Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2007, Psychology/Experimental

The study examined the relationship between developmental changes in preferred motor tempo (PMT) and tempo sensitivity (TS) to test McAuley, Jones, Holub, Johnston, & Miller (2006) preferred period and entrainment region hypotheses. Four groups of listeners (4-5, 6-7,8-9, and 18+ years) were asked to tap to their preferred rate and make judgments about the relative tempo of standard-comparison isochronous tone sequence pairs. Findings related to preferred period hypothesis were mixed; age-related changes consistent with the hypothesis were observed in PMT but there was no age-related shift in TS. TS findings were consistent with entrainment region hypothesis; TS improved with age except in the youngest age group, with greatest age-related improvements observed at the slowest tempo. Improvements in TS associated with increasing number of comparison intervals were generally consistent with Miller & McAuley (2005) but amount of improvement varied with age and tempo.

Committee: John Devin McAuley (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, Music

Two studies examined the influence of mental imagery type and instruments' tone-decay times on tempo fluctuations between repeated rehearsals and performances of musical works. The first experimental study tested the predictions that 1) motor imagery – in contrast to non-motor imagery – would lead to smaller discrepancies between imagined and performed tempos; and 2) musical works having high note density would tend to be slowed down when imagined, whereas works having low note density would tend to be sped up when imagined. The second correlational study tested the prediction that the same work would exhibit significant changes of average tempo when performed on instruments having different tone-decay times. In the first study, musicians performed slow and fast musical excerpts either vocally or on their major instrument. These excerpts were recorded. Then, each participant repeatedly attempted to mentally replicate their excerpts' tempos by using motor or non-motor imagery. Excerpt beginnings were signaled by three-second prompts from the recordings of each excerpt, and participants indicated excerpt endings by ringing a call bell. Excerpt duration discrepancies were calculated by subtracting the performed excerpt length from the imagined excerpt length. The results did not yield support for either of our hypotheses. There was no significant difference of tempo discrepancies when using motor versus non-motor imagery; and there was no significant main effect of variable note density on tempo discrepancies. Post hoc analyses suggested that successive mental rehearsals might lead to smaller and less variable tempo discrepancies across musicians of diverse skill levels. Other post hoc analyses suggested that repeated practice attempts might improve or at least maintain tempo accuracy, except in music exhibiting low note density – below approximately 1.5 notes-per-second. However, musicians do not seem to have immediate conscious access to the gains or losses of temp (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: David Huron PhD (Advisor); Lora Gingerich Dobos PhD (Committee Member); David Clampitt PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Music; Psychology

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2023, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

Music's ability to influence emotional states and physical arousal has become an increasingly popular area of study. The wealth of literature around music and stress suggests a significant amount of interest in leveraging music to manage stress. However, as attention increases, the robustness of research becomes an increasing concern. This study investigates the current literature and proposes recommendations for the future studying of the psychological and physiological impacts of music as it relates to stress reduction. Existing literature was reviewed with a focus on the operationalization of key concepts of music and stress. The analysis showed considerable discrepancies in research design, operationalization of music, operationalization of the psychological aspects of stress, and operationalization of the physiological aspects of stress. The findings of this study have implications for future research design. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Committee: Michael Toohey (Committee Chair); Michael Sakuma (Committee Member); Brad Lichtenstein (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Music; Psychobiology; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 0, Chemical Engineering

Organic compounds containing nitroxide radicals such as 4–hydroxy–2,2,6,6–tetramethylpiperidine–1–oxyl (4–hydroxy–TEMPO) are redox–active and are of interest for potential applications in redox flow batteries. The mechanisms governing charge–transfer reactions of such compounds are not well understood. Specifically, the anodic charge transfer coefficient (α_a) corresponding to the electro–oxidation of 4–hydroxy–TEMPO in an aqueous and non–aqueous electrolyte is ~0.9, i.e., α_a deviates considerably from the expected value (0.5) for a symmetric single–step one–electron transfer redox reaction. To explain this observation, a two–step oxidation mechanism is proposed wherein the nitroxide–containing species undergo fast charge transfer at an electrode surface followed by slow rate–limiting desorption of the adsorbed oxidized species. Numerical simulations are reported to characterize how the proposed two–step mechanism manifests in transient cyclic voltammetry behavior of the 4–hydroxy–TEMPO oxidation reaction, and good agreement with experiments is noted. In the present contribution, supporting evidence is provided for the aforementioned mechanism. In situ surface–enhanced Raman spectroscopy is employed to confirm the presence of surface–adsorbed species at a Au electrode during electro–oxidation of 4–hydroxy–TEMPO. Furthermore, chronopotentiometry is used to track the gradual re–equilibration of the electrode–electrolyte interface following the electro–oxidation of 4–hydroxy–TEMPO. Analysis of the chronopotentiometry data further suggests the presence of adsorbed species. Electrochemical cycling and spectroscopic evidence are presented to investigate the passivating effect of surface films that form following the electro–oxidation of 4–hydroxy–TEMPO.

