Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
This research explores the complex interplay between heritage and religion within the Waldensian and Methodist heritage community in the Waldensian Valleys of Italy. By investigating heritage as a...Show moreThis research explores the complex interplay between heritage and religion within the Waldensian and Methodist heritage community in the Waldensian Valleys of Italy. By investigating heritage as a cultural process and employing scale-making as a tool for understanding localized identities, the study examines how different scales of heritage—local, national, and transnational—are produced, authorized, and contested. Furthermore, this research offers an interesting viewpoint into the secular and sacred dimensions of heritage, analyzing how religious practices and memories are sacralized and secularized through heritagization processesShow less
Memory consolidation has been shown to be strengthened by sleep as well as wakeful rest. This study examines the impact of mind-wandering on consolidation. There is an ongoing debate in the...Show moreMemory consolidation has been shown to be strengthened by sleep as well as wakeful rest. This study examines the impact of mind-wandering on consolidation. There is an ongoing debate in the scientific community, however, on how to appropriately measure mind-wandering as well as its role in consolidation. Multiple experiments have been done already, yet, their flawed design invalidated the results (Brokaw et al., 2016; Craig et al., 2014; Varma et al., 2019; Varma et al., 2018). This experiment used the metronome response task (MRT) and measured memory performance, with the goal of finding out if rhythmic reaction time variability can be used as a proxy for mind-wandering. Results show that participants with higher mind-wandering tendency are significantly more likely to mind-wander during the MRT. Rhythmic reaction time variability (RRTv) for off-task probes is significantly higher than for on-task probes. Overall RRTv values do not have a significant correlation with the Mind-Wandering Spontaneous questionnaire scores. Lastly, people with higher RRTv during mind-wandering probes have higher memory scores. In general, the results show RRTv to be a behavioral proxy for mind-wandering, and mind-wandering may improve consolidation.Show less
Fatigue and memory are modulated by the neurotransmitter dopamine. This study aimed to explore the modulating effects of dopamine on mental fatigue and how this relationship affects memory...Show moreFatigue and memory are modulated by the neurotransmitter dopamine. This study aimed to explore the modulating effects of dopamine on mental fatigue and how this relationship affects memory performance. We hypothesised that the administration of tyrosine would lead to lower reported mental fatigue levels relative to placebo. Additionally, we hypothesised that participants who reported lower levels of mental fatigue would obtain higher memory scores in comparison to those who reported high levels of mental fatigue. 30 participants were tested on a word recall and word recognition task. Mental fatigue levels were measured using the multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI). Our results showed no significant effect of treatment on mental fatigue. However, we found that mental fatigue did impair recognition performance in both immediate and delayed conditions, though inconsistently across sessions. The effect of time on memory was found; performance in both recognition and recall tasks deteriorated after 24 hours, regardless of treatment or mental fatigue. We discuss several study limitations, including a small, gender-imbalanced sample size, subjective mental fatigue reports and our tyrosine administration approach. We encourage further research on the topic as it is highly relevant for clinical populations who experience persistent fatigue symptoms, as well as healthy populations who regularly engage in cognitively demanding tasks.Show less
Abstract Working memory performance declines naturally in people as they get older. However, much variation exists between people in the degree to which their working memory deteriorates. Knowing...Show moreAbstract Working memory performance declines naturally in people as they get older. However, much variation exists between people in the degree to which their working memory deteriorates. Knowing the risk-factors associated with higher or lower working memory performance could help mitigate some of the negative effects that are experienced by people as such. There are many known predictors for lower working memory performance identified by the literature, such as age, education, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and history of concussion. