, by allowing distractors present outside the expected

time-window to be ignored (as per the input-filter theory; Visser, Bischof & DiLollo, 2014). The

current study tested this theory by directly assessing attention to distractors by measuring pupil

dilation. Participants were asked to identify targets in a stream of distractors, with temporal cues,

target-distractor similarity, and intertarget lag-length being manipulated across trials. Cued trials

were expected to produce high accuracy and low distraction scores regardless of target-distractor

similarity, while low accuracy and high distraction was expected in the uncued, high-similarity

trials.

Wilsmore LT The Effect of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Executive Functioning, Attention

and Sleep in Children

Catherine Brogan—Carmela Pastell

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure is associated with significant impairment in executive functioning

and attention. Clinically, sleep disturbance is frequently described in this cohort and little

research has investigated this occurrence and its potential relationship with neuropsychological

functioning. The current study utilised Australian Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder diagnostic

criteria to assess deficits across and the relationships between these three areas in a sample of 78

children who presented to Western Australian Neurodevelopmental Clinics. Results showed

higher rates of severe impairment than in a matching normative sample across executive

functioning and attention and higher rates of clinically significant sleep disturbance. Differences

within types of executive functioning and attention were apparent and it appeared that problems

with initiating and maintaining sleep characterised the sleep disturbance. Higher levels of sleep

disturbance were associated with working memory impairment. Theoretical and clinical

limitations, implications and directions for future research are discussed.

13

10.30-11.00 AM

Morning Tea

Bayliss Foyer

14

11.00-11.15 AM

Bayliss G33 Resilience & Interpersonal Aspects of Self-Harm Thoughts & Behaviours

Alyshia Byrne—Andrew Page

According to the Interpersonal Theory of suicide risk, the joint experience of two interpersonal

factors; perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness, leads to a serious form of

suicidal desire. Additionally, the framework stipulates that one must acquire the capability for

lethal self-harm in order to engage in suicidal behaviour. A key limitation of this framework is

its focus on risk factors at the expense of identifying and understanding resilience. The current

study identifies individual differences in distress tolerance as a protective factor, and examines

its causal effect on persistence through adversity using experimental manipulations of perceived

burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. According to hypotheses, distress tolerance was

found to attenuate the effect of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness on

persistence through adversity. The study also examined claims that distress tolerance increases

acquired capability for suicide, potentially conferring greater risk. Implications of the complex

relationship between distress tolerance and suicide risk are discussed.

Tattersall LT Does Prospective Memory Mediate the Relationship Between Normal Age-

Related Brain Changes and Everyday Functioning?

Lilian Choo—Romola Bucks & Michael Weinborn

It is critical to be able to predict when older adults start to experience difficulties with

completing instrumental everyday tasks because this may affect their ability to live

independently. This study aims to evaluate the interrelationship between brain metabolism,

everyday functioning and prospective memory among typically ageing community-dwelling

older adults, and specifically, whether prospective memory may partially or wholly explain the

relationship between brain metabolism and everyday functioning. Participants from the

McCusker Foundation Memory Study were recruited and assessed with the Instrumental

Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography

(FDG-PET), and an event-based prospective memory task. Conditional Process (mediation)

analyses was used to assess the hypotheses that individuals with reduced brain metabolism will

display poorer everyday functioning, and better prospective memory will mediate this

relationship. The results will have implications for the prediction of instrumental everyday

functioning among non-clinical older adults.

Wilsmore LT Mental Workload, Situation Awareness and Physiology in Submarine Track

Management

Mitchell Harris—Shayne Loft

Predicting performance in applied settings such as submarine track management is essential for

the development of safe and efficient work systems. Mental workload and situation awareness

have been demonstrated to predict performance at the between-subjects level in simulations of

submarine track management. While this is useful, it would be more beneficial to predict

variations in performance within individuals across time. Furthermore, measures of these

constructs are interruptive which limits their application to the field, creating need for less

cognitively-demanding predictors of performance, such as operator physiological measures. The

current study aims to (I) replicate previous findings that situation awareness can predict

between-subject variance in performance over and above mental workload and (II) examine if

situation awareness, mental workload, and operator physiology (e.g. heart-rate) predict within-

subject variance in performance. The results of this research will possibly identify less obtrusive

physiological predictors of performance which can be applied in the field.

15

11.15-11.30 AM

Bayliss G33 Applying prospect theory to suicide: Does change in interpersonal factors affect

persistence?

Elliot Baker-Young—Andrew Page

Developing accurate theories of suicide risk is vital to effectively predict and prevent suicide.

The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (ITS) proposes that high suicide risk results from high

levels of two key constructs – perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. However,

Prospect Theory predicts that degrees of change in ITS constructs may exert additional influence

on suicide risk. The current study therefore assessed the relative effects of changing vs. stable

levels of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness on task persistence. Participants

played a computerized team game and received predetermined feedback to induce high or low

levels of feeling like a burden and not belonging on the team. To assess the effect of change,

switch conditions manipulated levels from low - high or high - low throughout the task. Results

and their implications for suicide risk assessment will be discussed.

Tattersall LT Do Objective Sleep Deficits Contribute to Poor Sleep Awareness in Older

Adults? The Role of Executive Function and Retrospective Memory.

Lucy Glazov—Romola Bucks & Michael Weinborn

While sleep can be measured objectively (e.g. actigraphy), or subjectively (e.g. sleep diary),

sleep problems are typically identified when reported, subjectively, by older adults. Conversely,

subjective sleep (SS) estimates often do not accurately reflect objective sleep (OS). Sleep

awareness (SA), is the amount of disagreement between matched parameters of SS and OS. This

study will determine whether cognitive factors affected by OS, specifically executive function

(EF) and retrospective memory (RM), contribute to SA in community-dwelling older adults

(n=89; 50-93 years). Participants wore an actigraph and completed a sleep diary for an average

of five nights. SA represented the difference between both sleep measures for number of

awakenings and total amount of wake time after sleep onset. EF and RM were assessed. It was

hypothesised that poorer OS would be associated with poorer SA, mediated by the impact of OS

on EF, and RM. Findings of the study will be discussed.