Committee: Rohan Akolkar (Committee Chair); Lydia Kisley (Committee Member); Burcu Gurkan (Committee Member); Robert Savinell (Committee Member) Subjects: Chemical Engineering

DMA, University of Cincinnati, 2022, College-Conservatory of Music: Piano

One of the most important tasks for performers is deciding tempo. When composers do not indicate the tempo in the score, performers need to make decisions on how fast or slow they play. As there are many different styles and genres of music, each associated with a particular range of tempo, performers must decide their tempo through careful study of the score and analysis of musical styles and genres, even when specific tempo markings are provided in some cases. For Beethoven's music, this task can be easier because he left metronome markings on his major works, including the nine symphonies and eleven string quartets, even though his metronome markings are quite elusive. However, the metronome markings by Beethoven are greatly helpful to find out the tempi of other pieces. Beethoven's variation sets take as important a place as his Sonatas. Beethoven composed variation sets throughout his entire life—in fact, the span of variations output is even longer than his sonata output. However, finding proper tempi for variation sets will need a different approach than that for Sonatas because the nature of variations requires linking several short movements, each which are in different genres and musical characters. The purpose of this document is to examine ways to find appropriate tempi in Beethoven's piano variation. Beethoven's variation sets also change stylistically as Beethoven's composition style evolves. To help choose appropriate tempi, I categorized these sets into four different groups. 1. Variation sets on popular tunes that follow in the footsteps of Haydn 2. Op.34 and Op.35, "Eroica" Variations 3. Thirty-two variations in C minor 4. "Diabelli" Variations The tempo for each variation unit in each variation set is determined by following four steps. First, performers should start with Beethoven's own metronome markings for Italian tempo inscriptions as a reference. These tempo inscriptions fall into a range of metronome mark (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: L. Brett Scott D.M.A. (Committee Member); Aik Khai Pung D.M.A. (Committee Member); Steven Cahn Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Music

Honors Theses, Ohio Dominican University, 0, Honors Theses

The United States is facing a modern health crisis. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death within the U.S. and the obesity rate has reached unforeseen levels. Exercise is a primary form of prevention and treatment to these problems, yet physical activity rates remain low. Innovative research on exercise aid is valuable to the development of effective solutions to increase the effectiveness and adherence of exercise regimens. Music is already a well-established and available resource in the fitness world. A better understanding of the influence of music on exercise may provide a nuanced perspective on exercise aid; specifically, studying how varying tempos may have different effects during anaerobic resistance training could provide a new aspect of personalized training programs that are conducive to each client. Generating conducive exercise environments has the potential to stimulate an increase in physical performance and regimen adherence essential to reducing heart disease and diabetes in the United States. Within this study, adult males underwent an anaerobic resistance training program while listening to various tempo conditions with consideration to musical preference (n=6; age: 23.0 ± 2.8 years, height: 173.8 ± 7.1cm, weight: 79.0 ± 2.1kg, BMI: 26.2 ± 2.0kg/m2). There was no significant impact of music tempo and preference on performance (i.e., total weight pushed on leg press) and subjective experience (i.e., mood and rating of perceived exertion). However, results did support the positive impact exercise has on improving specific mood states. The implications for these findings may be beneficial in better understanding ways to utilize exercise as a mood modifier to aid in exercise adherence, while warranting further research to better understand the role of music (i.e., preference, tempo, genre, etc.) within exercise.