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of these predictors with working memory performance to identify which of these variables most strongly predict performance on a working memory test. Identifying the most prominent risk-factors associated with lower working memory performance can aid the development of specific tools and treatments for counteracting working memory deterioration as people get older. We included 132 subjects from the general population and measured working memory performance using a computerized OSPAN test. The predictors were measured using different self-report questionnaires, regarding demographics and general health. Linear regression models were then used to test each variable as a predictor of working memory performance. The total sample consisted of 49 males and 83 females with a median age of 44.5, and a mean education level of 4.97 years of education. Our analysis demonstrated that education level was positively associated with working memory performance (p = 0.008, F(1, 129) = 7.23, adjusted R2 = 0.05 ), whereas the other variables did not show a relationship with working memory. This result shows education level to be a significant determiner of higher or lower performance of working memory. However, the small effect size (0.05) makes it difficult to say whether education level makes much difference when generalizing to the general population. Furthermore, the influence of age, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and history of concussion on working memory performance was not confirmed in this sample. The influence of these variables on working memory performance may only appear under different conditions, such as only in older participants or in participants that smoke or drink more frequently.Show less
This research examines the ways in which nature is represented in media objects dealing with cultural memory. As a case study, Filipp Groubnov’s multimedia installation artwork POCHVA (2018) is...Show moreThis research examines the ways in which nature is represented in media objects dealing with cultural memory. As a case study, Filipp Groubnov’s multimedia installation artwork POCHVA (2018) is analyzed in relation to media scholar Jens Ruchatz’s concept of media as trace and externalization of memory. The research aims, through an analysis of the artwork, to reveal nuances in Ruchatz’s observations in the field of cultural memory and media. The results include that through the ways trees and microorganisms are incorporated, the installation reenacts the interconnectedness of beings in the nature instead of serving as optical proof for the memories.Show less
Between 2005 and the large scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the orange and black ribbon of St George has become one of the most widely recognized symbols of the Putin regime and its military...Show moreBetween 2005 and the large scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the orange and black ribbon of St George has become one of the most widely recognized symbols of the Putin regime and its military ambitions outside of Russia’s borders. Together with the ‘Z’ and ‘V’ it is probably the most recognizable symbol of the pro-Russian side in the Ukrainian war and of pro-Kremlin elements inside of Russia. In some ways it may seem strange that the ribbon has become so closely associated with the current war in Ukraine because its present popularity in Russia began with a campaign launched in 2005 that used the ribbon to commemorate the Soviet victory in WWII. After the launch of that campaign, people in Russia started wearing the ribbon on their lapels around the May 9th commemorations of the ‘Great Patriotic War’ in a way that is somewhat reminiscent of the ‘poppies’ distributed each year by the Royal British Legion in the United Kingdom. However, quite unlike the British poppies, the meaning ascribed to the ribbon of St George quickly went beyond mere commemoration of victory in the Great Patriotic War and quickly took on a wider significance encompassing not only pride in the past but also a particular understanding of Russian nationhood and Russia’s current place in the world, one that closely aligned with the Putin regime’s ambitions on the world stage. The question I will try to answer in this study is how views and interpretations of the St George ribbon’s meaning evolved- inside and outside of Russia- in English language media outlets, whose coverage focused on events in Russia and Ukraine between, 2005 and 2022.Show less
The current study researched the effect of emotional stimuli on memory and the influence of mood on this process. Earlier research has shown that emotional stimuli are better remembered than...Show moreThe current study researched the effect of emotional stimuli on memory and the influence of mood on this process. Earlier research has shown that emotional stimuli are better remembered than neutral stimuli due to an increase in attention and consolidation of emotional stimuli. Furthermore, mood has shown to have a significant influence on attention and memory when focusing on clinical outliers such as depression and anxiety, or induced mood. However, it is still unclear whether selfreported mood of healthy participants influences the emotional enhancement effect. In the current study the participants (n = 54) completed a memory task across two days. The participants completed the PANAS-SF questionnaire on the first day to assess their current mood. On the first day 60 negative and 60 neutral pictures were shown. On the second day the participants saw 75 pictures (negative and neutral), 60 of which they had seen the day before and 15 new pictures. We asked them for each picture to indicate how confident they were whether they had seen it the day before or if it was new. As we expected, we found an increased memory accuracy for negative pictures compared to neutral pictures. Moreover, we found less false alarms for negative pictures compared to neutral pictures and more hits for negative pictures. There was no significant effect found for mood influencing memory. Suggestions for future research are provided in the discussion.Show less