Wilsmore LT Effects of Interruption Onset Time on Prospective Memory Failure in a Driving

Task

Drew Butson—Vanessa Bowden & Shayne Loft

Vehicle related deaths have a huge impact on the lives of individuals. Many of these fatalities

are considered to be related to speeding, so reduction of speeding is a major aspect of any road

safety campaign. However, treating speeding as a behavior that is always intentional may not

achieve the desired result. Indeed, speeding following an interruption, such as a set of traffic

lights, which is immediately following a reduction in speed may not be intentional. In this case,

drivers may be forgetting to return to the reduced speed. In a driving simulator, we tested the

hypothesis that the more time spent driving at a reduced speed before an interruption will reduce

speeding following the interruption. We found support for this hypothesis, indicating that roads

should be designed so that speed reductions are placed as far before potential interruptions as

possible.

16

11.30-11.45 AM

Bayliss G33 Attachment Styles and Interpersonal Antecedents of Suicide Risk: Is Insecure

Attachment Always Detrimental?

Vanessa Brown—Werner Stritzke

Attachment theory outlines four distinct types of adult attachment; secure, preoccupied,

dismissive-avoidant and fearful-avoidant, distinguished on the basis of anxiety and avoidance

continua. Deficits in interpersonal connectedness are common to both insecure attachment styles

and suicide risk. Whilst fearful-avoidant and dismissive-avoidant styles are connected on the

avoidant continuum, the latter does not feel the need to belong, potentially acting as a protective

factor against suicide risk. The study tested the relationship between three attachment styles and

experimentally induced perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness by a desire to

quit a team task. Results showed that the fearful-avoidant attachment group had the greatest

desire to quit the task, with no differences between the dismissive-avoidant and secure groups.

Individuals with a fearful-avoidant attachment style may be at a greater risk for exhibiting

suicidal behaviours, whilst those with a dismissive-avoidant attachment style appear to exhibit

the same protective factors as the secure control.

Tattersall LT The relationship between physical activity, prospective memory and resting

brain glucose metabolism in older adults

Anna Jorgensen—Michael Weinborn & Belinda Brown

The symptoms of dementia are driven by functional brain changes that start occurring 10 to 15

years before clinical diagnosis (Villemagne et al., 2013). Early detection of these changes and

the consequential cognitive decline can be achieved using resting-state flurodeoxyglucose

positron emission tomography (FDG PET) and prospective memory tests (PM; Bateman et al.,

2012). Early detection of those at risk of dementia is vital for successful early interventions, such

as aerobic exercise. Seventy community-dwelling older adults completed the Community

Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors questionnaire, the Western Australian PM test,

and a resting-state FDG PET. This is the first study to find that higher reported levels of aerobic

exercise significantly related to better event-based PM performance (r=0.27). However, this was

not mediated by resting brain glucose metabolism. A post-hoc analysis suggested that it may be

mediated by depression. This is a clinically significant finding and its implications are discussed.

Wilsmore LT Individual differences in Cooperative Behaviour: Personality and the Public

Goods Game

Jordan Iley—Mark Hurlstone & Patrick Dunlop

Cooperation is an essential aspect of human life, however substantial heterogeneity exists in

people’s willingness to do so. Research has begun to examine whether personality factors are

able to explain inter-individual variation in cooperative behaviour across different situations.

Factors from the HEXACO model of personality, honesty-humility and agreeableness have been

related to behaviour in experimental economic games. This study aims to further examine the

role of honesty-humility and agreeableness in predicting behaviour in a multi-round public

goods game (PGG) with two conditions (punishment and no punishment) using real players and

monetary incentives. Support for the hypotheses that honesty-humility and agreeableness would

be significant predictors of different aspects of cooperation as measured by contribution and

punishment behaviour respectively, was not found. These findings were inconsistent with

previous research, suggesting that observing other players’ behaviour and the presence of

financial incentives have important implications for cooperative behaviour.

17

11.45-12.00 AM

Bayliss G33 The effect of a change in Thwarted Belongingness on Persistence.

Anna Badcock—Andrew Page

The Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide clearly outlines the effect of a combination

of static states of two key proximal factors for suicidal ideation, which has gained strong

empirical support. However, little is known about how these factors change over time;

specifically, what the effect of a change in just one key factor would be. The purpose of this

study was to investigate the effect of a change in thwarted belongingness alone, whilst keeping

perceived burdensomeness constant. Drawing on Prospect Theory, it was predicted that an

increase in thwarted belongingness would have a greater impact on interpersonal persistence

than a decrease. Participants played a computerized team game designed to allow a change in

simulated levels of belonging to manipulate persistence, as measured by desire to quit the game.

Analyses of the pattern of results suggest that the changes in the sense of belonging do

differentially impact persistence.

Tattersall LT To Know Your Memory For The Future; Meta-Prospective Memory and Ageing

Zoe Mansell—Romola Bucks & Michael Weinborn

Memory awareness, termed as meta-memory, provides a crucial role in monitoring for age-

related cognitive declines. Research indicates it may be particularly important for prospective

memory (ProM), which describes remembering future intended tasks, as it is associated with

many important daily functioning outcomes for older adults. The current study aims to inform

meta-memory research by investigated the normative level of ProM awareness, or meta-ProM,

associated with healthy ageing, and the contributing affects of personality. Measures of meta-

ProM and the Big Five personality factors were completed by 168 community-living older

adults. The findings determined it was normal to under-predict ProM performance. Openness to

experience was associated with meta-ProM, although with relatively small correlations. Finally,

while meta-ProM accuracy did not improve across time, expanding the scope of the repeated

measures design could lead to significant meta-ProM learning indices in future meta-memory

research.

