Award for Distinguished Scientific Applications of Psychology: David T. Lykken.

David T. Lyyken received the 2001 Award for Distinguished Scientific Applications of Psychology. He was given this award for his theoretical and methodological contributions to personality, psychopathology, and the assessment of emotional responding. His demonstration of low fear temperament and impulsivity in psychopathy stimulated a vast literature on the nature of that deficit. He developed the Guilty Knowledge Test and criticized traditional lie detection, stimulating public policy debate on that critical topic. His Activity Preference Questionnaire provided an alternative to neuroticism as a conceptualization of anxiety in psychopathy that is represented in current personality measures, and his concept of 'perception' has proved valuable in assessing risk for substance abuse. Using twin studies, he demonstrated high heritability for numerous psychophysiological responses and developed the concept of emergenisis. He published extensive methodological issues on how to record electrodermal activity, culminating in a proposal for standardization that is universally followed today. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Aerobic fitness and psychophysiological reactivity.

Examined the pattern of psychophysiological response to a demanding cognitive task in 10 males and 9 females (aged 35–45 yrs) of different aerobic fitness levels. Following baseline measures of heart rate and skin conductance, Ss performed a task with cognitive, motor, visual, and auditory components that caused an information processing system overload argued to be psychologically stressful. Aerobic fitness level was correlated with psychophysiological reactivity during and following exposure to the task. Fitness level was unrelated to heart rate and skin conductance level during the task but was positively correlated with speed of recovery to baseline once the task terminated. Within individual Ss, the 2 psychophysiological indices followed different time courses during recovery, but the rates of recovery were positively correlated. The quicker psychophysiological recovery of the aerobically fitter Ss may mediate certain psychological adaptations associated with improved physical fitness. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A psychometric perspective on psychophysiological measures.

Psychophysiological measures are a useful complement to self-report or behavioral measures because they can assess fundamentally different processes or more sensitively assess the same processes as those targeted by other types of measures. To be maximally beneficial, psychophysiological measures must meet the psychometric criteria that are commonly applied to self-report or behavioral measures. Empirical findings to date indicate that the temporal stability of psychophysiological measures thought to assess individual differences is variable and that researchers should devote more attention to systematic assessment of reliability, stability, and generalizability. The most critical psychometric issue involves construct validity and the establishment of linkages between psychophysiological measures and specific psychological processes. Several methodological and conceptual reasons for the difficulties that researchers encounter in the attempt to establish such linkages are discussed. Methodological guidelines for maximizing the reliability, temporal stability, and psychological meaningfulness of psychophysiological measures are proposed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Electrophysiological changes during the sleep onset period of psychophysiological insomniacs, psychiatric insomniacs, and normal sleepers

The electroencephalograms (EEGs) of the sleep onset period (SOP) of psychophysiogical insomniacs. psychiatric insomniacs, and controls were compared using power spectral analysis. We predicted that psychophysiological insomniacs would show elevated cortical arousal throughout their entry into sleep. Electroencephalograms, electrooculograms (EOGs), and electromyograms (EMGs) were recorded for two consecutive nights. Power spectral analysis of EEG from the sleep onset period was performed on all standard frequency bands. Psychophysiological insomniacs had less alpha during the first part of the SOP and did not show the dramatic drop in alpha across the SOP that characterizes normal sleep. They showed less delta in the last quartile of the chronological analysis of the SOP. Psychiatric insomniacs showed lower relative beta power values overall, while psychophysiological insomniacs showed higher relative beta power values during wakefulness. This microanalysis indicates that the SOP is generally similar for psychiatric insomniacs and normal sleepers but that clear differences in the SOP of psychophysiological insomniacs exist. They have higher cortical arousal during the SOP than do psychiatric insomniacs and controls. The dramatic changes in power values in the latter two groups as sleep begins are not seen in the psychophysiological insomniacs, which may help explain the difficulty that psychophysiological insomniacs have discriminating between wakefulness and sleep.     

Preparation for Speeded Action as a Psychophysiological Concept.

Mental preparation aids performance and induces multiple physiological changes that should inform concepts of preparation. To date, however, these changes have been interpreted as being due to a global preparatory process (e.g., attention or alertness). The authors review psychophysiological and performance investigations of preparation. Concepts of the central regulation of action offer an integrative framework for understanding the psychophysiology of preparation. If people process multiple streams of information concurrently, then preparatory processing requires a form of supervisory attention- central regulation to maintain unity of action. This concept is consistent with existing psychophysiological results and links them to current views of information processing. Conversely, psychophysiological measures may provide indices to test concepts within theories of the central regulation of action. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Utility of psychophysiology measurement in the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder: Results from a department of Veteran's Affairs cooperative study.