People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) often experience symptoms that can have a significant impact on psychological and cognitive functioning. Research has previously shown a significant...Show morePeople with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) often experience symptoms that can have a significant impact on psychological and cognitive functioning. Research has previously shown a significant association between these two functions. The aim of this paper was to study the association between psychological factors (depression and fatigue) and cognitive functions (memory, verbal fluency, and information processing speed). Studying fatigue, depressed mood, and the combination between them can provide important indications to how psychological status relates to cognitive functioning. Cognitive functions of memory, verbal fluency, and information processing speed were measured through Buschke Selective Reminding test, Controlled Oral Word Association test, and the Symbol Digit Modalities test, respectively. Depressed mood was measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and fatigue was measured with the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions. Patients (N=124; mean age = 50.77 [SD = 13.5]; 25% male, 93% female; 9.7% PPMS, 28.5% SPMS, 61.3% RRMS) were categorized into four groups based on their depression and fatigue scores using clinical cut-offs (i.e., psychologically intact [no depressive mood, not fatigued], depressive mood but not fatigued, fatigued but no depressive mood, and psychologically impaired [depressive mood and fatigued]). Group did significantly differ on MS type (p < .05), Group 1 (psychologically intact) and Group 4 (no depressive mood but fatigued) were more likely to have a relapse-remitting disease course. However, findings suggest no significant association between group and cognitive functioning. Scores on the cognitive tests were similar across all groups (p = .203). This indicates that cognitive functioning is independent of psychological status. However, in light of the limitations, it is important to build on future studies to investigate this relationship further, to indicate a next step in the treatment and intervention of MS in terms of psychological problems, cognitive deficits, or both.Show less
Landmarks, opvallende objecten in omgevingen, kunnen ten behoeve van het onthouden van een route worden onthouden. Een van de manieren om dit geheugenproces in te delen, is door onderscheid te...Show moreLandmarks, opvallende objecten in omgevingen, kunnen ten behoeve van het onthouden van een route worden onthouden. Een van de manieren om dit geheugenproces in te delen, is door onderscheid te maken tussen herkenning, het hebben onthouden zonder context, waarbij ook de context is onthouden. Eerder onderzoek heeft aangetoond dat stress en trait anxiety invloed hebben op herkenning en herinnering, echter is deze invloed nog niet getest bij landmarks. In de huidige studie werd dit onderzocht door 37 participanten een exploratietaak uit te laten voeren in een virtuele omgeving waarin landmarks waren geplaatst. De helft van de participanten kreeg van tevoren stress opgewekt door een zingtaak uit te voeren in de Sing-a-Song Stress Test. Na de exploratietaak werd middels de Remember / Know paradigm getest in hoeverre landmarks herkend en herinnerd waren en werd de Stait-Trait Anxiety Inventory afgenomen. De Sing-a-Song Stress Test bleek een effectieve manipulatie voor het induceren van verhoogde stressniveaus. Er werd geen verschil gevonden tussen de hoge- en lage-stressconditie in herkenning en herinnering van landmarks, als ook geen verschil in herkenning en herinnering tussen lage en hoge trait anxiety. Vervolgonderzoek wordt aanbevolen via fMRI hippocampusactiviteit te meten gedurende het Remember / Know paradigm, om meer grip te krijgen op het al dan niet onafhankelijk optreden van herkenning en herinnering onder invloed van stress en trait anxiety. Daarnaast wordt aangeraden te onderzoeken of meer opvallende landmarks, door bijvoorbeeld emotionele waarde, beter worden herkend en/of herinnerd onder stress dan wel trait anxiety.Show less
