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Punched paper tape readers, frequently used for machine control and computer input, are readily adaptable for the purposes of presenting extremely complex signal sequences such as those used in psychophysiology. A description of basic operating principles is given together with an explanation of the minor modifications necessary to adapt this instrument to signal control. Complete schematics are presented of an instrument with seven channel control capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents abstracts of papers presented at the eighth annual meeting of the association for the psychophysiological study of sleep at Colorado during March 22-24, 1968. Some of the topics of presented in the papers included Cortical Monophasic wave activity during Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (REM) and Wakefulness. Preliminary note on the sleep and waking cycle in the desert hedgehog (Paraechinus Hypomelus). Name of some of the psychologists who contributed articles during the meeting were Francois Michel, J. Allan Hobson and many others.

The article presents abstracts of papers presented to the seventh annual meeting of the Association for the Psychophysiological Study of Sleep (APSS). The seventh annual meeting of the APSS was held at the Miramar Hotel, Santa Monica, California in April 1967. APSS was founded in 1961 for the purpose of promoting both formal and informal exchange of information among workers from various disciplines with a common interest in the psychophysiology of sleep.

The response measure in which conditioning is measured ranges from the eyelid to electrodermal and vascular responses. Cognition, in the sense utilized by most of these experimenters, deals with awareness by the subject of something. Awareness is an essential ingredient of the development of expectancies. In the count-up to a noxious stimulus, studies, subjects can develop expectancies about the likelihood of occurrence of the stimuli, as well as expectancies about the time of occurrence of stimuli.

PP-T0001-0-1 This paper describes the inauguration of a Computer Software section in PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY. It explains the three kinds of communications that will be published: Program Registrations, Software Abstracts, and Software Articles, either theoretical or describing working programs. Detailed instructions regarding content and format are given. In anticipation of a computerized software retrieval system for psychophysiology, it also contains coding instructions for authors so they may identify their papers by subject, organ system, machine, and language prior to submission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article announces the fifth annual meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research which will be held on October 15-17, 1965 at Shamrock Hilton Hotel in Houston, Texas. A detailed program on activities for the annual meeting was provided. Tours for the attendees will include visits to laboratories at Baylor University College of medicine, Houston State Psychiatric Institute, Veterans Administration Hospital, University of Houston and Manned Spacecraft Center of National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

An easily made, accurate, direct reading scale for obtaining beat-by-beat HR from paper chart EKG recordings is described for use where on-line computer analysis is not practicable, or where a check is wanted on the accuracy of the computer program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews experimental evidence relevant to the issue of whether human classical conditioning can occur in the absence of awareness of the CS-UCS contingency (contingency learning). It is concluded that the evidence fails to convincingly demonstrate successful conditioning in the absence of contingency learning. In fact, the evidence is more consistent with the view that contingency learning is an essential mediator of human classical conditioning. Although original learning may require the presence of contingency learning, the performance of a previously acquired conditioned response may not require such mediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elliott's comments on the comparability of heart rate measures in cross-laboratory comparisons are discussed. The present paper attempts to show that the comparison of heart rate data across various laboratories in an attempt to infer motivational states may not be justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper contrasts the relative efficacies of the traditional mean square or variance, and a time-series statistic, the mean square successive difference, as descriptors of cyclic heart rate variability. Estimates of fluctuation in the R-R interval during the prestimulus and cold pressor stimulus periods were obtained for two subject samples. The first sample was composed of individuals having bilateral differences in the diameter of their pupils, a condition known as anisocoria, while the pupils of the Ss in the second sample were of equal diameter. A group sinusoidal rhythm in the mean square successive difference of R-R interval variation was observed during the cold pressor stimulus for the anisocoric sample. However, the rhythm was obscured when the traditional mean square statistic was utilized to describe the same R-R interval variation. No rhythms were identified for the non-anisocoric sample. The mean square successive difference statistic would appear to provide a method for detecting cyclic autonomic variability patterns otherwise obscured by traditional analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apparatus for encoding and decoding stimuli using magnetic tape is described. The decoder is a frequency specific audio switch constructed