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V Ruggieri

Publications and source records attributed to V Ruggieri.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Relationship between cognitive style and emotional behavior.

In this research we examined the relationships among cognitive styles using the categorization of Bion and styles of modulation of emotional behavior (hostile content) explored with the Gottschalk, et al. method applied to the speech of 20 female and 10 male undergraduate students whose ages ranged from 20 to 35 years. Their verbalization was produced in a standard stimulus situation of 3 minutes duration. Analysis indicated a relationship between hostile attitude and cognitive styles. In particular, those who were relatively less hostile presented higher frequencies of processes classified by Bion as D2, which are characterized by an attitude of expectancy and waiting, with a tendency to defend internal psychological themas.

Adult↗

The eyes in imagery and perceptual processes: first remarks.

Through an echographic system we examined the activity of the crystalline lens of 10 men and women during real perceptual activity and during imagery. Subjects had to perceive near and far stimuli and to imagine reading a word on a page of a book (near imagined stimulus) or seeing a ship on the horizon (far imagined stimulus). Results showed that processes of accommodation (linked to the variations of the optical axis of the crystalline lens) occur in both real and imaginative conditions. The first results suggest an active role of the eye during imagery.

Accommodation, Ocular↗

Styles of modulation of emotional behavior: relationship with myographic tension and morphology of the shoulder.

We examined the morphology of the shoulder through anthropometric measures and the style of modulation of emotions of 54 women. The hypothesis was that the morphology of the shoulder (angles related to the position of the scapula, etc.) can be considered as partially inhibited gestures. The hypothesized relationship between emotions and shape of the shoulder is supported by the suggestion that some aspects of the morphology of the shoulder, as, for example, the habitual position of the scapulae, are an expression of particular gestures. The research indicates interesting relationships between morphological aspects of the shoulder and styles of modulation of emotion. These are discussed within the framework of a psychophysiological model.

Adult↗

On the hypothesized physiological correspondence between perceptual and imagery processes.

This research examined some aspects of the interaction between imagery and perception of 16 male and 84 female undergraduate students in psychology. The data indicate that, when a subject is imagining with open eyes, a modification in the external stimulation of the retina, produced by covering the eyes, strongly modifies the imaginative activity. The majority of the subjects observed a loss of mental image. In 54% of the subjects the loss of image was provoked by covering only one of the two eyes. Other subjects presented interesting alterations of the mental image. The observed differences among subjects are interpreted by hypothesizing a correspondence between perceptual and imaginative styles that could employ common neurophysiological structures at central and perhaps peripheral levels.

Adult↗

Psychophysiology of analysis of connotative decodification: the role of thermic and somesthetic systems in decodification of chromatic stimuli.

We hypothesized that in the decodification of connotative aspects of visual chromatic stimuli the periphery of the body plays an important role. In particular we hypothesized that the decodification process of so called "warm" and "cold" colours is related to a real modification of the temperature of the body which is the basis of the "subjective feeling" and of the attribution of the "emotional meaning" to the stimulus. So we have measured the temperature of the body of 36 female psychology students while they were looking at a luminous screen through spectacles in which filters (coloured lenses) of different colours were placed. Analysis indicated that during the perception of so called "warm" colours a statistically significant increase in the temperature of the body appeared. We observed an enhancement of temperature on the left side of the body during the perception with red and yellow filters and a small increase in temperature on the right side of the body with orange and yellow filters. In the discussion of the results we considered also the role of the cerebral dominance in decodification process of the connotative components of stimuli.

Adult↗

Styles of oroalimentary behavior: relationship with modulation of emotional behavior and myographic tension of the oral region.

The relationship between styles of oroalimentary behavior and both modulation of aggressive behavior and myographic tension at rest for some muscles engaged in the process of mastication was examined for 24 women. Our data suggested an inverse relation between outward overt hostility and oral appetitive hyperactivation with or without partial masticatory components. Moreover, the oral appetitive activation was negatively correlated with the myographic tension of oral region, particularly the right masseter.

Adult↗

Relationship between emotions and some aspects of respiratory activity: morphology of the chest, cyclic activity, and acid-base balance.

The relationship between the style of affective-emotional management measured on the Gottschalk test and respiratory activity of 19 undergraduate students in psychology was examined. The biological measurements were tonic-static attitudes of the chest (morphology), amplitude and duration of the phases of the respiratory activity, and acid-base balance. Statistically significant correlations were observed between affectivity (hostility and anxiety) and some biological scores. A psychophysiological model integrating biological and psychological levels was discussed.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

Visual decodification of some facial expressions through microimitation.

We examined the level of muscular tension of mentalis muscle of 36 students in graphic design at rest and during the presentation of three slides reproducing facial expressions. Analysis showed an increase in the myographic level of mentalis muscle from the third second of measurement onwards after the presentation of the slide in which contraction of the chin was involved. We interpret this result by hypothesizing that the decodification of some facial expressions is realized through a microreproduction of the stimulus from the decodifying subject.

Adolescent↗

Relationship between emotions and muscle tension in oro-alimentary behavior.