Landmarks, opvallende objecten in omgevingen, kunnen ten behoeve van het onthouden van een route worden onthouden. Een van de manieren om dit geheugenproces in te delen, is door onderscheid te...Show moreLandmarks, opvallende objecten in omgevingen, kunnen ten behoeve van het onthouden van een route worden onthouden. Een van de manieren om dit geheugenproces in te delen, is door onderscheid te maken tussen herkenning, het hebben onthouden zonder context, waarbij ook de context is onthouden. Eerder onderzoek heeft aangetoond dat stress en trait anxiety invloed hebben op herkenning en herinnering, echter is deze invloed nog niet getest bij landmarks. In de huidige studie werd dit onderzocht door 37 participanten een exploratietaak uit te laten voeren in een virtuele omgeving waarin landmarks waren geplaatst. De helft van de participanten kreeg van tevoren stress opgewekt door een zingtaak uit te voeren in de Sing-a-Song Stress Test. Na de exploratietaak werd middels de Remember / Know paradigm getest in hoeverre landmarks herkend en herinnerd waren en werd de Stait-Trait Anxiety Inventory afgenomen. De Sing-a-Song Stress Test bleek een effectieve manipulatie voor het induceren van verhoogde stressniveaus. Er werd geen verschil gevonden tussen de hoge- en lage-stressconditie in herkenning en herinnering van landmarks, als ook geen verschil in herkenning en herinnering tussen lage en hoge trait anxiety. Vervolgonderzoek wordt aanbevolen via fMRI hippocampusactiviteit te meten gedurende het Remember / Know paradigm, om meer grip te krijgen op het al dan niet onafhankelijk optreden van herkenning en herinnering onder invloed van stress en trait anxiety. Daarnaast wordt aangeraden te onderzoeken of meer opvallende landmarks, door bijvoorbeeld emotionele waarde, beter worden herkend en/of herinnerd onder stress dan wel trait anxiety.Show less
In recent decades, our understanding of archives has evolved beyond the familiar, institutional archive carefully tended to by a small group of trained professionals. Movements such as...Show moreIn recent decades, our understanding of archives has evolved beyond the familiar, institutional archive carefully tended to by a small group of trained professionals. Movements such as postcolonialism and postcustodialism, combined with the digital turn, have allowed interest in other, less conventional forms of archiving to emerge. As such, the concept of an archival continuum (that is, the understanding of archives as evolving and participatory systems rather than fixed institutions) has been accepted by archival scholarship. This thesis investigates whether printed family memoirs that incorporate visual material from family archives can be placed along said archival continuum. Four such memoirs – The Hare with Amber Eyes (2010), In Memory of Memory (2018), Heimat: A German Family Album (2018), and Letters to Camondo (2021) – have been selected as case studies by which to examine their potential archival and evidentiary value. Each memoir is a work of postmemory – following Marianne Hirsch, the authors are processing generational trauma passed down as a result of the Holocaust. I argue that it is not only the narratives that lend them archival value, but also their inclusion of archival material. As I will show, understanding published memoirs as archives supports an expanded recognition of non-professional memory work as archival. Importantly, the increased accessibility of published memoirs to a general audience versus that of conventional archives allows for greater interaction with the preserved objects, and so aids in supporting the societal memorialization of the Holocaust. By focusing on the paper editions of the books, I am able to examine the unique benefits and challenges of the printed book as a form of accessible archive and memory object.Show less
Abstract The connection between hippocampus-dependent learning and the novelty of a previously experienced environment has been investigated through animal research for a longer time. In rodents,...Show moreAbstract The connection between hippocampus-dependent learning and the novelty of a previously experienced environment has been investigated through animal research for a longer time. In rodents, it was found that they showed theta band power while encoding memories, during the initiation of explorative movements. But there has been a scarcity of research looking at these connections in humans. This study aims to investigate the associations between memory types (landmark memory, as well as recall and recognition on an unrelated word learning task) and familiarity of the environment as well as theta bands in the brain. Thirteen men and women took part in this three-day EEG study. On the first day, participant first explored one environment during the exploration phase and later explored another time an environment that was either the same as before (familiar) or a new (novel) environment. On day two, they were then exposed to a new environment (novel condition), if they have seen two times the same environment on day 1, or to an environment that they have already seen on day 1(familiar condition) if they saw two different environments on day 1. On both days they had to complete a landmark memory, recall, and recognition task. On days two and three the participants did a delayed recall and recognition task. The EEG was used during all tasks on days one and two. The results showed that landmark memory was not affected by the novelty of the environment (p = .812). Word recall was also not affected by the novelty of the environment (p = .400), and neither was recognition (p = .227). There was more theta band power during the novel environment exploration than during the familiar environment measured (p < .001). Theta bands were not correlated with recall (p = .783) or landmark memory (p = .231). This study had a small sample, no cultural diversity, and a strict theta band inclusion criterion. Because of that, the results should be interpreted with caution and further studies should include a bigger sample, with different cultures, and perhaps a wider theta frequency spectrum. This study could help closing the gap between animal and human research, as well as create tools to assist people with learning difficulties.Show less
