Psychophysiological Effects Research Articles

Psychophysiological Study of Cosmetics Behavior: Psychophysiological Effects of Self-touching When Applying Cosmetics for Skincare

Psychophysiological Study of Cosmetics Behavior: Psychophysiological Effects of Self-touching When Applying Cosmetics for Skincare

The "choking game": a new craze among Brazilian children and young people. Psychophysiological, behavioral and epidemiological characteristics of 'asphyxial games'.

The 'choking game' is a risk-taking behavior that has spread quickly among children and young people, causing dependence, accidents and even death, including in Brazil. These activities are performed in order to experience fleeting euphoric sensations, attracting numerous participants through the thousands of videos posted on YouTube. The problem of 'asphyxial games' can be observed in the Brazilian digital media, although there is a lack of scientific studies. Through a systematic review of the literature and complementary material, this paper aims to address the 'asphyxial games', warning about the psychophysiological and behavioral effects of these practices, while also presenting international epidemiological data. Sharing this information in academic circles is extremely important given the need to acquire more knowledge on the topic, train professionals and propose preventive measures that raise awareness among children and young people of the potential danger of voluntary fainting. It is equally important to raise awareness among parents and teachers so they can identify the warning signs that children may be engaging in these practices. And finally, it is also necessary to request government support to control exposure to videos that encourage the behavior.

SA59. The Psychophysiological Effects of Racially Primed Social Exclusion Among Ethnic Minorities With Attenuated Psychotic Symptoms

SA59. The Psychophysiological Effects of Racially Primed Social Exclusion Among Ethnic Minorities With Attenuated Psychotic Symptoms

Psychophysiological Effects of a Single, Short, and Moderately Bright Room Light Exposure on Mildly Depressed Geriatric Inpatients: A Pilot Study

Background: Light interventions typically exert their mood-related effects during morning bright light exposures over several weeks. Evidence about immediate ambient room light effects on depressed individuals is still sparse. Objective: The present study aimed at examining the acute effects of a single moderately bright room light exposure on mood, and behavioural and cardiac stress reactions of mildly depressed geriatric inpatients during a short cognitive stimulation and while resting. Methods: Twenty-one inpatients were tested in a balanced cross-over design on 2 consecutive days under either conventional room light (standard light) or artificial sunlight conditions for 30 min. Room illumination was implemented with an artificial skylight, which perfectly imitated solar indoor illumination (e.g., cloudless sky and bright artificial sun). Light-induced changes of mood, heart rate, and heart rate variability were recorded while performing a perseveration test (acted as cognitive stimulation) twice. Additionally, light-related behaviour was observed during a resting period between the cognitive tests and various subjective ratings were obtained. Results: Compared to standard light, exposure to artificial sunlight had a subjective calming effect over time (p = 0.029) as well as decreased heart rate and increased vagal tone (root mean squared of successive inter-beat intervals), both under cognitive workload and in resting conditions. Effect sizes of reported cardiac reactions were large. Cognitive variables were not influenced by light. Additionally, under the higher corneal illuminance of the artificial sunlight, patients perceived stronger glare (p = 0.030) and kept their eyes closed for longer times (p = 0.033) during the resting period. However, patients did not avoid bright light exposure while resting but voluntarily stayed within the area directly lit by the artificial sun nearly all the time (97%). Conclusion: To our knowledge, this study for the first time demonstrated immediate psychophysiological effects of a single, short room light exposure in mildly depressed geriatric inpatients during a short cognitive stimulation and while resting. The findings complement reported evidence on immediate alerting and mood-related effects of bright light exposures.

Relative Contribution of Odour Intensity and Valence to Moral Decisions.