from a five channel resonant reed relay; the encoder is a tape recorder. This apparatus allows the advantages of magnetic tape yet is inexpensive to construct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined two reports of operant heart rate (HR) conditioning, one of which reported apparently successful cardiac slowing, and the other apparently successful cardiac speeding. Although the authors of these two studies concluded that they had demonstrated instrumental modification of HR independent of somatic mediators, this review of their results indicated that voluntary activity was a crucial mediator of the obtained effects. New statistical analyses were presented to support the notion that Ss' cognitive and somatic activities influenced HR change more than the reinforcement contingencies utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arguments are presented in answer to Surwillo's criticism of a statistical procedure used by Stennett (1957) to test the hypothesis of an inverted-U relationship between alpha amplitude and palmar conductance. Surwillo (1965), despite unwise methodology, produced data consistent with the hypothesis that alpha amplitude bears an inverted-U relationship to heart rate. In a recent paper, Surwillo claimed that Stennett (1957), in demonstrating an inverted-U relationship between alpha amplitude and palmar conductance, "misused x[SUP2] by violating the requirement that entries from which x[SUP2] values are computed must be independent," and suggested further that Stennett's "positive finding is really an artifact of the method" (Surwillo, 1965, p. 250). In attempting to support this assertion, Surwillo states that "The method is clearly invalid, because data.., were combined according to a rule which assumes that an inverted-U function relates the variables" (Surwillo, 1965, p. 251). He then refers to hypothetical data which are obviously arranged to "prove" his point (Surwillo, 1965, Fig. 2). The purposes of this paper are: (1) to clarify the rationale of the statistical technique involved; (2) to illustrate the fallacy of the conclusions to which Surwillo is drawn by his hypothetical data; and (3) to point out certain methodological problems and pitfalls involved in studies along "the arousal continuum." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a research paper describing certain key parts of the design of a device needed to present automatically a succession of visual stimuli at random intervals which are within certain limits as of April 1966. The first figure in the paper is a block diagram of the entire timer. The clock A generates a sharp pulse every second. Such a pulse triggers timer C, which advances the slide projector and turns on its light for a predetermined period set by a potentiometer adjustment, provided that the gate B is open. The logical circuitry D ensures that the gate remains closed for a certain interval following a stimulus, and that timer C is triggered after a certain longer interval, provided it has not been previously triggered by a clock pulse.

A device is described for measurement of interbeat intervals form electrocardiographie records. The device provides simple and accurate measurements of heart rate and is particularly valuable when the recording has been made at a relatively slow paper speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preception hypothesis holds that when an aversive stimulus is made predictable in time, S may be able to inhibit his arousal response to that stimulus and thus reduce its aversiveness or impact. In response to a paper by Furedy and Klajner, which questions the validity of the preception hypothesis, it is argued that considerable behavioral and autonomic response data seem to support this hypothesis. The present authors, in particular, do not share Furedy and Klajner's view that OR theory developed to explain habituation should also be adopted to account for the findings attributed to preception. On the contrary, preception is proposed to be a distinct process playing a role complementary to that of habituation, more labile and also more effortful in the sense that it requires the involvement of the "second signal system," while habituation can apparently proceed as a non-cognitive, automatic process. However, Furedy and Klajner's discussion suggests the fruitfulness of additional investigations to test more decisively differential predictions based on an habituation vs a preception position. Even if accepted the preception mechanism could ultimately be incorporated in an elaborated version of OR theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative preception (NP) has been defined as the attenuation of a noxious stimulus by a signal which precedes it. Explanatory theories to account for the NP phenomenon are available, but the concern of this paper is with the methodological and empirical basis for the existence of the NP phenomenon itself. It is argued that autonomic indices based on shock-elicited responding cannot provide unconfounded evidence for NP because of insurmountable methodological problems associated with response-interference and perceptual-disparity (or orienting-reaction) effects. Furthermore, it is noted that when modified unconfounded autonomic indices have been used, the results failed to support the NP notion. A challenge to the validity of the verbal index of rated intensity is then considered, but it is argued that this verbal index is a valid measure of shock aversiveness. Since the rated-intensity evidence is also generally against the NP notion, it is concluded that both autonomic and verbal indices, when properly evaluated, do not support the view that signaling attenuates shock aversiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews a number of years of comprehensive research in the use of electric