Cyclically driving subharmonic units can result in emergent memory effects, and such systems have the potential to store information and perform computations. For this reason, we numerically...Show moreCyclically driving subharmonic units can result in emergent memory effects, and such systems have the potential to store information and perform computations. For this reason, we numerically investigated the response to cyclic driving of two linearly coupled toggling bits, which are an inherently subharmonic unit. We found that there are 380 topologically distinct two-t-bit systems. Cyclic driving sometimes resulted in subharmonic responses with emergent periods of T=3 and T=4, as well as nonzero transients (tau>0). A variety of different orbits is possible, but the behavior (tau, T)=(0, 2) inherent to the single toggling bit, remains common in systems of two t-bits. A period of T=4 already occurred for weakly coupled systems that can be manufactured in experiments. We also found the restriction that tau + T < 4. Lastly, we conclude that coupling strength strongly affects the likelihood of avalanches occurring. The findings demonstrate both the capabilities and limitations of coupled toggling bits, which will valuable for future research.Show less
Post-photography, similar to the post-archival, can be considered a consequence of the change in how we relate to memory and history. As a result of the abundance of information, accelerated by...Show morePost-photography, similar to the post-archival, can be considered a consequence of the change in how we relate to memory and history. As a result of the abundance of information, accelerated by social media and the Internet, representations of the past have changed drastically. As a result, the way we memorize the past is under severe duress. This thesis focuses on these representations of the past, specifically on contemporary representations of archival material. It first discusses the conjunction of documentary photography and artworks concerning the archive. After this, it turns to two case studies to adequately analyse contemporary changes in the content and aesthetics of photographic as well as archival practices. In the analysis of Walid Raad’s The Atlas Group and Max Pinckers’ and MMWVA’s (Mau Mau War Veterans Associations) Unhistories, special attention is paid to important photographic concepts such as time and space. Essentially, it will offer insights into how representation and association of archival events can be reframed and remediated using photography. This research will also offer insights into the political value of aesthetic and formal reactions on the photographic archive as an institution and as a means of representation.Show less
Childhood scarcity has long lasting effects that remain visible during adulthood. Much of the literature suggests that these effects are mostly negative, but some theories such as the Life History...Show moreChildhood scarcity has long lasting effects that remain visible during adulthood. Much of the literature suggests that these effects are mostly negative, but some theories such as the Life History Theory have inspired studies that show positive effects of childhood scarcity. The current work aims to highlight the effects of experiencing childhood scarcity on adult cognitive performance in a current financial scarcity situation. We hypothesized that people who experienced childhood scarcity performed better, on a memory and attention task during a situation of current financial scarcity, then people who had not experienced such scarcity. To test their memory we used a restaurant menu containing dishes with prices and calories that participants had to recall; further, to measure attentional shifting, the menu contained a discount code that participant could copy and paste in order to save money. In the experiment 190 participants were randomly assigned to two groups – respectively low budget and high budget condition. The hypotheses were not confirmed, however a significant effect of childhood scarcity on the memory of dishes’ prices and calories was found.Show less
Instagram influences our perception and manipulates what we buy, think, and engage with. This has contributed to the digitalization of art and a shift in the shaping of our collective perceptions...Show moreInstagram influences our perception and manipulates what we buy, think, and engage with. This has contributed to the digitalization of art and a shift in the shaping of our collective perceptions of the past. Previous research has indicated that artists and cultural memory are intertwined. Likewise, it demonstrated that social media and cultural memory are connected. However, literature on cultural memory theory has rarely been developed in context of academic research of the combination of artists and social media. This thesis will use qualitative research methods and the theories of Halbwachs’ collective memory, Warburg’s social memory and Nora’s sites of memory in addition to other expert’s analysis to investigate how contemporary artists’ use of Instagram affects the theory of cultural memory. The combination of this research illuminates that artists and their fans are in the unique position to create a visible anchor of memory by shaping or viewing Instagram as a carefully curated exhibition site. This thesis’ purpose is to add value to memory studies, social media research and art history literature streams by taking insights from cultural memory research and applying it to social media research.Show less