Meta-analytic evidence showed that the chemical senses affect moral decisions. However, how odours impact on morality is currently unclear. Through a set of three studies, we assess whether and how odour intensity biases moral choices (Study 1a), its psychophysiological responses (Study 1b), as well as the behavioural and psychophysiological effects of odour valence on moral choices (Study 2). Study 1a suggests that the presence of an odour plays a role in shaping moral choice. Study 1b reveals that of two iso-pleasant versions of the same neutral odour, only the one presented sub-threshold (vs. supra-threshold) favours deontological moral choices, those based on the principle of not harming others even when such harm provides benefits. As expected, this odour intensity effect is tracked by skin conductance responses, whereas no difference in cardiac activity - proxy for the valence dimension - is revealed. Study 2 suggests that the same neutral odour presented sub-threshold increases deontological choices even when compared to iso-intense ambiguous odour, perceived as pleasant or unpleasant by half of the participants, respectively. Skin conductance responses, as expected, track odour pleasantness, but cardiac activity fails to do so. Results are discussed in the context of mechanisms alternative to disgust induction underlying moral choices.

Brief Report on the Psychophysiological Effects of a Yoga Intervention for Chronic Stress

Abstract. This paper evaluates the results of a longitudinal investigation of the potential benefits of yoga in a nonclinical sample of chronically stressed women (N = 116). Women undertook a twice weekly, hour-long yoga class for a period of 2 months, measuring psychological and physical indicators of health periodically. Changes in both areas were compared against a wait-list control group. The reported energy expenditure between groups was estimated to be similar, which suggests that the control group engaged in physical activities other than yoga. Of the six psychological outcomes measured, we found improvements in three. Specifically, those in the practicing yoga group experienced increases in positive affect, decreases in levels of distress and stress, as well as a decrease in waist circumference and increased flexibility. No between-group differences were found in mindfulness, well-being, and negative affect. These findings are generally consistent with an emerging literature, suggesting that yoga may provide both psychological and physiological effects that extend beyond its more obvious physical benefits, and are discussed in terms of the body’s allostatic load. These results should be considered in light of this study’s limitations, which include its small sample size, lack of an “active” control group, and female-only participants.

Wassily Kandinsky: the Experience of Reflections on the Art of Abstraction

The article reviews the conception of abstract art, expounded by W. Kandinsky in his theoretical works “Concerning the Spiritual in Art” and “Point and Line to Plane”. In accordance with the painter’s target setting, the focus is given to the spirituality in art, methods, and means of implementation of this purpose in the creative practice. The article reveals the content of a number of concepts, principles, approaches, which characterize the specificity of the non-figurative art. Those concepts include “form”, “harmony”, “beautiful”, “artistic”, and “internal expediency”. The author states the theoretical importance of the conception by Kandinsky in recognizing abstractionism as a kind of art. There is given the artist’s detailed interpretation of the psychophysiological effects evoked by the color palette of a painting, as well as those associations and sensual emotions that different expressive means of the painting technologies cause. The tandem “form - artistry - spirituality”, traceable in the texts of W. Kandinsky, is carefully considered. The author suggests that the positions of the artist are conjugated with the Pythagorean idea of “numerical” harmony and the Kantian principle of expediency without purpose. The article focuses on the applicability of W. Kandinsky’s judgement to the creative principles of different types of art, especially to music.

Psychophysiological Effects of Aroma Inhalation during a Short-term Cognitive Stressor: A Preliminary Study using Eight Different Aromas

Psychophysiological Effects of Aroma Inhalation during a Short-term Cognitive Stressor: A Preliminary Study using Eight Different Aromas

Psychophysiological effects of music on acute recovery from high-intensity interval training

