Some examples of psychophysiology and the unconscious

Different sources of the unconscious are discussed and illustrated, namely, failure to have learned an appropriate perception, repression motivated by an aversive emotion and reinforced by the reduction produced in it when the person stops the thoughts or other cue-producing responses eliciting that emotion, an interference with thoughts or perceptions by a distraction or stimulus overload, and failure to perceive a correct cause-and-effect relationship. The ways in which each of these forms of unconsciousness can reduce the adaptiveness of behavior are described and illustrated as well as how psychophysiological recording can facilitate therapy to improve consciousness and thus voluntary control and behavior that is more intelligent and adaptive.     

Systematic reviews. Some examples.

Reviewing the literature is a scientific inquiry that needs a clear design to preclude bias. It is a real enterprise if one aims at completeness of the literature on a certain subject. Going through refereed English language journals is not enough. On line databases are helpful, but mainly as a starting point. This article gives examples of systematic reviews on vitamin C and the common cold, pyridoxine against the premenstrual syndrome, homeopathy, and physiotherapy.     

Some examples of double exponential fitness functions.

The advantages of using a double exponential fitness function are pointed out for the analysis of differential survival data. The uses of this type of function are illustrated on Bumpus' (1898) data on the survival of English sparrows after a severe storm and also on Cook and O'Donald's (1971) data on the over-winter survival of a large sample of snails.     

Some examples of persistence in epidemiological models

The aim of this short note is to illustrate how an abstract result by Fonda about persistence in dynamical systems can be easily applied to some epidemiological models.     

Some examples of the functions of metal ions in biology

The ways in which certain inorganic elements are used in essential roles within biological systems generally are described. The two roles stressed are (1) electrolytic charge movements and (2) electronic charge movement. The value of helical proteins inside and outside membranes as mechanical coupling devices is analysed.     

The psychophysiology of the emotions and personality

According to the need-informational approach the need is specific (essential) force of living organisms, procuring their connections with external environment for self-preservation and self-development, a source of living systems' activity in the surrounding world. Emotion-reflection in human and higher animals' brain of an urgent need and of probability (possibility) of its satisfaction. Emotion in its neurophysiological sense is an active state of a system of specialized brain structures, prompting the subject to change his behaviour so that to maximize or to minimize this state which determines the role of emotions in organization of goal-directed behaviour. Personality is individual unique composition and internal hierarchy of basic (vital, social, ideal) needs of a given human being, including their varieties of preservation and development, "for me" and "for others". The most important personality characteristic is which of those needs and for how long are dominant in the hierarchy of coexisting motives, which need is "supplied" by creative intuition (superconsciousness, according to K. S. Stanislavski?'s terminology).     

Biofeedback and applied psychophysiology at the crossroads

Biofeedback and applied psychophysiology, as tools, as objects of scientific inquiry, and as clinical interventions, have progressed from speculative experiment to data-based research, from trial clinical intervention to efficacy studies and accountability. These are multidisciplinary approaches, crossing the boundary between traditional professions such as medicine, psychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other health care related fields. Along the way we as an Association, our members both scientists and practitioners, have encountered the many hurdles and stumbling blocks that stand in the way of developing new technologies. How we deal with these obstacles shapes us as a group and shapes the perceptions of others who view us. An attempt will be made to place the current development of the field within the context of the rapidly changing health care environment, and to address the challenges, and sometimes conflicting demands, of experimental science and clinical practice.