Validation of a Low-Cost Electrocardiography (ECG) System for Psychophysiological Research

Background and Objective: The reliability of low-cost mobile systems for recording Electrocardiographic (ECG) data is mostly unknown, posing questions regarding the quality of the recorded data and the validity of the extracted physiological parameters. The present study compared the BITalino toolkit with an established medical-grade ECG system (BrainAmp-ExG). Methods: Participants underwent simultaneous ECG recordings with the two instruments while watching pleasant and unpleasant pictures of the “International Affective Picture System” (IAPS). Common ECG parameters were extracted and compared between the two systems. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) and the Bland–Altman Limits of Agreement (LoA) method served as criteria for measurement agreement. Results: All but one parameter showed an excellent agreement (>80%) between both devices in the ICC analysis. No criteria for Bland–Altman LoA and bias were found in the literature regarding ECG parameters. Conclusion: The results of the ICC and Bland–Altman methods demonstrate that the BITalino system can be considered as an equivalent recording device for stationary ECG recordings in psychophysiological experiments.

Certains aspects of using a lies detector for the investigation of crimes

The author describes particular theoretical aspects of psychophysiological research with the help of a lie detector, and their role in the investigation of crimes. The research object is the current condition of the theory and practice of using a polygraph. The research subject is the problems of using the results of lie detector testing, their interpretation and role in criminal investigation. The purpose of the research is to study the principles of using, and the options of a lie detector and polygraph examiners, and to define the importance of such a type of research for the investigation of crimes. The research methodology is based on general scientific research methods including analysis and generalization, and specific methods: observation and analysis of psychodiagnostic research. The scientific novelty of the research consists in the comprehensive analysis of the theory and practice of using a polygraph based on the case studies of particular investigations. The author arrives at the conclusion about a further analysis of legal, technical and practical problems of using a polygraph in criminal proceedings, for the purpose of the consideration of the idea about the legislative consolidation of such a research as a proof, which determines the importance of the topic of the research. The practical importance consists in the possibility to use the research results during the evaluation of the polygraph testing and the consideration of the examiner’s report as a proof in the criminal investigation.    

Is the noun ending a cue to grammatical gender processing? An ERP study on sentences in Italian

© 2015 Society for Psychophysiological Research. Gender-to-ending consistency has been shown to influence grammatical gender retrieval in isolated word presentation. Notwithstanding the wealth of evidence, the exact role and the time course of processing of this distributional information remain unclear. This ERP study investigated if and when the brain detects gender-to-ending consistency in sentences containing Italian determiner-noun pairs. Determiners either agreed or disagreed in gender with the nouns whose endings were reliable or misleading cues to gender (transparent and irregular nouns). Transparent nouns elicited an increased frontal negativity and a late posterior positivity compared to irregular nouns (350-950 ms), suggesting that the system is sensitive to gender-to-ending consistency from relatively early stages of processing. Gender agreement violations evoked a similar LAN-P600 pattern for both types of nouns. The present findings provide evidence for an early detection of reliable gender-related endings during sentence reading.

Is the noun ending a cue to grammatical gender processing? An ERP study on sentences in Italian

© 2015 Society for Psychophysiological Research. Gender-to-ending consistency has been shown to influence grammatical gender retrieval in isolated word presentation. Notwithstanding the wealth of evidence, the exact role and the time course of processing of this distributional information remain unclear. This ERP study investigated if and when the brain detects gender-to-ending consistency in sentences containing Italian determiner-noun pairs. Determiners either agreed or disagreed in gender with the nouns whose endings were reliable or misleading cues to gender (transparent and irregular nouns). Transparent nouns elicited an increased frontal negativity and a late posterior positivity compared to irregular nouns (350-950 ms), suggesting that the system is sensitive to gender-to-ending consistency from relatively early stages of processing. Gender agreement violations evoked a similar LAN-P600 pattern for both types of nouns. The present findings provide evidence for an early detection of reliable gender-related endings during sentence reading.