Wilsmore LT Women in the Workplace: The Effect of Gender Bias on Work Design

Alix Smith—Daniela Andrei, Anja Van De Broek & Sharon Parker

Gender bias has been shown to produce many limitations for women entering and excelling

within the workplace, especially in regards to hiring, performance evaluations, promotions and

leadership behaviours. The current study examined the effect of gender bias on an work design

decisions, which could be an additional factor prohibiting women succeeding to leadership

positions and making significant contributions to society. 243 participants underwent an online

survey, making decisions regarding the tasks and conditions surrounding fictitious employees

jobs, with manipulations of employee gender between subjects. Results will be discussed in

regards to differences in the amount of motivational work design provided to fictitious

employees of opposing genders. If gender bias is found to be a contributing factor to work

design differences among men and women, organisations and researchers need to develop

insights into this additional biased area, especially when devising interventions for gender

equality.

18

12.00-12.15 PM

Bayliss G33 How Does Mindfulness Reduce the Desire to Quit when Faced with Adversity:

Exploring the Role of Grit and Meaning

Florence Soh—Werner Stritzke

Mindfulness was shown to be protective against experimentally manipulated burdensomeness

and thwarted belongingness, both antecedents of suicidal desire (or the desire to quit life)

according the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide (Joiner, 2005; Collins, Best, Stritzke,

& Page, 2016). The protective influence of mindfulness was in reducing the desire to quit a

challenging task, which although is not equivalent to the desire to quit life, mimicked the same

desire to quit when faced with an adverse situation. Nevertheless, the mechanism through which

mindfulness exerts its effect is unclear. Using an undergraduate sample (N = 92), this study

investigated how mindfulness exerts its effects by comparing the relative influence of an affect

regulation (i.e., grit) versus a cognitive construct (i.e., meaning) on the desire to quit a

challenging task, between a mindfulness-induction versus control group. The result suggested

that the protective influence of mindfulness was through affect regulation instead of cognitive

mechanism.

Tattersall LT The Relationship between Prospective Memory and Instrumental Activities of

Daily Living Functioning in Healthy Older Adults

Grace Kuen Yee Tan—Carmela Pestell & Michael Weinborn

Healthy older adults often report subtle complaints of instrumental activities of daily living

(IADL) problems. IADL independence is recognised as a valuable outcome measure that

distinguishes normal aging from mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Although previous

studies have demonstrated the cross-sectional relationships between prospective memory (PM)

performance and IADL functioning, very little is known about the longitudinal relationships

between these domains. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate whether PM performance

at baseline predicts IADL functioning in older adults at baseline and whether PM performance at

baseline predicts future disabilities of IADL at follow-up. To examine this, the Memory for

Intentions Screening Test (MIST), Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire

(PRMQ), the informant-reported and self-reported Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire

(ADLQ) were administered to a group of healthy older adults as part of a broader

neuropsychological battery. The results and implications of the current study will be discussed.

Wilsmore LT Uncertainty, openness and leadership: Examining the benefits for creativity in an

ambiguous task

Hannah Goldfinch—Mark Griffin

Uncertainty is generally perceived to be a negative state that humans tend to avoid (Price &

Stone, 2004). However, uncertainty can have benefits (Bar-Anan, Wilson & Gilbert, 2009).

Varying degrees of uncertainty and risk in the workplace call for a better understanding of how

to use these benefits to increase productivity. We propose that interest will be a mediating factor

between uncertainty and creativity, an essential factor for organisations in the current

competitive market. Proposed moderators of this relationship include organisational leadership

style, as well as an individual’s Openness to Experience. 104 Undergraduate students took part

in the research. Our findings were inconclusive, but serve an exploratory purpose. Individuals

who reported greater task uncertainty also showed greater interest and creativity, and greater

interest was associated with greater creativity. Openness was found to be a moderator between

uncertainty and idea generation. Other proposed relationships were not demonstrated.

19

12.15-12.30 PM

Bayliss G33 Does mindfulness buffer neuroticism’s influence on persistence in a test of the

interpersonal theory of suicide?

Lillian Seow—Andrew Page

The interpersonal theory of suicide proposes that risk of suicidal desire is highest when the

proximal factors thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness are experienced

simultaneously. Distal risk factors such as neuroticism exert an influence on suicidality by

increasing sensitivity to these interpersonal stressors. The current study examined whether a

mindfulness induction could buffer the deleterious effects of neuroticism on the desire to quit in a

team-based computer task designed to induce feelings of thwarted belongingness and perceived

burdensomeness through feedback. Surprisingly, results indicated that the mindfulness induction

interacted with neuroticism to increase desire to quit for individuals high in neuroticism.

Therefore, it may be important to consider the role that mindfulness may have in strengthening

the association between high neuroticism and lowered persistence when delivering mindfulness-

based interventions for suicidal ideation.

Tattersall LT Age-Related Brain Changes and Daily Function: The Role of Cognitive Reserve

and Executive Functioning

Cathryn McKenzie—Carmela Pestell & Romola Bucks

Assessment of daily functional ability in older adults is an important part of diagnosing cognitive

impairment. Some decline in executive function (EF) is considered normal during ageing, as is a

change in metabolism in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This study proposed that PFC metabolism

could predict daily functional outcomes, and that EF mediates this effect. Cognitive reserve (CR)

was treated as a moderator. Participants were 53 community-dwelling older adults with a mean

age of 69 years (63% female). PFC metabolism was measured using positron emission

tomography, daily function was measured using a modified version of the Activities of Daily

Living Questionnaire, and EF was measured using a combination of laboratory and self-report

assessments. An estimate of premorbid VIQ was used as a proxy for CR. The proposed

moderated mediation model was not supported by the data. Limitations of the sample size and

characteristics, and implications of the study, are discussed.

Wilsmore LT Fewer Heads Are Better Than Many: Sociality and Cumulative Cultural

Evolution.

