PSYB45H3 Chapter Notes -Electrodermal Activity, Biofeedback, Behaviorism
Document Summary
Biofeedback technique where an electromechanical device monitors a person"s physiological process & immediately reports the info to the indiv (ex: <3 rate) Allows person to gain voluntary control over these bodily processes through operant conditioning: reinforces wtv you had done to achieve decrease in blood pressure for example. Bp biofeedback: sphygmomanometer measures patient"s blood pressure. Gsr biofeedback: galvanic skin response, measure of sweat gland activity by testing how readily the skin conducts electricity: sweaty skin conducts more readily. Eeg biofeedback: electrical activity in the brain. Emg biofeedback: measures muscle tension by assessing electrical activity of muscles when they contract. Thermal biofeedback: measures skin temp: all these measures are indirect, take outside of the body, measures allow us only to infer internal changes. Biofeedback session begins after the 15 min baseline period b/c person may be nervous initially or may have rushed to get to the appt. Learning to regulate own bodily process w/ biofeedback res professional training w/ reinforcements.