ASSESSMENT OF THE FUNCTIONAL STATE OF THE VISUAL SYSTEM OF HIGHER SCHOOL STUDENTS

The functional state of the visual system of higher school students in conditions of stable intensification (technical, informational, social) is advisable, provided that its effectiveness is achieved. It reflects not so much the efficiency of the functional system of the organism, which characterizes the achievement of the consequence, expressed in a specific result, as the property of the system itself to fulfill the set goal under the given conditions with the required quality. The problem of the state of the visual system of students as a common resource of the visual analyzer is transferred to the field of psychophysiology and pedagogy. Indicators of the effectiveness of the state of the visual system of students characterize the degree of adaptability of the system to the performance of the assigned tasks and are generalizing indicators of the optimal functioning of the visual system. In psychophysiological research of an applied nature, such indicators are considered to be the functional level of the system, the stability of the reaction and the level of its functional capabilities as predictors of the sensory state. A particularly productive area of psychophysiological research of vision in this regard can be the study of the distribution physiological conditions of the visual system. In general, scientific research of the visual system as a resource for information processing is developing similarly to the research of the visual analyzer. In the models of the selection education system, the concept of the visual process as a filtering mechanism for the selection of information has not been sufficiently studied. In resource models, the theories of the resources of the visual system as sensory perception have come to replace the common nonspecific resources.

GENDER DIFFERENCES EXAMINED IN THE PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL EVALUATION IN RESPECT OF THE PRISON STUFF ACROSS THE SERVICE

В статье рассматриваются актуальные вопросы обследования на полиграфе мужчин и женщин - сотрудников уголовно-исполнительной системы в рамках кадровых перемещений. С учетом имеющихся в психологической науке данных описывается ряд характерологических особенностей, в которых были обнаружены традиционные гендерные различия. Акцентируется внимание на учете специалистом-полиграфологом типовых моделей поведения обследуемых в процессе предтестовой беседы и тестирования на полиграфе с позиций гендерных различий персонала уголовно-исполнительной системы. Приведена практика проведения специальных психофизиологических исследований в отношении мужчин и женщин - сотрудников УФСИН России по Томской области, назначаемых на должности среднего начальствующего состава. Составлен психологический портрет усредненного профиля обследуемых по результатам психодиагностического обследования и инструментальной детекции лжи с применением полиграфа. При взаимодействии со специалистом-полиграфологом для обследуемых женщин характерен выбор демонстративной модели поведения, для мужчин характерен выбор сдержанно-корректного стиля поведения. Выявлена взаимосвязь между выбором модели поведения обследуемого на полиграфе лица и пола специалиста, осуществляющего опрос. Формулируется вывод о том, что учет гендерных различий обследуемых окажет помощь специалисту-полиграфологу в плане прогноза поведения тестируемых сотрудников в процессе полиграфной проверки, позволит сузить круг намеренно скрываемых ими факторов риска. The article deals with topical issues of polygraph examination of men and women employees of the criminal Executive system in the framework of personnel transfers. Taking into account the data available in psychological science, a number of characterological features are described, in which traditional gender differences were found. Attention is paid to the consideration by a polygraph specialist of typical behavior patterns in the process of pre-test conversation and polygraph testing from the perspective of gender differences in the personnel of the penal system. The practice of conducting special psychophysiological research in relation to men and women - employees of the Federal penitentiary service of Russia in the Tomsk region, appointed to the positions of middle management staff. A psychological portrait of the average profile of the subjects was compiled based on the results of psychodiagnostic examination and instrumental lie detection using a polygraph. When interacting with a specialist polygraph examiner, women are characterized by the choice of a demonstrative behavior model, while men are characterized by the choice of a reserved and correct behavior style. The relationship between the choice of the behavior model of the person being examined on a polygraph and the gender of the specialist conducting the survey is revealed. The conclusion is formulated that taking into account the gender differences of the subjects will help the polygraph specialist in terms of predicting the behavior of tested employees in the process of polygraph testing, will narrow the range of deliberately hidden risk factors.

Psychological features of the pre-test conversation as a separate stage of psychophysiological research

The article deals with questions of ensuring the legality and moral aspects of the pre-test conversation, the tactical basis of these actions. A polygraph examiner, taking into account the subjects and the correlation of ethics and psychological impact at all stages. The main task of the interviewing polygraph examiner is to obtain testimony from the subject, which contains reliable, comprehensive evidence-based information (factual data) regarding circumstances known to the latter that are relevant to the study. The relevance of solving these problems is also caused by the fact that the polygraph examiner should inspire confidence, as well as be an example of respect for the law and moral standards, and the correct application of the rule of law and the establishment of mutual contact during the preparatory phase affects the veracity of the answers to further research. The article studies the features of the pre-test conversation as a separate stage of psychophysiological research using a polygraph. The object of the study is the features of the pre-test conversation as a separate stage of psychophysiological research using a polygraph. The subject of the study is a pre-test conversation of a psychophysiological study using a polygraph. In the process of the study, a general characteristic of the psychological capabilities of revealing hidden information was revealed, the meaning, objectives, goals and techniques used in the pre-test conversation as a preliminary stage of a psychophysiological study using a polygraph are examined.