Numerous studies have examined the multifarious effects of music applied during exercise but few have assessed the efficacy of music as an aid to recovery. Music might facilitate physiological recovery via the entrainment of respiratory rhythms with music tempo. High-intensity exercise training is not typically associated with positive affective responses, and thus ways of assuaging negative affect warrant further exploration. This study assessed the psychophysiological effects of music on acute recovery and prevalence of entrainment in between bouts of high-intensity exercise. Thirteen male runners (Mage=20.2±1.9years; BMI=21.7±1.7; V̇O2 max=61.6±6.1mL·kg·min−1) completed three exercise sessions comprising 5×5-min bouts of high-intensity intervals interspersed with 3-min periods of passive recovery. During recovery, participants were administered positively-valenced music of a slow-tempo (55–65bpm), fast-tempo (125–135bpm), or a no-music control. A range of measures including affective responses, RPE, cardiorespiratory indices (gas exchange and pulmonary ventilation), and music tempo-respiratory entrainment were recorded during exercise and recovery. Fast-tempo, positively-valenced music resulted in higher Feeling Scale scores throughout recovery periods (p<0.01, ηp2=0.38). There were significant differences in HR during initial recovery periods (p<0.05, ηp2=0.16), but no other music-moderated differences in cardiorespiratory responses. In conclusion, fast-tempo, positively-valenced music applied during recovery periods engenders a more pleasant experience. However, there is limited evidence that music expedites cardiorespiratory recovery in between bouts of high-intensity exercise. These findings have implications for athletic training strategies and individuals seeking to make high-intensity exercise sessions more pleasant.

The Diabeates Project: Perceptual, Affective and Psychophysiological Effects of Music and Music-Video in a Clinical Exercise Setting.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of music and music-video on perceptual (attentional focus, rated perceived exertion), affective (affective valence and enjoyment) and psychophysiological (blood glucose, heart rate) variables in outpatients attending a diabetes exercise clinic. Participants were 24 females (age = 66.0 ± 8.5 years) enrolled in a supervised exercise program for people with diabetes. They engaged in mixed-modality exercise sessions that included a standardized combination of flexibility, aerobic and resistance activities under conditions of music, music-video and control. Analyses revealed a main effect of condition on attentional focus and affect during aerobic exercise only. The music-video condition elicited the highest level of attentional dissociation, while affective valence was more positive in the 2 experimental conditions when compared to control. Rated perceived exertion and heart rate did not differ across conditions. Measures of exercise enjoyment indicated a main effect of condition wherein scores were higher with the music-video condition when compared to control. There was an acute glucose-lowering effect of exercise in all conditions. Results lend support to the notion that auditory and visual stimuli can enhance affective responses to exercise in a clinical setting. This may have meaningful implications for adherence, given the link between affective judgements and future behaviour in an exercise context.

Analyzing psychophysiological effects of music using coherency of multichannel EEG.

The goal of this project was to identify the existence of psychophysiologically significant levels of coherency between the activities in different areas of the brain triggered by different types of music. This study was performed using Electroencephalogram (EEG) data collected from human subjects who were exposed to three different types of instrumental music (guitar, piano, and gyil) each with and without resonance, measured at eight frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Discrete Fourier Transformation (DFT) was used to convert the time-domain EEG signals into frequency domain and the frequency signals were separated into the alpha (8-12 Hz) and the beta (13-30 Hz) frequency bands that are known to be associated with the relaxed and active states of the brain respectively. The coherency between the converted EEG signals were computed for different lobes of the brain and data mining was used to investigate how different types of music can affect the coherency between the EEG signals in different parts of the brain.

Differential psychophysiological effects of operant and cognitive behavioural treatments in women with fibromyalgia.

Determination of psychophysiological effects of operant behavioural (OBT) and cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT) for fibromyalgia patients. One hundred and fifteen female patients randomized to OBT (N=43), CBT (N=42), or whole-body infrared heat (IH) (N=30) were compared before and after group treatment as well as at 6- and 12-month follow-ups using intent-to-treat analysis (12 drop-outs). Thirty matched pain-free controls (CON) served as reference group for the initial psychophysiological analysis. Surface electromyogram (EMG), blood pressure, heart rate (HR) and skin conductance levels (SCL) were continuously recorded during adaptation, baseline, social conflict, mental arithmetic and relaxation tasks. At baseline, fibromyalgia patients showed higher SCL and HR, lower diastolic blood pressure and EMG in comparison to controls. OBT and CBT compared to IH significantly reduced pain intensity [OBT: effect size (ES)=1.21 CI: 0.71-1.71, CBT: ES=1.23, CI: 0.72-1.74]. OBT increased diastolic blood pressure [ES=1.13, CI: 0.63-1.63 and CBT reduced SCL (ES)=-0.66, CI: -1.14-0.18] 12 months after treatment. Both CBT and OBT significantly increased EMG levels (OBT: ES=0.97, CI: 0.48-1.46, CBT: ES=1.17, CI: 0.67-1.68). In contrast, the IH group did not show any significant changes in the psychophysiological parameters. Increased diastolic blood pressure and decreased pain after OBT suggest a reactivation of baroreflex-mechanisms in fibromyalgia and a normalization of the blood pressure and pain functional relationship. Reduced SCL following CBT may indicate reduced general arousal levels. Increased muscle tension after CBT and OBT suggest a normalization of physical parameters. The reduction in pain seems to be mediated by different psychophysiological processes, providing support for mechanism-based treatments might be indicated for CBT and OBT. WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD?: Differential physiological stress responses followed different psychological interventions. While OBT influenced blood pressure by restoring blood pressure-pain interaction, CBT reduced stress-related sudomotor activity. These results implicate specific mediating mechanisms in fibromyalgia suggesting a basis for matching based on specific patient psychophysiological features.