shock as a pain stimulus in the psychophysiology laboratory. The development of a standard stimulation technique is described. Studies involving the use of this procedure to investigate psychological, physiological, and clinical factors that affect the evaluation of pain are discussed. Cultural and behavioral influences on pain tolerance are investigated and physiological response measures tested. Possible clinical applications are studied, and special consideration is given to the psychophysical evaluation of the sensory and connotative components of the pain experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eleven statistical programs have been developed for use with heart rate data, and seven of the programs are illustrated in this paper. The programs make use of ANOVA and trend analysis to isolate the components of polyphasic response curves. The analysis can determine whether there are systematic changes over trials in the shape and phasing of the response curves, and whether there are significant differences between groups in the size of the trend components. The programs may be employed with other psychophysiological data having the same general properties as cardiac data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PP-T0003-0-1 The increased usage of small computers in the research laboratory has made it necessary for the individual investigator to become familiar with computer science. A survey of sources, availability, and types of information distributed about computer software was made to determine their relevance to psychophysiology. Periodicals are divided into five classes and discussed as to the assets and liabilities of some of the present indexing and source references. The desirability of increasing the accessibility of software applications to psychophysiology is noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palmar skin potential levels (SPLs) and the amplitude of the T-wave of the electrocardiogram (EKG) were measured in groups of habituated male subjects in conditions of bed rest and while resting in a sitting position. Significant correlations of -.70 and -.61 between the negativity of SPL and T-wave amplitude were obtained when there was minimal palmar sudorific activity and skin potential could be designated as 'basal' (BSPL). Previous work had suggested that BSPL might be related to extracellular potassium (K+) levels and evidence is presented which relates EKG T-wave amplitude to palmar K+ levels. The results thus provide support for the hypothesis that measured values of SPL reflect levels of body K+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost no work exploring the effects of auditory stimulus onset and offset is to be found, especially if one looks at the problem in a developmental manner. In order to investigate this problem, a total of 62 infants within the first year of life were seen: 22, 20, and 20 subjects at 12, 24, and 52 weeks respectively. Each infant received 7 trials, 30 sec in duration, with a 30-sec intertrial interval. The first 6 trials consisted of the same auditory signal—a C chord at 65 db—while the 7th trial was either a C tone or a C chord with the base notes muted (dull), both at 65 db. Heart rate was continuously monitored along with other measures not reported in this paper. Amount of deceleration was used as the primary response. The data indicate several important results: (l) a consistent and rather large degree of deceleration; this for both onset and offset. (2) For 3- and 6-month-olds the terminal OR is less than the onset OR, while the 12-month-olds show greater terminal than onset OR. (3) Habituation of the onset OR follows a developmental pattern, with 3-month-olds showing the least habituation and 12-month-olds showing the most. (4) Habituation of terminal OR also shows a developmental trend, with the 3- and 6-month-olds showing habituation while 12-month-olds show little habituation. The recovery data (dishabituation) results for the 7th trial indicate that some changes are more effective than others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a previous study (Bernal & Miller, 1970), striking differences were found between schizophrenic and normal children in the magnitude of their galvanic skin responses (GSRs) to simple sensory stimuli. However, the Lang and Hnatiow (1962) measure of cardiac response failed to demonstrate these GSR group differences. The present paper is a followup of the Bernal and Miller study and its purpose was to evaluate the use of various measures of he art rate (HR) in discriminating between clinical and normal groups of children. The cardiac data were converted to measures that were (1) independent of and dependent upon prestimulus HR level, and (2) based upon individually and group derived decelerative trough in HR. The main results of the analyses of variance for repeated measurements were: (1) no single HR measure was found to delineate the cardiac response reliably across stimulus conditions or between groups of Ss, and (2) individually-determined HR deceleration, especially when corrected via covariance analysis for prestimulus level, was superior to a group-determined decelerative HR measure in demonstrating both habituation and group effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method is described for studying skin impedance phenomena, based on analysis of waveforms of current through the skin produced by square voltage pulses. In several experiments, the method is used to provide data relevant to the choice of an appropriate equivalent circuit for skin. Removal of the stratum corneum eliminates the parallel resistive and capacitative elements, and slightly reduces the series or 'ohmic' resistance. During healing the source of skin potential recovers before the other electrodermal parameters have returned to normal. The relationship of these parameters to electrode area, current density, and site temperature is studied. It is argued that the capacitance of skin may not vary with the frequency of the measuring current, in contrast to traditional views. The main purpose of the paper is to illustrate and advocate the square-wave method of analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the awards given for distinguished contribution to psychophysiology at the 9th annual meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research. The awards were given to Chester Darrow and R.C. Davis. Darrow was founder and the first president of the society for Psychophysiological Research and also served as president of the Central Electroencephalography Society. Davis was the founding father of the Society for Psychophysiological Research.