Naomi de Kleine—Nicolas Fay

The rapid emergence of the complex technologies of modern humans has been attributed to

cumulative cultural evolution (CCE). It has been proposed that a core mechanism underlying

CCE is human sociality, that by being ultra-social we are able to access and interact with larger

populations, which confers a larger diversity of knowledge. It was predicted that over generations

of learners, larger groups would generate more CCE. Five-hundred-and-forty-three participants

were required to build and fly a paper airplane after viewing one, two, or four planes from

participants who completed the task immediately prior to themselves. Our results indicated that as

information to learn from increased, performance (flight distance) cumulatively decreased. This

likely reflects a learning bottleneck, where despite having access to more information, only so

much can be mentally retained. This has implications for understanding social learning generally,

and that transmission of culture likely occurs through a series of one-to-one interactions.

20

12.30-12.45 PM

Bayliss G33 Fertility treatment: Perceptions of personal control, distress and persistence

Asha Natalwala—Neil McLean

For those facing infertility, assisted reproductive technology (ART) provides a potential path to

parenthood. However, the treatment process is challenging, characterised by uncertainty,

uncontrollability, and often unfortunately low success rates. Psychological distress is common in

those undergoing ART, and is a key reason for early dropout. A body of research associates

perceived personal control with the psychological experience of ART, but findings often conflict.

The present study explored the role of dispositional and situational facets of perceived control, as

they related to emotional distress and persistence with treatment following an unsuccessful

treatment outcome. Specifically, locus of control, personal control over infertility, self-efficacy

and need for certainty were considered. Findings from this study will be presented, discussed and

placed in the broader research and clinical contexts.

Tattersall LT Prospective Memory: A Unique Predictor of Problems in Everyday Executive

Function in Older Adults

Angela Stojanoska—Romola Bucks & Michael Weinborn

Prospective Memory (PM) is a neuropsychological ability believed to be unique from other

executive functions. It has demonstrated power in predicting functional outcomes in a variety of

everyday settings. This study investigated whether PM ability predicted everyday executive

function problems (EEFP), above and beyond that of objective measures of executive function.

Two-hundred-and-fifty-eight older adults completed a battery of neuropsychological assessments,

including that of the Memory for Intentions Screening Test (MIST) to assess PM, and the Frontal

Systems Behaviour Scale (FrSBe) to identify EEFP. PM ability -specific to measures of time-

based PM- was found to predict EEFP, even once objective executive function was accounted for.

Implications for these findings support further research into adapting PM ability into a clinical

measure used in the detection of early brain changes in older adults. This leads to compensatory

strategies being developed that can improve the quality of everyday life for older adults with

executive function impairments.

Wilsmore LT Emergence of Conventions Under Different Group Structures

Robert Knox—Nicolas Fay

Conventionalised words and phrases are widely used in many natural languages today.

Evolutionary accounts of social conventions hypothesise that the origins and spread of

conventions are the result of innovation in, and imitation of, language use of interacting partners

within large groups. Fourteen twenty-four-person groups interacted in pairs to communicate

novel concepts. Analysis using mixed-effects modelling revealed that global conventions

emerged spontaneously out of local attempts to communicate the concepts successfully. Global

behaviour was moderated by the structure of the group, with greater group connectivity

facilitating faster convergence on universally-used conventions. Pending data analyses suggest

that alignment on a single convention in a group was biased toward more anthropomorphised

descriptions. A potential bias for human-centric information has implications for evolutionary

accounts of conventions, and language as a whole.

21

12.45-1.00 PM

Bayliss G33 Depression as a Biological Illness: Helping or Hindering Response to Treatment

Gabriella Watts—Neil McLean

Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and despite effective biological and

psychological interventions, adherence to treatment remains low. Reluctance to engage with and

adhere to treatment is thought to be related to stigma associated with depression. Patient

treatment preferences have also been found to influence adherence. The current study compared

the influence of two divergent models of depression (biological or psychological) on reported

self-stigma and reported willingness to adhere to treatment. Personal factors that may influence

treatment decisions such as health locus of control (HLoC), gender, and preconceptions of

causality were also investigated. Eighty university students were randomly assigned to one of two

contrasting treatment models and completed an online survey assessing models of depression,

HLoC, treatment adherence, and self-stigma. This research will inform clinical practice by

enhancing understanding of the factors that influence treatment seeking and adherence.

Tattersall LT Ego-depletion in exercise and its effects on post-exercise recovery behaviour

Leanne Hew—Lena Wang, Ben Jackson, James Dimmock & Peter Peeling

Ego-depletion (reduction of self-control resources) was induced through exercise, and subsequent

stretching and food-choice behaviours were observed. Undergraduate sport science students (N =

131) participated in two 28-minute spin-sessions manipulated to be fun (music, motivating

instructor) or boring (no music or instructor) across two-weeks. Adherence to four stretches

provided throughout the session was coded and number of food items (apples, bananas, and

chocolate) taken post-session was recorded. Given the strength model of self-control that posits

self-control is a limited resource, results are expected to resemble more maladaptive unhealthy

behaviours (i.e. reduced adherence to stretching protocol, choosing more chocolate over fruits)

following the boring spin-session, when compared to the fun spin-session. Results will be further

discussed. Because the boring session is expected to require greater self-control to resist giving

up, the findings of this study will have important implications when it comes to exercise choices

and subsequent post-exercise recovery behaviours.

Wilsmore LT Children’s Social Vulnerability, Internalizing and Externalizing Problems, and

Peer Problems: A Mediation Model

Amy Moyer—Donna Bayliss

The social interactions of children are fundamental to their development; with positive

interactions encouraging healthy growth and skill acquisition. Conversely, children’s negative

social interactions, such as difficulties with peers, are associated with poor outcomes that persist

across adolescence and adulthood. Problems identifying and avoiding harmful social interactions

have recently been captured in the construct of social vulnerability (SV). Higher levels of SV are

associated with more peer problems (PP) in clinical samples, although little is known about this

relationship in typically developing children. Research also suggests that children’s PP are

predicted by greater levels of internalizing and externalizing problems. To explore the potential

pathways between SV, internalizing and externalizing problems and PP in typically developing

children, the present study used parent-report questionnaires to assess these variables in 6-12 year

olds (N = 67). Results of this mediation model will be discussed, highlighting the implications of

social vulnerability on healthy development.