Committee: Emily Phillips (Advisor); Michael Dougherty (Committee Member); John Marazita (Committee Member) Subjects: Health

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2020, Design

This paper discusses the process of making a “visual-audioizer” prototype in which I designed and created as a new method for the computer musician and animator to produce audio. The visual-audioizer is a patch I created in Max in which traditional animation techniques, in tandem with basic computer vision tracking methods, can be used as a tool to allow the visual time-based media artist to produce audio and eventually, music. Using this tool with the animated form provides real-time feedback within a dynamic locale constrained to the software and allows the user to hear their visual creations within a sonic setting. For the user unfamiliar with animation techniques and computer music, an experiential media system in which animation, audiovisuals, and exploration are considered synonymous. To the animator, an alternative method/consideration to letting the implicit temporal-knowledge of motion to apply this system as a means of creating audio. For the computer musician, a new way to learn about animation and the role of animation techniques as musical instrument. Through explorations in the realm of graphic aesthetics of scale, movement, patterns, and pictorial ambiguity, aspects of what can be described visually perceptible and within an audibly comparable setting play a key role when manipulating audio creation. Using the visual-audioizer, animators and computer musicians will find new ways to experience and create their audiovisual media through means of drawing and interacting with the tool itself.

Committee: Kyoung Swearingen (Advisor); Marc Ainger (Committee Member); Matt Lewis (Committee Member) Subjects: Design; Music

Master of Arts, Case Western Reserve University, 2016, Psychology

Research on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; DSM-IV) has identified a pattern of behavior labelled sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT), characterized by daydreaming, sluggish physical activity, mental confusion, and a lack of mental alertness. Some studies have suggested that SCT is separable from the Inattentive subtype of ADHD; but not all studies are in agreement on this point. There has been very little research into the developmental stability of SCT as children mature. Relatively little research has been done evaluating the independent relations between SCT and cognitive abilities separate from the effects of Inattentive subtype ADHD. In addition, little research has been done on the etiology of SCT. In the present study, I explore the longitudinal stability of SCT over a period of seven years. I also explore the independent effects of SCT on cognitive and educational outcomes, social problems, internalizing behaviors, and anxious/depressive behaviors. Finally, I estimate genetic and environmental influences on SCT. Over a seven year period, SCT does not demonstrate longitudinal stability. I found no evidence that SCT has effects on cognitive or educational outcomes after the effects of Inattentive ADHD are controlled for. SCT significantly predicts social problems, internalizing behaviors, and anxious/depressive behaviors. Individual differences in SCT appear to be largely determined by non-shared environmental factors.

Committee: Lee Thompson Ph.D (Advisor); Lee Thompson Ph.D (Committee Chair); Heath Demaree Ph.D (Committee Member); Elizabeth Short Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Master of Science, University of Akron, 2015, Polymer Science

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) plays an important role in biodegradable polymers due to its unique properties. However, PLA only has reactive end groups; therefore it is difficult to make bulk modifications and an efficient way to functionalize the main-chain of this polyester needs to be found. 2-Bromo-3-hydroxypropanoic acid (BHPA) is a halogenated constitutional isomer of lactic acid. In this thesis, BHPA is used to prepared to make statistical copolymers with lactic acid by direct polycondensation to provide reactive sites along the polymer backbone. The halogen is distributed along the backbone of the copolymer, such as a grafting-to structure can be made. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is most often used as a hydrophilic segment because of its biodegradability and biocompatibility. The PEGylated poly(lactic acid) can serve as a polymer to which various medical and drug delivery systems can be attached. Here, mPEG side chains were formed by grafting mPEG homopolymers with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) end groups onto the polymer by a radical coupling reaction. TEMPO is one of the most widely used nitroxide radicals due to its remarkable persistency. PEGylated poly(lactic acid) can be prepared via a radical coupling reaction of PEG-supported TEMPO with the brominated poly(lactic acid).