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a scheme as to how the activities of the heart might be viewed in psychophysiological endeavors and theory. It is proposed that a necessary starting point is the metabolically relevant relationship between cardiac and somatic processes. This relationship is relevant to both an understanding of basic behavioral processes as well as psychopathological states of cardiac functioning. For these purposes, a strategy is outlined which, among other things, involves the evaluation of the influence of the cardiac innervations. Here it is proposed that heart rate most unequivocally reflects vagal activity, while the contractile properties of the heart manifest most unequivocally sympathetic effects. The implications of these arguments are discussed with regard to current studies involving the operant modification of heart rate. It is suggested that the significance of current operant studies to both issues of learning theory and psychopathology of cardiac function is questionable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historical origins and early development of electrodermal research are reviewed in the light of a substantial number of previously unexamined sources. Relevant literature in electrophysiology, neurology, electrodiagnosis, and electrotherapy is examined with regard to the technology and the context of ideas in science and medicine. The first reports of basal skin resistance (BSR) and stimulated skin resistance (GSR) change by Vigouroux and Féré, respectively, are related to their other research and that of other workers. Hermann's early work on the sudomotor system is seen as much more advanced than has been realized, providing a sound basis for theory which the French apparently never noticed. Several additional sources suggest that Tarchanoff's work was performed with awareness of Féré's and was probably not an independent discovery. The growth of the field following "rediscovery" of the GSR by Mueller and Veraguth is seen as a product of interest in indexing "mental events." The earlier work is seen as conceptually closer to current interest in the phenomena as aspects of the arousal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A previous paper of ours (Begleiter, Gross, & Kissin, 1967) demonstrated that it was possible to condition affective meaning to meaningless figures (CS), and significantly alter visual evoked potential (VEP) amplitudes and latencies to them, without the S's awareness of the CS-UCS relationship (Experiment I, totally unaware). In the present study some Ss were deliberately informed that a CS-UCS connection existed; however, the exact nature of their relationship was not divulged (Experiment II, slightly aware). Other Ss were explicitly informed of the correct CS-UCS contingency, and entire conditioning paradigm (Experiment III, fully aware). One physiological (VEP) and two behavioral (interfiash interval and semantic differential) indices of conditioning were obtained during an extinction procedure, and demonstrated significant differences between CRs in Experiment II, but none in Experiment III. VEP amplitudes to positive and negative CSs were enhanced in Experiment II, and suppressed in Experiment I, in comparison to the neutral CS. This effect was most marked in responses to the negative CS. It is suggested that level of awareness of the CS-UCS contingency might be reflected in our physiological index of conditioning - VEP amplitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the variable conditional effects of a person on the heart rate of nine mongrel dogs. There were three experimental procedures: person present and playing a passive role, person present and playing an active role (petting the dog), and person present and serving as a signal for forthcoming electrical stimulation. The order of presentation of these conditions was counterbalanced with dogs assigned randomly to one of three orders of procedures. Each procedure consisted of 50 trials (exposures to a human). On each trial, the person entered the conditioning room and stood motionless for 40 sec. The petting and shock reinforcements occurred 40 sec after the person entered the room, enabling the study of conditional heart rate changes in the interval from appearance of the person to reinforcement. Heart rate changes varied with the "meaning" of the person, and the rates from high to low were in the order: person serving as a signal for subsequent punishment, person alone, and person serving as a signal for subsequent petting. It was stressed that an experimenter could have marked and varied social, psychophysiological effects upon the individuals being studied, and that in any experiment it is necessary to properly evaluate these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four groups, Young Males, Young Females, Aged Males and Aged Females, were run in a discrimination conditioning paradigm with a variety of autonomic and central measures. This paper deals