The Impact of a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Event-Related Potentials in Patients with Tic Disorders or Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors.

Tic disorders (TD) are characterized by the presence of non-voluntary contractions of functionally related groups of skeletal muscles in one or multiple body parts. Patients with body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB) present frequent and repetitive behaviors, such as nail biting or hair pulling. TD and BFRB can be treated with a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that regulates the excessive amount of sensorimotor activation and muscular tension. Our CBT, which is called the cognitive-psychophysiological (CoPs) model, targets motor execution and inhibition, and it was reported to modify brain activity in TD. However, psychophysiological effects of therapy are still poorly understood in TD and BFRB patients. Our goals were to compare the event-related potentials (ERP) of TD and BFRB patients to control participants and to investigate the effects of the CoPs therapy on the P200, N200, and P300 components during a motor and a non-motor oddball task. Event-related potential components were compared in 26 TD patients, 27 BFRB patients, and 27 control participants. ERP were obtained from 63 EEG electrodes during two oddball tasks. In the non-motor task, participants had to count rare stimuli. In the motor task, participants had to respond with a left and right button press for rare and frequent stimuli, respectively. ERP measures were recorded before and after therapy in both patient groups. CoPs therapy improved symptoms similarly in both clinical groups. Before therapy, TD and BFRB patients had reduced P300 oddball effect during the non-motor task, in comparison with controls participants. An increase in the P300 oddball effect was observed posttherapy. This increase was distributed over the whole cortex in BFRB patients, but localized in the parietal area in TD patients. These results suggest a modification of neural processes following CoPs therapy in TD and BFRB patients. CoPs therapy seems to impact patients' attentional processes and context updating capacities in working memory (i.e., P300 component). Our results are consistent with a possible role of the prefrontal cortex and corpus callosum in mediating interhemispheric interference in TD.

Psycho-Physiological Effects of Television Viewing During Exercise

Psycho-Physiological Effects of Television Viewing During Exercise

The Effect of Cognitive Fatigue on Metabolic and Psychological Parameters during High Intensity Exercise

