Physiological

Measures

Team Psycho

CSS 50611.29.06

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 theBasic 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 1895.

• 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 20th 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• Psychoneuroendocrinolog

y• 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!!