The influence of visual movement perception on performance in decision-making task

Author(s)

Jessica Barreira Alves Falkenstein

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Psicologia (IP/SBD)
• Defense date: 2018-05-09

Examining board members

Francisco Baptista Assumpcao Junior; Joao Eduardo Kogler Junior; Manuel Morgado Rezende; Antonio de Padua Serafim

• Advisor: Renato Teodoro Ramos

Abstract

Human behavior occurs in the most diverse environments and contexts, influencing and being influenced by them. This project aimed to evaluate the processing and influence of visual peripheral motion stimuli on performance in simultaneous cognitive tasks, using virtual reality as an instrument. The determination of interference patterns caused by environmental movement stimuli is fundamental for the understanding of mechanisms of processing, considering the hypothesis of the attentional bottleneck, by which the visual elements of the environment affect the behavior and the cognition, being able to signal threats and to induce the defense reactions, thus being linked with phobic and anxious symptoms. We evaluated 45 individuals, aged 18 to 40 years, in a constant double task through virtual reality equipment with simulation of movement in the environment, exclusively developed for this experiment. Results did not indicate differences between environmental movements and performance in the task, but showed differences of performance between genders, with the male group performing superior to the female group throughout the experiment. Some gender differences have already been reported previously, and indicate significant differences in the processing of information received and brain communication. It is important to consider these differences considering the course of diagnoses, symptoms and treatments related to these gender differences present in the disorders involved in the processing, considering that the results obtained can contribute to the improvement of the pathophysiological models of anxiety disorders (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/20846-7 - Motion visual perception influence on a decision making task performance
• Grantee: Jessica Barreira Alves Falkenstein
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master