22

1.00-1.45 PM

Lunch (Bayliss Foyer)

&

Prospective Honours Students Presentation

(Wilsmore LT)

23

1.45-2.00 PM

Bayliss G33 Does Debt Fragmentation Improve Repayment Decisions with Multiple

Debts?

Anthony Di Pietro—Simon Farrell

When one has multiple debt accounts, each with different interest rates and amounts owing, there

are two popular repayment strategies: the debt-stacking strategy, which focusses on the debt with

the highest interest rate and is mathematically optimal; and the debt-snowball strategy, which

focusses on the debt with the smallest amount owing. Previous work has shown that people are

naturally biased toward the debt-snowball strategy—despite its mathematical inferiority—and has

examined interventions intended to help people make better decisions about their repayment

strategy. This study proposes a novel intervention, called debt fragmentation, in which all debts

are broken up into unit debts of the same size that differ only in interest rate. It is hypothesised

that this intervention will counteract the bias toward repaying smaller debts first, and thereby help

people make better repayment decisions. Experiments are described in detail, including analyses

and implications for decision-making theory and public policy.

Tattersall LT The Roles of Neuroticism and Perfectionism in the Maintenance of Music

Performance Anxiety

Dudley Allitt—Neil McLean

Music Performance Anxiety involves persistent and distressful apprehension about potential

mistakes, embarrassment and humiliation. Whilst mistakes do happen they are rarely catastrophic

and they often go completely unnoticed by the audience. Performers therefore rarely, if ever,

experience the traumatic outcomes they are worried about. Following conditioning theory, one

might expect that this anxiety would therefore decrease over time. This, however, does not occur

for many individuals. It is proposed that the personality factors of neuroticism and dysfunctional

perfectionism may be responsible for the maintenance of music performance anxiety. Using both

quantitative and qualitative data collected from students at the School of Music at the University

of Western Australia as well as professional performing arts companies in Western Australia the

roles of these personality factors was examined. These findings and their implications for the

treatment and management of performance anxiety will be discussed.

Wilsmore LT How effortlessly do people make first impressions?

Lauren Dragon—Gillian Rhodes & Clare Sutherland

Understanding facial first impressions is important as inferences made from faces affect

important social outcomes (Todorov, Mandisodza, Goren & Hall, 2005). Theories suggest that

facial impressions occur automatically (Todorov, Pakrashi & Oosterhof, 2009; Willis & Todorov,

2006). Automaticity refers to fast, unconscious, involuntary and effortless processes (Palermo &

Rhodes, 2002). The aim of this study was to investigate whether people make spontaneous facial

impressions effortlessly by examining them under cognitive load and comparing them to baseline

judgements made without load constraints from another database. Ninety participants made

impression ratings while under verbal load, visual load and no load. If facial impressions are

effortless, there will be high correlations between impression ratings in each of the three load

conditions and ratings in the baseline judgments and no difference between the load conditions.

The implications of these results in relation to facial impression theories will be discussed.

24

2.00-2.15 PM

Bayliss G33

When less is more: the ranking processes underlying judgments

Hannah Jennings—Simon Farrell

When making judgements, people are often more concerned with the ranked position of a value

than with its absolute value. Although this process is well understood for single values, it is not

clear how people integrate multiple attributes to arrive at a single judgement; do people sum these

values and then rank them (Total Rank Model) or do they rank each value along its distribution

and then sum these ranks (Independent Ranking model)? The present study aimed to distinguish

between these two models, by asking participants to rate their satisfaction with different pairs of

values. One value always came from a wide distribution and the other value always came from a

narrow distribution. Based on behaviours seen in partitioned pricing scenarios, we hypothesised

that participants would treat the two values separately and therefore behave as predicted by the

Independent Ranking model. This hypothesis was partially supported.

Tattersall LT The role of information processing biases and expectancy biases in anxiety: a

longitudinal study

Mikaela Bennington—Colin MacLeod, Ben Grafton, & Lies Notebaert

It has been well established that an attentional bias to threatening or negative information is a

characteristic of high levels of anxiety. A recent study has found what may be a new

characteristic of anxiety called valence sensitivity. This longitudinal study looks at the

relationship between attentional bias, valence sensitivity, expectancy biases and anxiety. Students

in their very first semester of university complete computer tasks measuring attentional bias and

valence sensitivity, and a range of questionnaires measuring state anxiety, trait anxiety,

depression, stress, and their expectations about their university experience at the beginning of

semester. These same measures are completed again at the end of semester, except this time there

are two questionnaires about actual experiences of university, and updated expectations about

future experiences of university. Results and implications will be discussed.

Wilsmore LT Know your Wiggles! Investigating Children’s Ability to Recognise Famous

Faces Familiar Faces

Martina Nesossi—Linda Jeffery & Kate Crookes

Unfamiliar-face recognition follows a particularly protracted developmental trajectory. However,

the challenge of finding famous identities numerous children are familiar with, has resulted in a

lack of research on the development of familiar-face recognition. Additionally, the majority of

face recognition studies have used highly controlled images, which ignores the natural variability

encountered in daily interactions. To measure recognition of familiar and unfamiliar-faces in a

more true-to-life manner, we presented adults and children between 6 and 12 years-of-age with

40 unconstrained natural photographs of two familiar/unfamiliar individuals and asked them to

sort the photographs by identity. Consistent with current literature, results indicated that adults

are able to tolerant more natural variability for familiar than unfamiliar-faces. For children data

analysis remains ongoing, however we expect to find that children’s ability to recognise

individuals across images that incorporate natural variability improves with age, with adult-like

performance being achieved at a younger age for familiar-faces.

