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Recent Submissions
Imagery and Music Performance Anxiety in Elite Musicians
(University of Waterloo, 2025-03-14) Finch, Katherine
Many musicians experience music performance anxiety (MPA) regardless of their level of expertise (Fernholz et al., 2019) and based on the level of distress and impairment it causes, MPA can be diagnosed as performance-only social anxiety disorder (SAD) (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). However, important phenomena theorized to fuel social anxiety, such as negative spontaneous self-imagery (NSI), have not been studied in musicians or integrated into existing MPA theory which might limit our conceptualization and treatment of this concern. Due to the distress and impairment associated with MPA, different treatments have been developed, many of which integrate intentional mental imagery manipulation to ameliorate anxiety (e.g., relaxation imagery). However, it is difficult to draw a clear picture regarding whether certain approaches (e.g., relaxation imagery) are more helpful than others due to
methodological limitations of existing imagery-based MPA intervention research. Importantly, little is known about how musicians engage in mental imagery to manage MPA independent of existing intervention research, which could guide future imagery-based MPA research (e.g., examination of commonly used approaches). Thus, we conducted a series of studies to extend our understanding of musicians’ experiences along the imagery continuum (i.e., spontaneously experienced to intentionally generated) as they relate to MPA to inform future MPA theory, research, and treatment.
In Chapter 1, we followed elite musicians (N = 40) for 7 days leading up to an important anxiety-provoking performance of their choice. After completing an initial battery of questionnaires including a measure of trait MPA, musicians completed nightly measures of NSI and state MPA. We theorized that similar to those with SAD, musicians would experience NSI related to musical performances, and that this phenomenon would be positively associated with the intensity with which musicians experience trait and state MPA. Consistent with our predictions, we found that NSI was highly prevalent amongst elite musicians. At the between-person level, musicians who experienced more frequent NSI also had higher trait MPA and state MPA intensity. Multi-level analyses further allowed us to explore the association between NSI and state MPA intensity at the within-person level amongst those who experienced NSI, and we found that state MPA intensity was significantly higher on days where musicians experienced NSI compared to days when they did not.
Building on these findings and using the same methodology and participant data, Chapter 2 investigated the association between NSI and additional variables important to the conceptualization of MPA, including state MPA interpretation (i.e., whether musicians interpret anxiety as helpful or harmful to performances) and self-confidence. Contrary to our hypotheses, we did not find an association between NSI and these variables at the between-person level. However, on average within-person, we found that self-confidence was significantly lower on days where musicians experienced NSI than on days when they did not, although a similar association did not emerge between NSI and state MPA interpretation. Taken together, Chapters 1 and 2 indicate that cognitive theoretical models of SAD may be more applicable to MPA than previously thought (Osborne & Franklin, 2002), as an important phenomenon theorized to fuel social anxiety is associated with increased state MPA intensity and decreased self-confidence in anticipation of important anxiety-provoking performances. Further, similar to those with other forms of social anxiety, musicians experiencing MPA may benefit from imagery-enhanced cognitive behavioural therapy for SAD which specifically targets NSI to ameliorate anxiety.
In Chapter 3, we turned our attention to the use of intentionally generated imagery to manage MPA. To lay important groundwork for future research, Chapter 3 investigated how elite musicians (N = 25) employ mental imagery to manage MPA, and whether they experience difficulty controlling such imagery through a semi-structured interview and Likert-style rating scales. Thematic analysis revealed that musicians engage in a variety of imagery approaches (e.g., mental rehearsal, relaxation) to manage MPA, several of which are similar to approaches in existing intervention research. Although musicians reported a high degree of overall control of intentionally generated imagery to manage MPA, themes emerged regarding difficulties which musicians experience controlling such imagery. Thus, our findings have implications for future MPA research, as well as clinical implications regarding the use of mental imagery to manage MPA.
We conclude with a summary of our results, provide an overview of clinical implications of our novel findings, outline limitations of our program of research, and suggest directions for future research in this important area.
Mobile Realities: Designing for the Medium of Smartphone-VR
(ACM, 2019-07-19) Harley, Daniel; Tarun, Aneesh P.; Elsharawy, Sara; Verni, Alexander; Tibu, Tudor; Bilic, Marko; Bakogeorge, Alexander; Mazalek, Ali
We present two proof of concept experiences for a virtual reality (VR) game that draws on several medium-specific qualities of mobile, location-based, and tangible storytelling. In contemporary smartphone-VR, experiences are limited by short playtimes, limited interactions, and limited movement within a physical space. To address these limitations, we suggest a reconceptualization of smartphone-VR. Rather than design that deems the smartphone the least capable VR platform, we propose design that adds VR to an already rich mobile storytelling platform. We argue that by drawing on otherwise separate storytelling media, designers can circumvent limitations related to smartphone-VR while also extending the range of smartphone-based storytelling. We conclude by reflecting on possible implications of this extended design space.
