Degree Name

MA (Master of Arts)

Program

Psychology

Date of Award

8-2014

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Eric W. Sellers

Committee Members

Matthew McBee, Russell Brown, Shannon Ross-Sheehy

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders can cause individuals to lose control of their muscles until they are unable to move or communicate. The development of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology has provided these individuals with an alternative method of communication that does not require muscle movement. Recent research has shown the impact psychological factors have on BCI performance and has highlighted the need for further research. Working memory is one psychological factor that could influence BCI performance. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the relationship between working memory and brain-computer interface performance. The results indicate that both working memory and general intelligence are significant predictors of BCI performance. This suggests that working memory training could be used to improve performance on a BCI task.

Document Type

Thesis - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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