Committee: Coleen Pugh Dr. (Advisor); Yang Hyun Yun Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Polymer Chemistry

Master of Science, University of Akron, 2014, Polymer Science

Hyperbranched polyesters have drawn great attention in many applications, including lubricants, paints, catalyst supports, and drug delivery. Similar to dendrimers, hyperbranched polymers have high branching densities which contribute to higher solubilities and lower viscosities as compared to linear polymers. Furthermore, they have a considerable amount of terminal functional groups throughout their structures, which contribute to their excellent ability to encapsulate molecules and act as a catalyst support. There are many publications on further grafting on hyperbranched polymers, but few reports on the modification of their end groups. This project concentrates on the synthesis of (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO) derivatives which will be coupled to the bromine end groups of hyperbranched poly(n-butyl acrylate) by nitroxide radical coupling (NRC). The substituted functional groups include hydroxy, alkene, azido, cyano and nitro groups. TEMPO derivatives are being synthesized from 4-hydroxy TEMPO to form ester or ether by multiple coupling methods such as DCC coupling, mesylation, and alkoxidation. Further nitroxide mediated radical polymerizations may be carried out to modify the behavior of the polymers, mostly by addition of styrenes. The hyperbranched polymers are being synthesized by self-condensing vinyl polymerization (SCVP) of a bromo acrylate inimer.

Committee: Coleen Pugh Dr (Advisor); Chrys Wesdemiotis Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Polymer Chemistry; Polymers

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2013, Arts and Sciences: Psychology

The present study aimed to expand current understanding of the sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) construct by first investigating whether SCT is a multi-factorial construct and then examining associations between SCT and a range of neuropsychological, behavioral, and academic outcomes. Teacher reports of SCT were gathered for 102 medication naive children, aged 7-11 (inclusive), who met DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Each participant completed five computerized neuropsychological tasks designed to assess a range of neuropsychological domains (e.g., working memory, attention, and inhibitory control), a twenty minute analogue math task customized to his or her level of ability, and the Numerical Operations subtest of the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Second Edition. A principal axis factor analysis resulted in two separate SCT factors: a Sluggish/Sleepy factor and a Daydreamy factor. In order to examine correlates of the SCT factor scores, a series of linear mixed models tested whether the SCT factor scores predicted a wide range of neuropsychological, academic, and behavioral outcomes. Whether the relationship between SCT factors and these outcomes was moderated by ADHD subtype was also tested. Once teacher-rated inattention was accounted for, neither the Sluggish/Sleepy factor nor the Daydreamy factor was related to any of the neuropsychological, academic, and behavioral outcomes across all children with ADHD. However, a significant Daydreamy factor by ADHD subtype interaction effect was observed for mean reaction time, reaction time standard deviation, and tau across the five tasks with sigma also being marginally significant. In order to investigate the significant Daydreamy by subtype interactions, models were rerun with each subtype (ADHD-I and ADHD-C) separately. Consistent with previous research suggesting that the SCT construct is highly associated with the ADHD-I and not the ADHD-C subtype, results showed that the Daydreamy factor was positiv (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jeffery Epstein Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Shari Wade Ph.D. (Committee Member); Paula Shear Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2010, Musicology

Through the analyses of treatises, scores, letters, and technologies spanning four centuries, this multidisciplinary history of rhythm charts the various, shifting meanings in musical time and movement as pedagogies and performance practices became increasingly influenced by clockwork machines—-and Johann Maelzel's metronome most conspicuously—-over the course of the modern age. Depicting how “musical time” constitutes an ever-changing belief system in what “time” means, this study charts the ascendance of a new musical-temporal ontology brought about by Western performance-culture's increasing reliance on metronomes.This history explains how scientific methodologies and machines—-promoting metronomic time above all else—-were first actively applied to musicians and their performances in the latter decades of the nineteenth century. The influential work of modern scientists, pedagogues, and only later composers—-with their precision-oriented beliefs in metronomic time and rhythm—-eventually helped to create a new performance-practice tradition, a new musical culture in which mechanical objectivity became a prevailing aesthetic in the twentieth century. Highlighting the writings of philosophers such as Mersenne, Diderot, and Rousseau; musicians such as Quantz, Beethoven, and Stravinsky; scientists such as Wundt, Scripture, and Seashore; and pedagogues such as A. B. Marx, Christiani, and Jaques-Dalcroze, the narrative explicates how and why this temporal revision occurred, and what outcomes followed when scientific modes of metronomic action were imposed upon past, subjective musical practices. As this history of musical time, metronomes, and musicality uncovers, the very meanings and cultural values underlying “rhythm” and “tempo” have palpably changed since the twentieth century due to a heretofore-unacknowledged paradigm shift: a metronomic turn in which the once-innate musical “beat” became both conceptually and audibly mechanized.