25

2.15-2.30 PM

Bayliss G33 Enough to Save the Environment? Cooperation in the Collective-Risk Social

Dilemma

Andrew Dobson—Nicolas Fay & Mark Hurlstone

Multiple nations must work together to reduce our global impact on the environment. We can

evaluate what conditions most readily facilitate cooperation in a climate negotiation situation by

using the Collective Risk Social Dilemma paradigm. Two hundred and eighty-two participants

from the School of Psychology at UWA completed this, which involved groups of six players

investing money from a personal monetary account into a collective climate account over the

course of 10 rounds. Two independent variables were manipulated: providing feedback about

their group’s progress towards the investment target, and differing the risk of catastrophic climate

change being simulated if they did not reach the target. While there weren’t differences between

conditions in how many groups successfully reached the target, further modelling indicated that

contribution strategies did change over time. Results suggest that providing feedback on group’s

progress improves the amount of selfless contributions, which may aid negotiations in the future.

Tattersall LT Exploring the Mediating Relationships Between Attentional Bias to Threat,

Impaired Attentional Control and Anxiety Vulnerability

Georgia Frew—Ben Grafton & Colin MacLeod

Individuals high in trait anxiety (TA) exhibit two attentional abnormalities: an attentional bias to

threat (ABT) and impaired attentional control (IAC). Past research has not determined whether an

ABT and IAC are causally related to anxiety, thus the current study aims to determine whether

they are. Specifically, if an ABT mediates the relationship between IAC and TA, or if an IAC

mediates the relationship between ABT and TA. Sixty-eight participants high or low in TA

completed a task, in which they tracked a target stimulus amongst seven distractor stimuli. Trials

utilizing face stimuli gave a measure of ABT, whilst trials using shape stimuli gave a measure of

IAC. It was hypothesized that participants high in TA would demonstrate an ABT and an IAC.

The hypothesis that the individuals high in TA would show an ABT was supported. No evidence

for an anxiety-linked IAC or for the mediation accounts was found.

Wilsmore LT Are Social Anxiety and Shyness Associated with Face Identification Ability in

Children?

Maira Vicente Braga—Romina Palermo & Linda Jeffery

Faces are important cues for effective social interactions. Difficulties in recognizing the identity

of faces can cause social discomfort, which might result in shyness and social anxiety.

Alternatively, social anxiety and shyness may reduce an individual’s ability to cope with social

situations, leading to withdrawal from social activities, and therefore reduced face exposure,

which may affect the development of face recognition. A negative association has been found

between social anxiety and face recognition in adults. This association may emerge during

childhood. Furthermore, research has found that shy children are less sensitive to some face

recognition cues. However, it did not examine face identification ability and social anxiety

directly. This study investigates whether social anxiety and shyness are negatively associated

with face identification ability in children aged 6-9. Results will be discussed in the context of

whether these associations originate in childhood as well as their theoretical and clinical

implications.

26

2.30-2.45 PM

Bayliss G33 Reputation and Social Approval affects: Can cooperation in the climate

dilemma be driven psychologically?

Alexandria Kenyon—Mark Hurlstone

Climate change is a global problem requiring global cooperation to be solved, something that

global climate negotiations have been unable to achieve. This study explored if two psychological

phenomena (reputation and social approval) could increase cooperation within this setting.

Tasked with avoiding dangerous climate change, groups of six players (N=180) completed a

collective-risk game in one of three conditions: 1) ‘control’ where individuals received no

feedback information; 2) ‘reputation’ where players received accumulative reputation

information; 3) ‘social approval’ where participants received reputation information and social

approval ratings given by co-players. Results showed that while there was no significant

difference between the quantity of successful groups in each condition, the social approval

condition had significantly higher contributions. This suggests that while reputation and social

approval information alone are not enough to fully achieve the cooperation required to solve the

climate dilemma they can be an effective part of the solution.

Tattersall LT Out with the old, in with the new: Developing, evaluating, and contrasting the

efficacy of a novel procedure for modifying anxiety-linked attentional bias

Mingkui Gao—Ben Grafton & Colin Macleod

Attentional bias to threat (ABT) is a characteristic of anxiety vulnerability (AV). Attentional bias

modification (ABM) procedures have been employed to demonstrate the causal relationship

between ABT and AV, and also aim to reduce anxiety by intentionally modify and correct the

ABT. However, existing ABM procedures have not reliably modified attentional bias, which

could be one of the direct causes of failures of reduction of anxiety. In this study, we introduce a

novel ABM procedure named Face Hero (FH) that is thought to be better due to added features,

such as complexity and movements. We aim to contrast the efficacy of the FH with the existing

modified dot probe task regarding the reliability of ABM and their impact on AV. The

participants are within mid-range trait anxiety in two conditions (Attend-threat vs. Avoid-threat).

Results will be discussed whether FH is a better ABM, and can impact on AV greater.

Wilsmore LT Neural correlates of distractibility

Charlie Viska—Markus Neumann & Romina Palermo

Distractions are failures of attention that occur in everyday life and can have severe consequences

(e.g., car accidents). Extending previous research, we examined whether different types of

distractors cause different amounts of distraction. Faces have been shown to have a strong

attentional capture power, but are they also particularly strong distractors? We used an

established irrelevant-distractor paradigm to measure distractibility for different distractor types

(faces, cars), and different task demands. We measured distractor cost as participants’ response

times on distractor-present relative to distractor-absent trials, and recorded event-related

potentials to examine neural markers of distraction. Given faces might capture more attention, we

expected that face distractors would result in higher RT cost than cars. Overall, harder tasks that

require more attention should reduce distractor effects. Finally, I explored distractor effects on

early attention-sensitive ERPS (P1, N170) and linked these to participants’ behavioural

distractibility effects. Results and implications will be discussed.