Widespread yet Unreliable: A Systematic Analysis of the Use of Presence Questionnaires
(Interacting With Computers, 2025-02-01) Eugene Kukshinov; Joseph Tu; Kata Szita; Kaushall Senthil Nathan; Lennart E Nacke
Presence, as a psychological state, is typically assessed using questionnaires. While many researchers in this field assume that these self-report instruments are standardized, the reliability of such questionnaires remains uncertain. This knowledge gap challenges the accuracy and validity of data derived from studies assessing presence. Ensuring reliable and precise data collection and reporting is essential for the credibility of findings in presence research, because inaccuracies may cause errors in conclusions, which affects theoretical understandings, methodological approaches and practical applications. To address this issue, we conducted a systematic analysis of 397 empirical quantitative studies on presence. We investigated the use of presence scales, including applications, modifications, a variety of measures and reporting practices. We found that the majority of the presence studies modify questionnaires, do not re-validate them and improperly report their methods. Based on these findings, we propose solutions to enhance transparency and validation of the presence measurements.
Symbols, Dynamics, and Maps: A Neurosymbolic Approach to Spatial Cognition
(University of Waterloo, 2025-03-12) Dumont, Nicole Sandra-Yaffa
The discovery of various spatially sensitive neurons in the hippocampal formation, such as place, grid, and boundary cells, has provided valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying spatial representation and navigation. However, neural activity and connectivity data alone cannot fully reveal the brain’s algorithms. Bridging this gap requires computational models that not only explain the low-level activity of spatially sensitive cells but also link it to higher-level symbolic representations manipulable within a cognitive framework – models capable of binding spatial representations to discrete abstractions, while also supporting hierarchical and probabilistic structures that enable reasoning and decision-making.
The Semantic Pointer Architecture (SPA; Eliasmith, 2013), in combination with the Neural Engineering Framework (NEF; Eliasmith et al., 2003), provides a mathematical and computational framework to represent symbols and implement dynamical systems in spiking neural networks. Spatial Semantic Pointers (SSPs; Komer et al., 2019), an extension to the SPA, encode continuous variables, such as spatial locations, while supporting the binding of spatial information with other features – continuous or discrete – into compressed, multi-domain representations. This flexibility allows SSPs to model diverse cognitive processes, ranging from spatial memory to abstract reasoning, offering a unified theory for how continuous variables might be represented and manipulated in the brain.
In this thesis, we leverage these tools to model key components of spatial cognition, including path integration, cognitive map creation, and reinforcement learning. Our contributions include the development of SSP-PI, a SSP-based path integration model that combines velocity controlled oscillators with attractor dynamics to integrate continuous spatial variables. We also introduce SSP-SLAM, a biologically inspired spiking neural SLAM system capable of constructing semantic cognitive maps that bind and associate spatial and non spatial features. Furthermore, we propose spiking RL models that demonstrate how SSP embeddings can effectively represent successor features, reward distributions, and stochastic policies. Finally, we use the SPA and SSPs to construct state embeddings for deep RL networks, demonstrating their utility in tasks requiring mixed semantic-spatial representations.
Our findings underscore the potential of SSPs to act as a unifying framework for understanding spatial representation in the brain while advancing biologically inspired approaches to navigation and learning in artificial systems. This work bridges theoretical neuroscience and artificial intelligence, laying the groundwork for future explorations of shared principles across spatial and abstract cognition.
Development of Novel Human Aggrecanse-2 Dual-Binding Bis-Squaramide Inhibitors
(University of Waterloo, 2025-03-12) Ratto, Amanda
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that affects millions of individuals worldwide. OA is characterized by the breakdown of articular cartilage, including the proteoglycan aggrecan, which plays a crucial role in enabling cartilage to withstand compressive loads. A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin Motifs-5 (ADAMTS-5; aggrecanase-2), has been reported to be the predominant aggrecanase in mice, and in vitro studies revealed ADAMTS-5 exhibits high efficiency at cleaving aggrecan. Although no disease modifying OA drugs have been developed, it is hypothesized that inhibitors against ADAMTS-5 could slow the progression of OA. Typical inhibitors of ADAMTS-5 include zinc-binding groups (ZBGs) that interact with the catalytic zinc. Recently, an exosite that inhibitors can target has been identified at a nearby domain, not within the catalytic site. Here we present the development of novel potential dual-binding inhibitors which aim to target both the catalytic site and exosite of ADAMTS-5.
The inhibitors investigated in this thesis incorporate a squaramide nucleus, which is an excellent molecular scaffold due to its ease of derivatization, known synthetic pathways, and commercial availability. To identify potential dual-binding bis-squaramide inhibitors, a large in silico library was constructed, consisting of the squaramide nucleus linking potential exosite binding groups and ZBGs. Numerous computational techniques were utilized to identify inhibitors, including molecular docking to evaluate potential interactions with both the binding pocket and exosite of ADAMTS-5, as well as molecular dynamics simulations to assess inhibitor stability and predict binding affinities. The four bis-squaramide molecules identified from the computational screening were successfully synthesized using a one-pot, microwave-assisted synthetic approach, which facilitated a high-throughput process through reaction automation. A range of bis-squaramide compounds were enzymatically screened with micromolar IC50’s for ADAMTS-5.