Committee: Mary Davis PhD (Committee Chair); Daniel Goldmark PhD (Committee Member); Peter Bennett D.Phil (Committee Member); Martha Woodmansee PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: American History; Dance; Education History; European History; History; Music; Music Education; Philosophy; Robots; Science History; Technology

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2010, Psychology/Experimental

Musical rhythms vary in their complexity. However, how different factors affect the perceived complexity of a rhythm is relatively poorly understood. The primary aim of this thesis was to consider the contribution of three factors to the perceived complexity of a rhythm: (1) musical training, (2) whether or not individuals were asked to tap the beat of the rhythm at a preferred rate before making a complexity rating, and (3) tempo. Of additional interest was the extent to which previously proposed measures of rhythmic complexity can account for variations in perceived rhythmic complexity. In two experiments, participants listened to a set of monotone auditory rhythms and rated their complexity using a 6-point scale: 1-‘Very Simple" to 6-‘Very Complex". In Experiment 1, musically trained and untrained participants were instructed in separate blocks of trials to tap out a regular beat along with the rhythm or to simply listen to the rhythm before making their rating; all rhythms were presented at a fixed tempo (200 ms inter-onset-interval). In Experiment 2, a new sample of musically trained and untrained participants rated the complexity of the most and least complex rhythms in Experiment 1. These rhythms were presented at a range of tempi in both tapping-the-beat and listen-only conditions. Overall, musically untrained participants tended to judge rhythms to be more complex than musically trained participants. In Experiment 1, rhythmic complexity ratings made during the tapping-the-beat condition were significantly higher than ratings made during the listen-only condition; however this was only the case for musically untrained participants. In Experiment 2, rhythmic complexity ratings increased with increasing tempo. Differences in tapping variability as a function of musical training were found, although tempo did not affect participants' tapping variability in general. Three beat-based measures of rhythmic complexity made reliable and significant predictions of par (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: J. Devin McAuley PhD (Advisor); Verner P. Bingman PhD (Committee Member); Laura C. Dilley PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Experiments; Music; Psychology

Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 2009, Communication Disorders

The purpose of this study was to describe the acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics of diatonic scale singing at different tempi in a professional female soprano. The classically trained singer sang ascending-descending ninth scales on /a/ in the F# major key at five different tempi – slow, moderately slow, moderately fast, fast, and fastest. All scales were performed with a moderate loudness level and with a pre-determined metronome marking. Tempo was controlled in order to determine whether differences existed between scales that were sung at a comfortable tempo and scales that were sung at an uncomfortable tempo. The slow (1 note = 104 beats / minute), moderately fast (2 notes = 92 beats / minute), and fastest (4 notes = 92 beats / minute) tempi were designated as comfortable because they were typically performed with integer multiple vibrato cycles per note. The moderately slow (2 notes = 72 beats / minute) and fast (4 notes = 69 beats / minute) tempi were designated as potentially uncomfortable because the note durations were not integer multiples of the singer's typical vibrato cycle period. There were a total of 5 ascending-descending scales analyzed in this study, one for each tempo. The results of the study strongly suggested trends in the acoustic and aerodynamic measures when tempo and scale direction were controlled. The following observations were noted: 1)mean fundamental frequency (F0) was higher in the descending notes than the corresponding ascending notes, 2)average F0 vibrato extent decreased as tempo increased, 3)mean note intensity was greatest at the highest notes and lowest at the lowest notes of the scale, 4)secondary intensity peaks were observed at the third (A#4) or fourth (B4) notes of both the ascending and descending portions of the scale, 5)airflow was greatest at the lowest notes of the scale and lowest at the highest notes of the scale, and 6)average airflow vibrato extent decreased as tempo increased. Distinctive trends were not (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ronald Scherer PhD (Advisor); Jane Rodgers DMA (Committee Member); Laura Dilley PhD (Committee Member); Roger Colcord PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Speech Therapy