Concepts

Question 1

Law of initial value

Answer 1

A physiological response to a stimulus or situation depends on the prestimulus level of the system being measured

Question 2

The higher the initial value,
What concepts relate to this? (2)

Answer 2

The smaller the increase
Ceiling effects, Magnitude of change

Question 3

Baseline levels

Answer 3

Establishing baseline levels
Returning to baseline levels
Anticipating properties of a stimulus (to be presented) during prestimulus (baseline) period

Question 4

Autonomic balance
What systems are relevant to this? (2)

Answer 4

A measure of autonomic functions (skin conductance, respiration, blood pressure, etc)
Sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system

Question 5

Predominance of this autonomic factor is, but

Answer 5

Constant for long term (tonic) level
BUT
May show changes in short term (phasic level)

Question 6

“Activation” or “arousal”

Answer 6

Intensity of behavior

Question 7

Intensity of behavior:
Activation reflected in

Answer 7

Level of physiological response

Question 8

Related to increased activation (3)

Answer 8

High HR (heart rate), BP (blood pressure), muscle potentials

Question 9

Yerkes and Dodson

Answer 9

Performance on Y axis, Tension/arousal/anxiety on X axis
Curve: low, comfort, LINE (medium), anxiety, high
On top of line: Constructive optimum tension

Question 10

Reticular formation (RF) and Reticular activating system (RAS)
What is it important for?

Answer 10

Maintaining wakefulness and producing cortical arousal

Question 11

Activation of RF in anesthetized cats shifts EEG from

Answer 11

High-voltage slow waves to low-voltage fast waves

Question 12

High levels of RF activation leads to

Answer 12

Decrement in performance

Question 13

Diagram:
Brainstem

Answer 13

Ascending cortical activation
REM/SWS switch

Question 14

Diagram:
SCN

Answer 14

Circadian clock

Question 15

Diagram:
Hypothalamus

Answer 15

Sleep/wake switch

Question 16

Diagram:
Thalamus

Answer 16

Cortical activation
Sleep spindle
EEG synchronization

Question 17

Stimulus-Response (SR) Specificity

Answer 17

Patterning of physiological responses according to the particular stimulus situation

Question 18

Cognitive function tasks (2) and how it affects heart rate

Answer 18

Mental arithmetic: Increases HR
Attention to visual stimuli (Decreases HR)

Question 19

A concept in Psychophysiology

Answer 19

Habituation

Question 20

Initial response

Answer 20

Orienting response (Sokolov)

Question 21

Response habituation

Answer 21

Subsequent responses to same stimuli are not as great

Question 22

A subsequent novel stimulus

Answer 22

Creates a mismatch and produces an orienting response

Question 23

Orienting response

Answer 23

The “What is it” reflex

Question 24

Pavlov

Answer 24

In dogs, a conditioned response failed to occur when an unusual (novel) stimulus captured the attention of the animal

Question 25

Orienting Responses:
In humans, a novel stimulus elicits

Answer 25

Increased SCL and EMG
Pupil dilation
EEG activation
Decreased HR
Vasoconstriction in limbs, vasodilation in the head

Question 26

Orienting responses:
Believed to facilitate

Answer 26

Perception of and response to new stimulus

Question 27

Orienting response to
What does it do? (2)

Answer 27

Novel stimuli
Habituates rapidly
Enhances perceptibility of stimuli

Question 28

Defensive response
What does it do?

Answer 28

To intense, potentially painful stimulus
Habituates slowly

Question 29

Factors producing an OR (3)

Answer 29

Novelty, intensity, significance

Question 30

Novelty

Answer 30

Decreases with repeated presentations until it habituates

Question 31

Intensity

Answer 31

Must be above threshold to capture attention

Question 32

If too intense

Answer 32

Orienting response changes to defensive response

Question 33

Concepts in Psychophysiology:
Implications

Answer 33

For experimental investigations