Physiological Measures Team Psycho CSS Jess, Jill, Keith, Nancy

What are Physiological Measures? The branch of physiology dealing with the relationship between physiological processes and thoughts, emotions, and behavior.

That was confusing, what’s the Basic idea: The body responds to psychological processes. e.g. your cheeks get warm when you are embarrassed.

Psychophysiology is concerned with measuring psychological processes by measuring physical indicators.

To confuse you even more… Applied Psychophysiology A rubric that encompasses evaluation, diagnosis, education, treatment, and performance enhancement Includes interventions and evaluation methods to move toward and maintain healthier physiological functioning

Data collection orientation Very quantitative and takes a post- positivist paradigm.

What’s it called, again? Physiological Measures Biofeedback Psychophysiology

Where did it come from?! Greek and Roman physicians –Heart rate to index interpersonal attraction

Where did it come from?! In China: – people used to spit out rice to indicate if someone was lying or not. If the rice was dry, they were lying.

Development through time: Tell no lies Cesare Lombroso: used the first lie detection test in John Larson: invented the first polygraph. Leonarde Keeler: invented current polygraph in the 1920’s.

Development through time Dr. Hans Berger: father of electroencephalography –studied electrical activity in the human brain. –In 1924 made first electroenkephlogram (EEG) recording of brain.

Time Warp to 20 th Century: Founding Folks Early researchers of psychophysiology –Riddle (1925) –Lasswell (1936) –Mittleman and Wolff (1939) –Boyd and DeMascio (1954). Developed in field of psychology and physiology

These founders then… Explored relationships of psychological constructs −Motivation −Speech rate −Emotions −Nature of relationships Connected them to specific physiological responses −Respiration −Pulse rate −Finger temperature −Skin conductance

Founder’s Failure! Failed because methods were weak But, showed great forward thinking –Linked biological and psychological approaches and out came psychophysiology!

Founder’s Fortune While the founders made errors, they provided for necessary steps in the methods evolution –The mistakes enabled future successes! –Enables researchers today to avoid errors and mistakes.

Disciplines psychophysiology are used in: Social Psychology Psychoneuroimmunology Psychoneuroendocrinology Neurology Criminal Science Aviation/Flight training Medical Field

Types of Indicators Perspiration Muscle tension Body temperature Brain waves Heart rate Regional blood flow Respiration

Some types of measurements and devices Electromyographic (EMG) sensors – measures electrical activity in muscles Galvanic skin response (GSR) sensors – monitors perspiration/sweat gland activity (also called Skin Conductance Level – SCL). Temperature sensors – measures changes in blood flow and body temperature

Some types of measurements and devices Electroencephalography (EEG) – measures the electrical activity of the brain through the scalp. Heart rate sensors – monitors the pulse rate (often in the finger). Respiratory sensors – monitors oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output.

Strengths Measures responses outside of the participant’s conscious control (reducing response- set bias). Measures real time basedmeasures of psychological constructs. Adds richness to a study by multi method triangulation. Measures constructs that are difficult to quantify without bias (e.g., love, prejudice, self- concept).

Weaknesses It is difficult to obtain appropriate background information. The equipment can be very expensive, cumbersome, and obtrusive. There is very rarely a one to one correspondence between specific behaviors and physiological responses (due to the complexity of behavior and the multi-functionality of physiological processes). It is difficult to operationalize and isolate a psychological construct. Researcher must be familiar with technology used.

Threats to validity Maturation Testing Instrumentation

Electrical Geodesics, Inc. (EGI) is making some pretty crazy contraptions…

Just relax!!