The psychophysiological effects of cognitive fatigue are important because physical performance is often contingent on the ability to physically and mentally engage in a task. Pre-conditioning with a cognitive load increases subjective feelings of tiredness during prolonged exercise; however, the effect of cognitive fatigue on energy expenditure and exertion during high intensity exercise is unknown. PURPOSE: To determine the effect of cognitive fatigue on VO2 and perceived exertion during high intensity exercise. METHODS: 10 male and 6 female (age = 27.8 ± 3.9 yrs.) moderately trained participants performed high intensity exercise on 2 separate occasions in a counter-balanced design. Prior to each exercise, participants completed a cognitive task or watched a non-arousing video. Cognitive fatigue was induced by a 50 minute vigilance task where participants responded to a numeric Go No-Go stimulus on a computer screen. The whole body exercise consisted of continuous rounds of 3 exercises: pull-ups (5 reps), push-ups (10 reps) and squats (15 reps) which were performed for as many rounds as possible for 20 minutes. Oxygen uptake (VO2) and heart rate (HR) were recorded continuously during the exercise while rate of perceived exertion (RPE) was taken at 5 minute intervals. T-tests between days were performed for mean VO2 and HR while a repeated measures ANOVA was performed for RPE. Alpha level was set a priori at 0.05. RESULTS: There was no difference between cognitive fatigue and control conditions in VO2 (31.8±4.3 and 32.8±5.8 ml O2/kg/min, respectively), HR (162.7±10.3 and 162.9±10.1 bpm, respectively), along with no main effect for condition on RPE (16.5±2.0 and 16.0±2.3, respectively; P=0.09); however, RPE increased across time regardless of condition (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to endurance studies, there appears to be no effect of cognitive fatigue on VO2 or perceived exertion during high intensity exercise. Exercise modality and duration may play a role in cognitive fatigue due to differing metabolic and neuromuscular strategies. Further research is required to determine the mechanisms behind cognitive fatigue’s effect on physical performance.

Access to Justice: Reducing the Implicit Pushback Burden on Working-Class Pro Se Plaintiffs in Employment Law Cases

This Note applies social identity threat literature to the legal context in order to improve access to justice. Social identity threat literature indicates that stereotypes, associations, and similar methods center environments on particular identities. Social identity threat occurs when an individual who does not have the centered identity enters the environment, implicitly perceives marginalization, and thereby experiences psycho-physiological effects that burden engagement. Social identity threat, as it applies to litigants of marginalized identities inside the courtroom, is termed the “implicit pushback burden” because the social identity threat implicitly repels or pushes the individual back from the courtroom and its proceedings. While this burden may limit access to justice for people of various identities, this Note explains how it affects working-class pro se plaintiffs in employment law cases. The limited amount of literature concerning social identity threat as it applies to the legal context and the working-class identity makes drawing solutions difficult. Still, this Note provides an overview of solutions outlined in the most relevant literature, and suggests how those solutions may be applied in the courtroom.

Securing (in)security: relinking violence and the trade in cannabis sativa in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

The handful of studies that exist linking illegal drugs and violence in Africa tend to focus on understanding the role of drugs in shaping armed conflict. The reported linkages made between the trade in cannabis sativa and the continuing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo are exemplars. Contemporary reports of cannabis use in the region have largely focused on two main concerns: the psychophysiological effects of drug use on conflict actors and the participation of cannabis within the war economy. According to these narratives, drugs and violence are seen to go together, destabilising society, creating insecurity, and spreading HIV. Drawing from four months of qualitative research on the cannabis trade in eastern DRC, this paper presents an alternative story of drug-related violence in the region. Namely, it argues that the dangers stemming from an entanglement with the drug are rather, as one informant aptly stated, the result of ‘security’.

Hatha Yoga practice decreases menopause symptoms and improves quality of life: A randomized controlled trial

ObjectivesYoga practice includes a group of specific psychophysical techniques. Although previous studies showed beneficial effects of yoga for health and rehabilitation, improving quality of life, there are few studies on the possible therapeutic application of yoga during the climacteric period. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychophysiological effects of Hatha Yoga regular practice in post-menopausal women. MethodsEighty-eight post-menopausal women volunteered for this 12-week trial. They were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control (no intervention), exercise, and yoga. Questionnaires were applied in order to evaluate climacteric syndrome (Menopause Rating Scale), stress (Lipp Stress Symptom Inventory), quality of life (Brief World Health Organization Quality of Life), depression (Beck Depression Inventory) and anxiety (State/Trait Anxiety Inventories). Physiological changes were evaluated through hormone levels (cortisol, FSH, LH, progesterone and estradiol). ResultsAt 12 weeks, yoga practitioners showed statistically lower scores for menopausal symptoms, stress levels and depression symptoms, as well as significantly higher scores in quality of life when compared to control and exercise groups. Only control group presented a significant increase in cortisol levels. The yoga and exercise groups showed decreased levels of FSH and LH when compared to control group. ConclusionsThese results suggest that yoga promotes positive psychophysiological changes in post-menopausal women and may be applied as a complementary therapy towards this population.