The relationship between muscular tension in the right and left masseter and orbicularis oris and different forms of hostility measured through the Gottschalk test was examined for 24 female subjects. For the muscles of the right half of the body a direct relation was noted with overt outward hostility, while on the left half of the body only the tension of the masseter was related directly to ambivalent hostility. Our hypothesis about a link between modulation of aggressive behaviors and muscles involved in functions such as chewing and biting was confirmed.

Adult↗

Chromatic perception in relation to an hypothesized cerebral dominance.

On the basis of the cerebral dominance, we have hypothesized an asymmetry (for saturation or brightness) between the two eyes in perception of chromatic stimuli. 51 subjects were tested on chromatic perception (green, red, yellow, blue). For each subject also an ocular-dominance score was obtained. The results substantially confirmed the hypothesis of cerebral dominance in color perception. Subjects with high ocular-dominance scores (right- or left-dominant subjects) showed for the green stimulus asymmetric behavior, while subjects with low ocular-dominance scores showed a tendency toward symmetry in perception.

Adult↗

Relationships among pleasure, anxiety and physiological response patterns during the sexual sequence in normal and dispermic subjects.

We examined the reported subjective level of pleasure and anxiety usually perceived during the four phases of the sexual sequence by 18 dispermic patients and 18 normal subjects. Relevant differences exist between the two groups in their perception of both emotions. The role of pleasure and anxiety in modulating some reflexive biological responses of the sexual sequence is discussed.

Adult↗

Reaction to cutaneous (tickle) and sexual pleasure by normal and dermapathic subjects.

We examined separately tickle perception and pleasure and anxiety during sexual sequence of 40 dermapathic (20 men and 22 women) and 39 normal subjects (20 men and 19 women) aged between 35 and 40 yr. The dermapathic patients have an inhibitory attitude towards tactile perception of tickling and high anxiety during the sexual sequence. Furthermore, they show positive association of anxiety and pleasure unlike the control group for whom the correlation between the two emotions is negative.

Adult↗

Barrier and penetration scores in relation to some objective and subjective somesthetic measures.

Barrier and Penetration scores in relation to some variables, such as muscular tone at rest, sensitivity to tickle, and body perception were studied in a group of 35 female subjects. While no correlations appear within the whole group of subjects between Barrier scores and the other variables, on the left side of the body. Dividing subjects on the basis of Barrier scores, three groups with different characteristics appear: 12 subjects with high Barrier scores show an inverse relation of Barrier scores with sensitivity to tickle on the right side of the body; 12 subjects with middle Barrier scores show a direct relation of Barrier scores with muscular tone and an inverse one with both latency of tickle on the right half of the body and body perception; 11 subjects with low Barrier scores show an inverse relation of Barrier scores with durations of tickle on both sides of the body.

Adult↗

Body perception in relation to muscular tone at rest and tactile sensitivity to tickle.

Two aspects of body image (body perception and body acceptance), muscle tone at rest, and disposition to perceive positively connoted stimuli (tickle) were studied with 35 female subjects. Our hypothesized relation of muscle tension and body perception was confirmed by an inverse correlation between these variables. Also evident was the link of the good acceptance of the body with the disposition to perceive pleasurable stimuli (tickle perception) longer and the link of level of body awareness and resistance to change (latency to tickle). Also a direct relationship between body perception and body acceptance emerged.

Adult↗

Tickle perception as micro-experience of pleasure: its phenomenology on different areas of the body and relation to cerebral dominance.

We examined the tickle sensitivity of 46 female psychology students with reference to different areas of the body and cerebral dominance. Analysis indicated a significant difference between two halves of the body for latency and not for duration. The dimensional approach, as we have suggested for other research on cerebral dominance, singled out for both latency and duration of tickle three groups of dominance: right, left, and nondominant subjects.

Adult↗

Muscular tone at rest: relationship with cutaneous pleasurable experience, an interpretation according to the dimensional approach to cerebral dominance.

This study examined some aspects of the relationship between muscular tone at rest and a particular kind of pleasurable tactile stimulation (tickle) in the light of the dimensional approach to cerebral dominance. Electromyographic scores, latencies, and tickle durations for six muscles and corresponding skin areas were taken both on the right and left sides of the body from 40 female students in psychology. There was an inverse relationship between muscular tone at rest and sensitivity to tickle stimulation, which is lower (long latency and brief duration of perception) when the levels of muscular tone increase. So we hypothesize that the muscular system (especially because the correlations of tone and latency are positive) plays a role through the afferents of inhibition of tactile pleasurable experience. This role is more evident for the left side of the body. The dimensional approach to cerebral dominance on the basis of myographic score identified three groups of subjects (right, left, and non-dominant). The subjects classified as right-dominant on the basis of myographic score show a longer duration of tickle on the right half of the body than on the left and longer latency on the left. The left-dominant subjects do not show any difference between the two halves of the body in duration of tickle but show longer latency on the left side. The non-dominant subjects show also no difference between the two sides of the body for both tickle duration and latency.

Adult↗