Dehumanising Ideology, Metaphors, and Psychological Othering as Evidence of Genocidal Intent

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Carola Lingaas
Keyword(s):  
Social Psychology ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Intrinsic Connection ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Linguistic Research ◽  
Victim Group ◽  
Genocidal Intent ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Evidence of genocidal intent is rarely overtly available. Prosecutors arguably avoid prosecuting the crime of genocide because of its too-high evidentiary threshold. This paper argues that psychology, linguistics, and biology provide some of the tools that courts should revert to in the proof of the dolus specialis. Every genocide is characterised by dehumanisation. There is an intrinsic connection between the génocidaire’s understanding of the victims as dehumanised ‘others’ and the intent to destroy a group. Social psychology has shown that the perpetrator sets apart the victim group as inferior, subhuman, and a threat to the in-group. Dehumanising discourse exposes the perpetrators’ understanding and ideologies and makes the victim group discernible. Linguistic research reveals the significance of metaphors for dehumanisation and intergroup hostility. Lastly, research on bio-signals such as heart rate, breathing, skin conductance response or eeg can assist in measuring the impact of dehumanisation and provide the courts with yet another tool to prove genocidal intent. Through recourse to a palette of conceptual and theoretical approaches, this paper provides an account of the ways in which a dark constellation of metaphor, dehumanising ideology, and psychological othering coalesce to form genocidal intent.

scholarly journals Study the Effect of Body Postures on Skin Conductance Response and Heart Rate

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ankita Soni ◽  
Kirti Rawal
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Sample Entropy ◽  
Sympathetic Activation ◽  
Standing Posture ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
The Impact

Skin Conductance (SC) and Heart Rate (HR) are the two basic tools to evaluate any small physical change that occurred in the human body. Skin conductance demonstrates the electrical conductivity response of the skin. Skin conductance response is the evaluating tool of sympathetic activation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). When external or internal sensations arise that are physiologically stimulating, the skin temporarily becomes a stronger conductor of electricity. Heart rate shows the beat to beat interval of our heart. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of various physical activities on skin conductance and heart rate. To this end, on the self-recorded data set of twenty subjects, the sample entropy is evaluated for the SC, and HR is evaluated. The mean value of skin conductance and heart rate was also examined along with the p-value to evaluate the impact of body positions on the skin conductance response and heart rate. For this purpose, the skin conductance response and HR is recorded for 10 minutes in the position of supine and standing simultaneously. By evaluating the results, it is observed that the value of skin conductance (SC) response and heart rate are increased as the activity is shifted from supine to standing. From the results, it is inferred that there is a substantial decrease in the sample entropy of SC and HR in the standing posture, which indicates an increase in the sympathetic activation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in the standing position. A positive correlation is found between the response of skin conductance and heart rate when the position of the body is changed from supine (rest) to standing posture.

Does the Body Move the Soul? The Impact of Arousal on Music Preference

2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Schäfer ◽  
Peter Sedlmeier
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Emotional Arousal ◽  
Physiological Arousal ◽  
The Body ◽  
Music Preference ◽  
Physiological Measures ◽  
Subjective Impression ◽  
Body Move ◽  
The Impact

people often report changes in emotional arousal when listening to their preferred music. Can this subjective impression be related to objective physiological measures? And if so, does preference induce arousal or could arousal also influence preference? In Study 1, participants listened to 18 pieces of music and rated the strength of preference as well as their experienced emotional arousal for each piece. In addition, physiological arousal was measured via heart rate, skin conductance, and respiration rate. Results showed that subjective reports about emotional arousal were much more closely connected to the strength of music preference than were physiological measures such as heart rate or skin conductance. The two types of arousal (emotional, physiological) were not substantially associated with each other. In Study 2, we manipulated physiological arousal while one group of participants watched their faces in a mirror during music listening. Effects on music preference differed: For a given piece of unknown music, higher induced arousal yielded higher preference ratings. However, this result only held when the music was not too complex. The results indicated that arousal was not solely a consequence of listening to preferred music but might also be a potent determinant of music preference.