primarily with Electro-Dermal Responses. The findings indicate that in all measures the Young Males and Young Females show the best discriminated conditioning, followed by Aged Females and Aged Males. In the GSP there are hints that the negative wave of the response might be related to the orienting phenomena whereas the positive wave is what becomes discriminately conditioned in the experiment. A cognitive questionnaire was accurately answered in the same rank order as the conditioning, that is, Young Males, Young Females, Aged Females and Aged Males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The writer has proposed (Benjamin, 1903) that the criterion for a score linearly independent of initial level be that the score have no correlation with initial level. The criterion makes analysis of covariance (anacova) the method of choice for undoing LIV. This paper reviews miscellaneous artifacts said to be associated with anacova and finds that none of them precludes this procedure. Some presumed artifacts considered are: that r[SubXD] is "…so complexly constituted that it does not allow simple interpretation" (Lacey and Lacey, 1962); that anacova can cause a loss of valuable information (Heath and Oken, 1965); that anacova introduces an artifactual association with final level (Heath and Oken, 1965); that LIV as measured by anacova techniques can be an artifact of whether resistance or conductance happens to be chosen (Hord, Johnson, and Lubin, 1964); that the use of anacova in (clinically important) instances where groups are defined by a fixed variable is sure to vitally violate its assumptions (Lubin, 1965). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Criticizes an article on determinants of emotional state published in the 1962 issue of the periodical 'Psychophysiology.' Levels of arousal for the different conditions compared; Differences of the placebo group from the control groups; Various measures of emotional states; Inadequacy of the self-report indices.

Describes a simple technique for obtaining finger sweat prints. Evidences for validity; Equation of the method to an elaborate procedure in sensitivity to an anticholinergic drug effect; Measurement of emotional and motivational arousal and clinical anxiety.

A common method for evaluating the effect of a treatment is by analysis of variance with one of the classifications being treatment contrasted with control. Even when the treatment is successful on many Ss there are usually some Ss for whom the treatment is a failure or at least not very effective. This paper is concerned with a multivariate method for predicting treatment success and failure. The experiment at hand concerns electroencephalograms of patients treated with psychotropic drugs. From the experiment at hand it is possible to conclude that the response of mental patients to a combination of chlorpromazine and procyclidine and to imipramine is detectable in their electroencephalograms, and also that the response to chlorpromazine in combination with procyclidine is quite likely to be predictable from their pretreatment electroencephalograms. Pronounced systematic differences in electroencephalograms were also found between the sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a report on the results of a survey on electrodermal recording procedures. A detailed questionnaire was sent to more than two hundred members of the Psychophysiological Society. The results indicate a wide disagreement among investigators in most phases of the recording process. This indicates a lack of standardization in one of the most used of physiological measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lockhart and Grings (1963) have suggested that a previous analysis of galvanic skin response (GSR) conditioning by Stewart, Stern, Winokur, and Fredman (1961) failed to establish its major point since it neglected to include a pseudoconditioning control for sensitization effects. In the present paper an experiment is reported in which this control was included, and it was found that the initial report of Stewart et al. was supported. That is, then was significant evidence of a conditional anticipatory GSR which was not due to sensitization effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the basics of digital logic operations, discusses the functional operation of electronic circuits which accomplish these operations and analyzes the operation of complexes of these circuits which may be used for counting, timing, and amplitude registration of the phenomena of interest in psycho-physiological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to test and discuss the hypothesis that subjects characterized by greater psychological rigidity will tend to show a building pattern of muscle tension. An attempt to support this contention is made in the following testable propositions: that psychological rigidity operates as a causal factor in the manifestation of the building up pattern of muscle tension in any given subject implies a tendency on the part of that subject to hold his muscles more rigidly more often than subjects not exhibiting the building up pattern of muscle tension.

Line-frequency interference in EEG records is often caused by electrostatic or electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of the subject. This paper describes antennas and procedures which allow such fields to be measured and their sources determined, thus facilitating removal of the sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Announces the holding of the Seventh Annual Conference of the Neuroelectric Society on November 20-23, 1974 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Presentation of papers on the effects of electrical currents on behavioral and physiological systems; Other topics that will be discussed at the conference.