This multisite study tested the ability of psychophysiological responding to predict posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis (current, lifetime, or never) in a large sample of male Vietnam veterans. Predictor variables for a logistic regression equation were drawn from a challenge task involving scenes of combat. The equation was tested and cross-validated, demonstrating correct classification of approximately 2/3 of the current and never PTSD participants. Results replicate the finding of heightened psychophysiological responding to trauma-related cues by individuals with current PTSD, as well as differences in a variety of other domains between groups with and without the disorder. Follow-up analyses indicate that veterans with current PTSD who do not react physiologically to the challenge task manifest less reexperiencing symptoms, depression, and guilt. Discussion addresses the value of psychophysiological measures for assessment of PTSD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychophysiological support for the professional activities of servicemen

Optimal solution of the personnel replenishment problem, the necessity of training and education process improvement in the training centers and schools, the outcome of social, psychological and medical measures greatly depend on the overall physical and mental health state of the servicemen and their professional training quality. On the basis of their long standing experience the authors discuss the traits of the psychophysiological maintenance of the military professional activities of servicemen, in particular--the methodology and theory of professional psychological selection, the importance of body functional indications for the estimation of the fighting capabilities of military units. They examine some prospects for the psychophysiological expertise in the promotion procedures of commanding officers and make a suggestion that psychophysiological maintenance in the Armed Forces would increase its combat capabilities and help to avoid some negative effects in military groups.     

Psychophysiologic treatment of chronic lower back pain.

Research concerning the mechanisms and efficacy of psychophysiological treatments for chronic low back pain is reviewed. Despite methodological shortcomings, the literature supports the efficacy of a number of psychophysiological treatments. The mechanism of successful treatment is poorly understood. New models of pathophysiology of muscle pain are presented, and it is hoped that they will clarify treatment issues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relations between anger expression and cardiovascular reactivity: Reconciling inconsistent findings through a matching hypothesis.

Previous psychophysiological research (e.g., E. L. Diamond; see record 1983-01361-001) has demonstrated that both anger expression and anger suppression are related to cardiovascular responses, but in an inconsistent fashion. The present study tested the following hypotheses: (a) that the influence of anger expression style on psychophysiological responses would be limited to Ss exposed to an anger instigation, and (b) that the specific pattern of psychophysiological responses would vary as a function of whether Ss were induced to use their preferred vs. nonpreferred mode of anger expression style in response to the instigation. 78 male college undergraduates were randomly assigned to work on a task with either an annoying or a pleasant confederate and subsequently to write either a negative or a positive evaluation of the confederate. Blood pressure was measured intermittently and heart rate continuously throughout task performance and a subsequent 15-min rest period. Ss' preferred method of anger expression had been previously assessed by a self-report questionnaire. Systolic blood pressure results generally were consistent with the hypotheses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ferritin expression after in vitro exposures of human alveolar macrophages to silica is iron-dependent

OBJECTIVE: Sleep State Misperception insomnia has been commonly viewed as a perceptual or psychological problem. It was hypothesized that Sleep State Misperception insomnia, like psychophysiological insomnia, could be associated with increased physiological activation, here indexed by whole body metabolic rate. METHOD: Groups of nine patients with Sleep State Misperception insomnia and age-, sex-, and weight-matched normal sleepers were evaluated on sleep, performance, mood, personality, and metabolic measures over a 36-hour sleep laboratory stay. RESULTS: Sleep State Misperception insomniacs had a subjective history of poor sleep and perceived their laboratory sleep as poor but had electroencephalogram (EEG) parameters that did not differ statistically from matched normal controls. Sleep State Misperception insomniacs had abnormal MMPI values and were subjectively more confused, tense, depressed, and angry than matched normals. Sleep State Misperception insomniacs also had a significantly increased 24-hour metabolic rate, compared with matched normals. CONCLUSIONS: The overall increase in whole body oxygen use was less than that seen in psychophysiological insomniacs but was consistent with the view that Sleep State Misperception insomnia may be a mild version or a precursor to psychophysiological insomnia.     