Effects of Electrical Acupuncture on Acupoint BL15 Evaluated in Terms of Heart Rate Variability, Pulse Rate Variability and Skin Conductance Response

2006 ◽  
Vol 34 (01) ◽  
pp. 23-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Chieh Hsu ◽  
Ching-Sung Weng ◽  
Te-Sheng Liu ◽  
Yuh-Show Tsai ◽  
Yung-Hsien Chang
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Pulse Rate ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Pulse Rate Variability ◽  
Electrical Acupuncture ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Frequency Power

In this research, heart rate variability (HRV), pulse rate variability (PRV) and human skin conductance (SC) of all acupoints on Heart Meridian were used to evaluate the effects of electrical acupuncture (EA) on acupoint BL15 (Bladder Meridian). Ten healthy volunteers (aged 23 ± 6) were selected as the control group on the first day, and then used again as the experimental group on the second day. The control group received sham EA during the study, while subjects of the experimental group were stimulated by 2 Hz EA on acupoint BL15 for 10 minutes. Electrocardiogram (ECG), wrist blood pressure pulse meter and skin conductance response (SCR) device were used to measure and analyze HRV, PRV and SCR for the two groups before and after stimulation. From the spectrum analysis of ECG and pulse pressure graph, we found that the EA applied on BL15 could induce a significant increase in the normalized high frequency power (nHFP) component of HRV and PRV, as well as a significant decrease in the normalized low frequency power (nLFP) part ( p < 0.05). Moreover, both the heart rate and pulse rate were reduced in the analysis of the time domain of ECG and PRV. Furthermore, most of the SCR values at acupoints were decreased after stimulation. These results also indicate that the stimulation of BL15 by EA could cause relaxation, calmness and reduce feeling of tension or distress.

scholarly journals Intolerance of uncertainty and novelty facilitated extinction: The impact of reinforcement schedule

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Jade Wake ◽  
Helen Dodd ◽  
Jayne Morriss
Keyword(s):  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Reinforcement Schedule ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Stress Disorders ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Extinction Learning ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Novel Associations

Individuals who score high in Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) display reduced threat extinction learning and retention. Recently, it was shown that replacing threat associations with novel associations (i.e. presenting a novel non-aversive tone 100% of the time vs. presenting nothing) can promote threat extinction retention in individuals with high IU. This effect could be driven by the tone’s novelty or reliability. Here we seek to address this question by adjusting the reliability via the reinforcement schedule of the novel tone. We propose to measure skin conductance response during an associative learning task in which participants (n = 90) will be assigned to one of three conditions; standard extinction, 100% reinforcement NFE or 50% reinforcement NFE. This work will further our understanding of the role novelty, reliability and IU in threat extinction. Ultimately, this research will inform future models of IU and clinical treatments of anxiety and stress disorders.

scholarly journals Exposure to virtual nature: the impact of different immersion levels on skin conductance level, heart rate, and perceived relaxation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thiemo Knaust ◽  
Anna Felnhofer ◽  
Oswald D. Kothgassner ◽  
Helge Höllmer ◽  
Robert-Jacek Gorzka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Mental Arithmetic ◽  
Skin Conductance Level ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Head Mounted Display ◽  
Relaxation Effects ◽  
Subject Experiment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Conductance Level

AbstractIt is generally accepted that natural environments reduce stress and improve mood. Since access to natural environments is sometimes limited, virtual natural environments, especially monoscopic 360° nature videos, offer a viable alternative. However, it remains unclear whether presenting monoscopic 360° nature videos via a head-mounted display (HMD) or a PC monitor results in larger relaxation effects. Therefore, this study examined whether a monoscopic 360° beach video presented with an HMD is significantly more relaxing than the same video presented via a PC screen, or no video at all (control condition), in altering skin conductance level (SCL), heart rate (HR), and perceived relaxation. Overall, 102 adults (40.2% females, age range 19–62 years) participated in a counterbalanced, randomized, controlled, within-subject experiment. All participants were subjected to three stressors comprising different mental arithmetic tasks, followed by three different recovery phases (HMD, PC, control). For SCL, the results showed a significantly larger decrease in the HMD and PC than in the control condition, but no significant differences between the HMD and PC condition. For HR, there were no significant differences between the recovery conditions. However, the HMD condition was rated significantly more relaxing than the other conditions, with no significant differences between the PC and control condition. Exploratory analyses showed that these results were not moderated by the participants’ age, gender, or technology anxiety. Overall, the psychophysiological results showed no significant benefit favoring the HMD over PC condition, although the self-reported relaxation ratings did. Future studies are warranted to clarify this divergence.