PP-T-0014-0-1 The development of digital techniques has enabled the psychophysiologist to extend the range and complexity of his experiments. The functioning of digital devices can be divided into four aspects, namely: 1) data acquisition, 2) data storage, 3) data analysis, and 4) data output. The principles underlying these techniques are outlined, the most fundamental step being the conversion of the analog signal to the digital value. Digital instruments in psychophysiology are reviewed including the data logger, the instrumentation-coupler, the special purpose computer, and the general purpose laboratory computer. The authors' experience with laboratory computers is described and the great flexibility of these devices in psychophysiological research is stressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several methods of attachment of electrodes or transducers to the body are evaluated to determine their relative long term "stickability." The lower sternum was used as the site of application of the one inch diameter electrode-like test object. The adhesive techniques used included Stomaseal discs, Davol rubber base cement, Eastman-910 cement, and a combination of Stomaseal discs and Duco cement. Each of the four adhesive techniques was tested on a group of ten subjects. A significant difference between males and females in mean adhesive duration was found. The endurance means for males only were: Stomaseal, 14.7 days; Davol, 10.8 days; Eastman-910, 3.1 days; Stomaseal/Duco combination, 6.3 days. The range over all groups was from less than one day to 30 days. Seventy-five per cent of the subjects were unaware of the circumstances surrounding loss of the test object and 12% were lost while bathing. Skin irritation was generally mild when it occurred, and usually consisted of itching and slight erythema, which cleared rapidly with removal of the test object. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is suggested that a) the difference between conditioning and pseudoeonditioning procedures is one involving degree of interstimulus interval variability, b) the effect of this variability is to alter the temporal characteristics of the responses generated by such procedures, c) the procedures typically employed in comparing performance levels heavily bias the results in favor of the conditioning procedure, and d) there is little or no evidence to support the view that performance differences between such groups reflect differing underlying processes, one associational and the other not. In addition, the use of CS-- groups as control groups, in differential conditioning, is based upon a premise which has little, if any, support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare two methods of analyzing EKG data, period (R-R intervals) and frequency (heart rate). Simulated data as well as EKGs recorded from newborn infants were utilized to show the effects of transforming cardiac periods into frequencies. The results showed that this transformation introduces errors, which are reflected in the mean, variance, and the degree of skewness of the basic data. It is argued that the widely used convention of transforming period data into heart rate should not be used without valid justification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Norman and Melville appear to feel that differences from laboratory to laboratory are so pervasive and effective that no useful cross-laboratory interpretations of differences in HR can be made. Elliott argues that the differences, and the absolute levels as well, are useful clues to motivational states, in rough proportion to the size of the samples involved, given certain boundary conditions about what we are willing to call "rest"; and that many of the dimensions of difference said by Norman and Melville to be fundamental are probably irrelevant. A variety of misrepresentations of Elliott's ease made by Norman and Melville are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on developments concerning the Society for Psychophysiological Research, as of July 1971. Release of a selected bibliography for psychophysiology; Creation of an employment service that both prospective employees and employers might use; Availability of back issues of the journal "Psychophysiology".

A psychophysiological procedure is described for Obtaining time locked autonomic responses to specific internal (thought) stimuli in the absence of different external (environmental) stimuli. The procedure is illustrated by a heart rate experiment in which 10 Ss silently generated numbers followed by letters or affect-laden words, all in synchrony with externally paced tones. The shape of the cardiac response was found to be a function of the specific thought sequence. The data are interpreted as demonstrating that specific thoughts can act as potential stimuli of autonomic responses. General implications of the finding and the procedure are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilateral basal skin resistance (BSR) and bilateral photoplethysmographic vasomotor measures were obtained for 16 Ss. Ten Ss were found to have bilateral differences in BSR. The direction of these differences was not related to handedness. Bilateral differences in vasomotor resting levels, variability, and reactivity were also observed in the majority of Ss. Some relationships among bilateral patterns of vasomotor responsivity and BSR emerged. Thus, the side of the body having lower BSR was identical to the side with the lesser vasomotor constriction during experimental stress (breath holding). Also, the side of the body having the lower vasomotor amplitude had less vasomotor variability. The findings suggest that asymmetry of autonomic activity is typical rather than atypical for the normal individual, and that various autonomic variables form patterns of asymmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on congresses of interest to psychophysiologists that are scheduled to be held between November 1970 and July 1971. Tenth Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research; Second Annual Meeting of the Bio-Feedback Research Society; Third International Congress of Psychosomatic Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Annual Meeting of the Association for the Psychophysiological Study of Sleep.