27

2.45-3.00 PM

Bayliss G33 Closing the Consensus Gap on Climate Change: What Works?

Catherine Mazza—Mark Hurlstone

Although more than 97% of climate scientists agree that human CO2 emissions cause climate

change, a proportion of the population do not believe scientists have reached a consensus. This

discordance has been labelled the “consensus gap”. It is thought to persist due to the efforts of

vested interest groups who create the illusion of uncertainty in the climate science—a tactic called

Scientific Certainty Argumentation Methods (SCAMs). The current study compared the

effectiveness of a consensus message (stating the scientific consensus) and a combined message

(stating the consensus and exposing the SCAM) to attenuate the effect of the SCAM. Participants

read one of these messages either before or after a SCAM. Results indicated that exposure to the

SCAM reduced pro-climate attitudes but that this effect could be partially attenuated with both

the consensus message and the combined message, regardless of whether it was presented before

or after the SCAM.

Tattersall LT Alignment/misalignment of anxiety-linked attentional biases in relation to

controllability of threat

Jessie Georgiades—Lies Notebaert

Anxiety is linked to an attentional bias to threat, however it is unknown whether this bias in

attention is always maladaptive. The aim of the current study is to examine the

alignment/misalignment of attentional biases to controllable and uncontrollable threat stimuli in

high and low trait anxious individuals, in a costly environment. Undergraduate university

students (N = 80) completed the trait subscale of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory and an

attentional assessment task. Low trait anxious participants are predicted to align their attentional

bias to threat and therefore exhibit a larger bias towards stimuli predicting controllable threats

than to stimuli predicting uncontrollable threats, highlighting an adaptive processing bias. High

trait anxious participants are predicted to misalign their attentional bias and exhibit heightened

bias towards stimuli predicting controllable and uncontrollable threat, highlighting a less adaptive

processing bias. Results and implications will be discussed.

Wilsmore LT Holistic Processing and Face Recognition in Children

Prue Watson—Romina Palermo & Linda Jeffrey

Holistic coding (i.e., processing a face as the sum of its parts, rather than individual features in

isolation) has been demonstrated in adults to assist in the process of face identity recognition.

Despite studies confirming adult-like holistic processing being present in children as young as

three, their face-recognition skills are still comparatively impaired. Furthermore, in comparison to

their same-age peers, some children demonstrate better face-recognition accuracy than others.

This study investigated whether individual differences in face-recognition abilities in children age

6- to 9- years of age, is significantly correlated with the extent to which they holistically process a

face. We used the Cambridge Face Memory Task (CFMT) for children to demonstrate face

recognition accuracy, and the composite face effect, which tests children on the extent to which

they holistically process a face. Results supported findings that children do process faces

holistically, though correlations with the CFE and other face recognition tasks were non-

significant.

28

3.00-3.15 PM

Bayliss G33 Collective-Risk and Climate Change: Effect of Inequality and Leadership

within an Intergenerational-framed dilemma.

Caitlin McAuliffe—Mark Hurlstone

Preventing significant climate change from occurring is one of the of the greatest threats faced

by today’s generation. Despite this, international climate negotiations have remained

painstakingly slow reflecting both the social dilemma, that people have a tendency to free ride,

and the intergenerational dilemma, that people discount future problems. Previous research

exploring factors that can affect cooperation towards climate change action have largely

overlooked the intergenerational dilemma. This present study will examine how inequality and

leadership affect cooperation within an intergenerational framed collective risk study. Groups

of six participated in a collective risk game where the rewards for cooperating were invested

into future generations. Players differed by the amount of money that they could use in the

game (equal, or rich and poor), and whether there was a presence of a leader. Implications and

results will be discussed.

Tattersall LT Anxiety-linked inattention; are anxious individuals’ reports of attentional

control impairments accurate?

Dylan Gilbey—Ben Grafton & Colin MacLeod

It’s well established that increased tendency towards anxiety is associated with a biased

attentional focus on threats. It’s also been found that people that tend to be anxious commonly

report having problems controlling their attention in general. One possibility for why this is the

case is that anxious tendency is genuinely associated with impairments in the executive control

of the attentional system. Another possibility, however, is that reports of control impairments

are manifestations of the attentional bias to threat; anxious people only report having problems

with attention because their attention generally is disproportionately focused on situations

when they are under duress. Testing the predictions of these possibilities was the goal of the

present study. Results were inconsistent with the predictions of the first possibility, but also not

entirely consistent with those of the second. Our observations therefore couldn’t conclusively

support one model, however important direction is provided for future investigations.

Wilsmore LT Are own-race faces more rewarding than other-race faces? Investigating

reward value and the other-race effect

Ella Gorman—Gillian Rhodes & Kate Crookes

The other-race effect (ORE) is a phenomenon where own-race faces are more accurately

recognized than other-race faces. There is no clear consensus as to the mechanisms behind this

effect. The current study examined the ORE from a new perspective, investigating potential

differences in the reward values of own- and other-race faces. Forty-three Asian and 44

Caucasian adults participated in a key-press task, involving own- and other-race faces. In the

task, participants were able to increase or decrease the amount of time they were exposed to

each face using different keys on the keyboard. These viewing times provided a behavioural

indicator of reward value, with longer viewing times indicating a more rewarding face. It was

hypothesized that own-race faces would be viewed for longer, hence more rewarding than

other-race faces. Results and implications will be further discussed.

29

3.15-3.30 PM

Bayliss G33 Which Environment? Defining the Environment and Factors Affecting

Environmental Judgments.