scholarly journals Normatively Irrelevant Affective Cues Affect Risk-Taking under Uncertainty: Insights from the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), Skin Conductance Response, and Heart Rate Variability

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 336
Author(s):  
Giulia Priolo ◽  
Marco D’Alessandro ◽  
Andrea Bizzego ◽  
Nicolao Bonini
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Iowa Gambling Task ◽  
Incongruent Condition ◽  
Congruent Condition ◽  
Gambling Task ◽  
Affective Cues

Being able to distinguish between safe and risky options is paramount in making functional choices. However, deliberate manipulation of decision-makers emotions can lead to risky behaviors. This study aims at understanding how affective reactions driven by normatively irrelevant affective cues can interfere with risk-taking. Good and Bad decks of the Iowa Gambling Task have been manipulated to make them unpleasant through a negative auditory manipulation. Anticipatory skin conductance response (SCR) and heart rate variability (HRV) have been investigated in line with the somatic marker hypothesis. Results showed fewer selections from Good decks when they were negatively manipulated (i.e., Incongruent condition). No effect of the manipulation was detected when Bad decks were negatively manipulated (i.e., Congruent condition). Higher anticipatory SCR was associated with Bad decks in Congruent condition. Slower heart rate was found before selections from Good decks in Control and Congruent condition and from Bad decks in Incongruent condition. Differences in heart rate between Bad and Good decks were also detected in Congruent condition. Results shed light on how normatively irrelevant affective cues can interfere with risk-taking.

Availability of Control and Preschoolers' Responses to Interadult Anger

1992 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona El-Sheikh ◽  
E. Mark Cummings
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
The Other ◽  
Physiological Reactivity ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Control Options ◽  
Experimental Group

This study examined relations between availability of control and psychobiological and self-reported responses to interadult anger in 4-to 5 year-olds. Children heard two angry interactions between adults, followed by a reconciliation, while their heart rate, and skin conductance response, and level were monitored. Following exposure to each episode they were also interviewed regarding their responses. Control options made available to the experimental group subjects included: (1) terminating exposure to one of the arguments; and (2) proposing an intervention for an expenmenter to carry out. Children in the comparison group just listened to the interactions. The availability of control was associated with greater physiological reactivity to anger. On the other hand, children for whom control options were not available more often perceived adults as distressed and showed a decline in suggestions of control-oriented strategies over trials. The results demonstrate that, in a multi-response investigation, some dimensions of responding varied as a function of experimental manipulations of the availability of control.

scholarly journals How many times do I need to see to believe? The impact of intolerance of uncertainty and exposure experience on safety-learning and retention in young adults

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayne Morriss ◽  
Shannon Jade Wake ◽  
Michael Lindner ◽  
Eugene McSorley ◽  
Helen Dodd
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Exposure Condition ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Extended Exposure

Individuals who score high in self-reported Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) display difficulties updating threat associations to safe associations. Here we sought to determine whether individuals who score high in IU can learn and retain new safety associations if given more exposure. We recorded skin conductance response, pupil dilation and expectancy ratings during an associative threat learning task with acquisition, same-day extinction and next-day extinction phases. Participants (n = 144) were assigned to either a regular exposure (32 trials of same-day and next-day extinction) or extended exposure condition (48 trials of same-day and next-day extinction). We failed to replicate previous work showing that IU is associated with poorer safety-learning indexed via SCR, although the results were at trend and in the expected direction. We found preliminary evidence for promoted safety-retention in individuals with higher Inhibitory IU in the extended exposure condition, relative to individuals with higher Inhibitory IU in the regular exposure condition, indexed via SCR. These findings further our current understanding of the role of IU in safety-learning and -retention, informing models of IU and exposure-based treatments.

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