This thesis critically approaches the notion of nostalgia as a site for negotiating the way communities in Ladakh reproduce the past in the present. Multiple nostalgias are explored and the various...Show moreThis thesis critically approaches the notion of nostalgia as a site for negotiating the way communities in Ladakh reproduce the past in the present. Multiple nostalgias are explored and the various nostalgic postures are unpacked as they encounter and engage with modernity. The aim is to understand through ethnographic analysis, the temporalities within which nostalgia occurs and the interplay between nostalgia and cultural practices that provide a site to study how the past is maintained in the present.Show less
The investigation of Porto M, a non-traditional museum on the island of Lampedusa, analyses the deeper motives behind the curators’ aesthetic choices and their political meanings. This non...Show moreThe investigation of Porto M, a non-traditional museum on the island of Lampedusa, analyses the deeper motives behind the curators’ aesthetic choices and their political meanings. This non-conventional museum is a site of memory, politics, and resistance: It performs memory and political practices to denounce Western forms of domination and abuse of power, such as (neo)colonialism, (neo)imperialism and exploitation of the territory. Porto M creates a memory that shed light on issues related to migration raises awareness on migrants' and Lampedusani's difficulties on the island and also actively opposes the militarisation of Lampedusa. Show less
In ancient thought memory has long been regarded as a magnificent instrument of the soul. Up until this point, it has remained a rather open question to what extent Augustine draws from Neoplatonic...Show moreIn ancient thought memory has long been regarded as a magnificent instrument of the soul. Up until this point, it has remained a rather open question to what extent Augustine draws from Neoplatonic sources and possibly from Roman mnemotechnics, as well as from developments of contemporary Christian doctrine in in order to structure and formulate his thought on memory. Although Augustine thematises the concept of memory throughout his literary works, book X of the Confessions stands out as a definite and original analysis of memory. In it, we see how Augustine traverses the vast spaces of his memory, retrieving from its hidden recesses all kinds of mental images and objects, his past experiences, himself, his forgetfulness, with the aim to find God, whom he could not find in the world around him. Interestingly, book X presents us not just with an extensive theory of memory as a cognitive function, but as the place through which we attain knowledge of the highest Being, namely God. In this thesis I will attempt to address the extent to which Augustine’s analysis of memory in Book X of his Confessions is influenced by and differs from the Ancient Western philosophical tradition that went before him through three different themes: i) the structure by which we attain Beauty, ii) the objects of memory and iii) the metaphysics of Being in memory. All themes lend themselves for comparative analysis. The Form of Beauty is for Plato, and later for Plotinus not something immanently graspable. We need to go through some process, that is characterized as an ascent in order to attain it. Likewise, Augustine traverses memory in search of God, who is Beauty in an apparently similar fashion. Chapter 2 will engage with the structure of the ascent in order to answer the question whether Augustine views our reconciliation with God as a like-mannered ascent. In Chapter 3, another comparison is made, now on the subject of memory proper, specifically with regard to its function and objects. A classical text by Aristotle, De Memoria, although probably unknown to Augustine, offers nonetheless one of the most comprehensive competing theories on memory. The comparison sets out to establish the key differences between the texts, with which we can more firmly argue for Augustine’s originality. Finally, chapter 4 seeks out the “metaphysics” discussed in book X. Augustine addresses the Being of God in a distinctly Christian manner, which differs extensively from Plotinus’ metaphysical views on the One. The overall picture that emerges from this thesis is that book X of the Confessions contains persisting Neoplatonic traces that Augustine either incorporates into a Christian framework, or discontinues altogether in order to bring into light the Being of God. Memory is set at the core of human cognition, as the place that we traverse in search of God, and in which we predict, imagine, contemplate. In it we find memories that haunt us, but also those that bring delight and hope. Ultimately, happiness can only be attained beyond memory, by finding it in TruthShow less