The aspects of psychophysiological analysis of erroneous actions performed by astronauts

The experience of manned space missions points to the fact that cosmonaut-operator plays an important role in providing the efficiency and reliability of the crew-spacecraft system. However, the spaceflight factors can have a negative effect on working capacity of crewmembers and give rise to their operational errors. The paper deals with the methodical approach to analysis of the interrelationship of errors and psychophysiological state of cosmonauts as well as the ways of its realization. Described are the system of indices used for expert assessment of the psychophysiological state, peculiarities of work-rest schedule, and intra- and intergroup interaction. Potentialities of this approach are evidenced by results of the analysis of data from one of the MIR missions.     

Inferring psychological significance from physiological signals.

Since the publication of William James's (1890) Principles of Psychology, most of James's questions about the relation between physiological events and molar psychological or behavioral processes remain unanswered. The slow progress in using physiological signals (PSs) to address general psychological questions is due in part to problems in quantifying PSs in humans and to the way in which investigators have been thinking about the relation between PSs and psychological operations. A framework is provided to foster analysis of psychological phenomena based on PSs. Psychological operations and physiological responses are defined in terms of configural and temporal properties, and psychophysiological relations are conceptualized in terms of their specificity (e.g., one-to-one vs many-to-one) and their generality (e.g., situation or person specific vs cross-situational and pancultural). This model yields 4 classes of psychophysiological relations: (a) outcomes, (b) concomitants, (c) markers, and (d) invariants. The model specifies how to determine whether a psychophysiological relation is an outcome, concomitant, marker, or invariant, and it describes limitations in inferences of psychological significance based on PSs when dealing with each. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Applied psychophysiology: A bridge between the biomedical model and the biopsychosocial model in family medicine.

Over half of all patient visits to primary care physicians are related to psychosocial problems that are presented as common somatic complaints. It appears that psychophysiological diagnostic and therapeutic methods can directly, objectively, and quantitatively reveal this missing mind–body connection. Psychophysiological methods, including biofeedback, hypnosis, and cognitive behavior therapy have been shown to be empirically effective with several somatic conditions even though the specific mechanisms of efficacy of these therapies have not been identified. The classification, diagnosis, prevention, and therapy of stress-related disease and somatization disorder require a psychophysiological approach and can most effectively be conducted in a nonpsychiatric primary care setting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Auditory P300 and self-reported impulsive aggression

1. The purpose of the present study was to determine the cognitive psychophysiological correlates of impulsive aggression in a population considered "normal" by societal standards: college students. 2. Auditory event-related potentials were acquired on all subjects during a standard oddball task. The stimuli consisted of a random sequence of two tones, a frequent 1,000 Hz tone and a rare 2,000 Hz tone. Tones were presented in a ratio of 80/20. 3. Results of the study demonstrated that impulsive aggressive subjects show significantly lower P300 amplitude at frontal electrode sites when compared to nonaggressive controls. 4. These findings are consistent with the psychophysiological findings in impulsive aggressive incarcerated criminals and support the notion of a specific behavioral syndrome associated with spontaneous aggressive outbursts.     

Somatizers, the health care system, and collapsing the psychological distance that the somatizer has to travel for help.

The somatizing patient is a major challenge for differential diagnosis, referral, and therapy. An investigative-diagnostic model is presented composed of four sector combinations of pathophysiology and psychopathology. I present a logical analysis of the apparent tacit conspiracy of silence among the somatizing patient, the physician, and the health insurance industry with regard to the psychosocial factors contributing to somatization. There is a need to find psychophysiological alternatives to repeated biomedical investigations that are clinically unproductive and iatrogenic. Two alternative psychophysiological pathways (the High-Risk Model and the Trojan Horse Procedure) may reduce in the somatizer's mind the vast psychological distance (often several light-years) from the physician's to the psychologist's office. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Enabling the somatizing patient to exit the somatic closet: A high-risk model.

Examines problems that make somatizing patients (SMPs) poor candidates for psychotherapy and analyzes the conspiracy of silence that exists between SMPs, medical doctors, and the health insurance industry regarding psychosocial factors contributing to somatization. Alternatives are sought to repeated biomedical tests and therapies that are clinically unproductive and iatrogenic. Behavioral and psychological factors are included as components in the etiology and therapy of some modern physical diseases. Psychological and psychophysiological treatment technologies (e.g., biofeedback) offer promising alternatives to drugs and surgery in treating both psychophysiological and physical disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)