Jesse Reid—Mark Hurlstone, Iain Walker, Zoe Leviston & Susie Wang

Public opinion often does not reflect the concern and consensus for the environment shown by

the scientific community. Factors such as place attachment, relative deprivation, worldview

and time orientation are thought to affect both the specific environment that people identify

with, and its judged level of quality. This study aimed to explain large variations in general

environmental judgments by defining the environment more specifically and measuring these

judgments with influential factors. Additionally, levels of environmental policy support were

measured at the different scales of place. Approximately 200 participants completed

questionnaires measuring judgments of environmental quality and policy support at various

scales of place and time, plus factors including worldview, time orientation, place attachment

and relative deprivation at each scale. Results will be discussed in the context of the various

factors predicting the judgments and policy support at each scale. Furthermore, environmental

judgments may mediate between factors and policy support.

Tattersall LT Why is ADHD symptomology associated with elevated anxiety?

Hannah McGrechan—Colin MacLeod & Ben Grafton

People differ in both executive functioning and emotional functioning. Whilst these functions

are often studied in isolation, there has been growing interest in the association between the

two. A case in point is the association between Attentional Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

(ADHD) and elevated anxiety. Whilst this association is well documented, little is known

about the nature of the relationship. This study proposes two alternative candidate

explanations. First, the anxiety is caused by attentional deficits, of the type implicated in

ADHD, making daily functioning unduly challenging. Second, anxiety is caused by attentional

deficits driving an attentional bias to threat. This study used questionnaire measures and a

novel task-based assessment of attentional performance to examine the validity of the above

explanations. While, mediation analyses were unable to provide support for either candidate

explanation, this study took important preliminary steps towards explaining the complex but

crucial association between attentional functioning and elevated anxiety.

Wilsmore LT The Role of Motivation in Intelligence Testing: Can Intelligence Test Scores

Be Improved When an Incentive Is Introduced?

Michelle Ooi—Gilles Gignac

Financial incentives have been shown to increase intelligence test scores in children

(Duckworth et al., 2011). This study was interested in replicating this finding with adults, as

well as exploring this effect on different intelligence subtests. Individual differences in

motivation were also taken into account. A control group was administered an IQ test once

with no incentives whereas the remaining participants completed the test twice: in only one

condition, they had the chance to win money ($75). The Money Ethics Scale (Tang, 1992) was

also completed before the test. We expect IQ scores to increase when money is offered

however there will be different patterns of change for each individual subtest. Individuals who

have more value on money are also expected to have a larger increase in IQ scores in the

incentivized condition. The results would suggest that IQ test scores aren’t representative of an

individual’s true intellectual capacity.

30

3.30-3.45 PM

Bayliss G33 Help Me Understand Climate Change: Group discussions help individuals

understand carbon dioxide accumulation

Belinda Xie—Mark Hurlstone & Iain Walker

Carbon dioxide emissions must be reduced in order to prevent dangerous global warming. To

understand this fact, an individual must build a mental representation of the carbon dioxide

system. However, accurate mental models are rare - even highly-educated individuals tend to

underestimate the emissions reductions required to stabilize the climate. Many individual-

focused interventions have failed to improve participants’ understandings. We therefore asked

whether a group-based intervention could correct faulty mental models and thus improve

performance on a climate change decision-making task. We compared the performance of

individuals, pairs, and groups of four, by incorporating a group discussion stage into the

Carbon Dioxide Accumulation Task. We found that communicating with other individuals

reduced bias, corrected mental models, and enabled groups to succeed at higher rates than

individuals. Our findings support the current group-based nature of policy-making and can

justify group-based programs to educate the general public.

Tattersall LT The role of anxiety in the calibration of behaviour to variations in risks and

rewards

Johanna Majzner—Lies Notebaert

People with high trait anxiety have a biased perception with regards to risk, which has

generally been seen as maladaptive. However, results on risk mitigation tasks have found that

high trait anxious individuals are better at calibrating their risk mitigation efforts to levels of

risk than those with low trait anxiety. This suggests that anxiety can be useful. This experiment

tests this effect, but in addition to avoiding risk (a noise burst), it was also possible to gain

rewards (money) on intermittent trials. Participants needed to integrate varied levels of

likelihood and magnitude to guide their investments of a limited number of tokens. By forcing

participants to choose between mitigating risks or gaining rewards, we simulated a ‘cost’ of

risk mitigation behaviour. Results will be discussed in the context of differences in token

investment choices made by the high and low anxiety groups.

Wilsmore LT In Search of the Sapiophile: Urban Legend or Psychological Construct?

Joey Darbyshire—Gilles Gignac

Literature in the field of attraction and evolutionary psychology consistently demonstrates that

intelligence is a highly desirable characteristics. However, the notion of simply “desiring”

intelligence is subject to a great deal of ambiguity. For part one of this study, first year

university students were recruited to determine whether the relationship between intelligence

and attractiveness follows a continuous trend or if the benefits of intelligence taper out at some

acceptable level of “attractive” intelligence. The results from this study carry considerable

implications for the value of intelligence as an attraction mechanism. Additionally, in recent

years, the construct of Sapiophilia (sexual attraction to intelligence) has gained considerable

notoriety through exposure in the media. This construct however has yet to be observed or

measured empirically. The current study also aims to observe the phenomenon of Sapiophilia

with the newly developed “Sapiophilia questionnaire”.

31

3.45-4.00 PM

Tattersall LT Memory biases in adaptive and maladaptive anxiety

Karen Meagher—Lies Notebaert

Cognitive biases can contribute to the development of anxiety disorders. One cognitive bias,

memory bias, is the tendency of people with anxiety to remember more threat related than

neutral information. Past research has found that people with anxiety show a memory bias for

information relevant to future threat that they can control. This may be tapping into the

adaptive nature of anxiety. Anxiety can be adaptive when it motivates people to mitigate future

threat they can control. My research looks at how memory biases towards controllable and

uncontrollable threat differ in people who experience anxiety as adaptive or maladaptive. 50

participants completed a self-report measure of their tendency to experience anxiety as

adaptive or maladaptive and a memory task assessing their memory for controllable and

uncontrollable threat. We hypothesised that participants who experience adaptive anxiety will

show a memory bias for controllable threat. Results and implications are discussed