A randomized controlled trial on the psychophysiological effects of physical exercise and Tai-chi in patients with chronic schizophrenia

The chronic and prevalent natures of schizophrenia result in long-term institutionalization for the patients. Conventional treatment of anti-psychotic medication on management of psychotic symptoms often brings on severe side effects and reduces patients' well-being. Tai-chi is a mind–body exercise that underscores motor coordination and relaxation. This 3-arm randomized controlled trial investigated the psychophysiological benefits of Tai-chi on 153 chronic schizophrenia patients, who were recruited from a mental health rehab complex and randomized into Tai-chi, exercise, or waitlist control groups. Both intervention groups received 12weeks of specific intervention plus standard medication received by the controls. All participants completed psychiatric interviews, self-report questionnaires, performance tasks, and salivary cortisol measures at baseline, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up on psychotic symptoms, motor coordination, memory, daily living function, and stress. Multigroup latent growth modeling was used to evaluate the intervention effects on the outcomes. Compared to controls, the Tai-chi group showed significant decreases in motor deficits and increases in backward digit span and mean cortisol, while the exercise group displayed significant decreases in motor deficits, negative and depression symptoms and increases in forward digit span, daily living function, and mean cortisol. The two interventions did not show significantly different therapeutic effects, except for fewer symptom manifestations in the exercise group. These results suggest psychophysiological benefits for Tai-chi on chronic schizophrenia patients in terms of motor coordination and memory. Though both Tai-chi and exercise groups tended to manifest fewer symptoms than the control group, the exercise group showed better symptoms management than the Tai-chi group.

Psychophysiological Effects of Orchid and Rose Fragrances on Humans

This study aimed to determine the effects of floral fragrances on human brain waves and moods. A total of 44 subjects participated in this experiment. Group 1 consisted of 11 male and 14 female college students with a mean age of 24.5 years (± 2.23) and Group 2 consisted of 10 males and 9 females with a mean age of 54.3 years (± 2.98). Subjects were exposed to floral fragrances of Rosa hybrida , ‘Hera’ (hereafter referred to as “rose”), Cymbidium faberi(hereafter referred to as “orchid”), or odorless control flowers (hereafter referred to as “control”). Experiments took place in three rooms (rose, orchid, and control). Electroencephalographs (EEGs) were recorded during exposure to the odors and the data were processed using quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) techniques. The changing EEG patterns wereanalyzed by brain mapping and compressed spectral arrays, and the subjects’ preferences (hedonic evaluations) were quantified with an A1 index. Increased activation of absolute alpha waves was verified on six of the eight EEG channels, with the right frontal and left occipital lobes exhibiting no changes and the left parietal region showing the greatest activation. According to the QEEG measurements in the electrode sites over the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes, the strongest absolute alpha waves were induced in the parietal lobes, followed by the temporal lobes, with the other lobes showing no significant changes. On brain maps, the orchid fragrance induced greater absolute alpha and absolute mid-beta activities compared with the rose and control fragrances, and the rose fragrance induced high absolute mid-beta activation. To identify emotional responses to floral fragrances, the subjects were requested to fill in a questionnaire and the resulting odor-related emotional descriptors were analyzed using semantic differential and factor analysis. Principal component analysis identified “elegant” as the first principal component describing the floral fragrance, followed by “refreshing” and “aromatic.” The subjects gave orchid higher scores for “elegant” and “refreshing,” while finding rose more “aromatic.” Differences in hedonic evaluation revealed by the A1 index appeared in the 65-115 sec range of scent exposure time. The subjects with ages of around 50 years showed olfactory preferences throughout the entire experimental time of 160 sec, most markedly in the later time segment (115-165 sec), showing an increasing preference with increasing exposure time. We conclude that rose fragrance can improve concentration by creating an aromatic environment conducive to a concentrated and calm state of mind, and orchid fragrance can make people feel pampered and relaxed by creating an elegant and refreshing environment.