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Lab Equipment Required: 
Description: In this laboratory experiment, subjects will perform tasks that will allow observers to discriminate between the two EEG wave types, Alpha and Beta, which are present in EEG records of subjects that are awake. It is possible to observe Theta waves from an awake subject, if they are performing a successful exercise in visual imagery. However, Delta waves should not be found in your subject’s recording unless they fall asleep during the experiment.
Goals
1. Students will learn to collect electroencephalogram (EEG) signals from the left and right cerebral hemispheres. 2. Students will learn to recognize common EEG artifacts caused by movements such as eye blinks, facial muscle contractions, and head movement. 3. Students should be able to recognize and analyze Alpha and Beta EEG patterns associated with closed and open eye conditions; 4. Students will observe the Alpha block. 5. Students will test an experimental hypothesis about relative levels of Alpha and Beta EEG waves in each hemisphere in two psychological states. 6. Students will test an experimental hypothesis about personality and EEG. 7. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have recorded recognizable EEG traces for Alpha and Beta waves on both the right and left cerebral hemispheres. 2. be able to recognize common EEG artifacts. 3. be able to determine the effects of eye conditions (open or closed) and Alpha block on an EEG recording. 4. have tested a hypothesis and reached a conclusion about psychological states and brain hemisphere dominance. 5. have taken personality profile test and explored a hypothesis about EEG and personality. 6. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings. 7. have used the functions available in the Analysis window to determine values necessary for this exercise.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this experiment, you will use measurements of skin conductance to analyze psychophysiological responses. You will measure the tonic level of skin conductance, the frequency of spontaneous conductance responses, and the habituation of the skin conductance response, observe and measure the GSR as an orienting response to being asked neutral content questions and observe and measure the GSR to questions with emotional content.
Goals
1. Students will learn to measure the tonic level of skin conductance, the frequency of spontaneous conductance responses, and the habituation of the skin conductance response. 2. Students will observe and measure the galvanic skin response (GSR) as an orienting response to being asked neutral content questions. 3. Students will observe and measure the GSR in response to questions with emotional content. 4. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have recorded GSR traces. 2. be able to recognize changes in the GSR as a response to neutral content or emotional content questions. 3. be able to determine and understand the effects of these questions on an individual’s GSR. 4. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings. 5. have used the functions available in the Analysis window to determine values necessary for this exercise.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: This experiment contains four exercises that are a continuation of GSR-A and use changes in skin conductance to measure subjects’ psychophysiological responses to additional tasks.
Goals
1. Students will learn to measure the tonic level of skin conductance, the frequency of spontaneous conductance responses, and the habituation of the skin conductance response. 2. Students will observe and measure the galvanic skin response (GSR) as an orienting response to being asked neutral content questions. 3. Students will test an experimental hypothesis about deliberate deception, guilty knowledge, and the amplitude of the GSR. 4. Students will test an experimental hypothesis about cognitive complexity and the latency of the GSR. 5. Students will test an experimental hypothesis about personality, vigilance, and the lability of skin conductance levels. 6. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have recorded GSR traces. 2. be able to recognize changes in the GSR as a response to neutral content questions and habituation. 3. come to a conclusion after testing the hypothesis on deliberate deception and guilty knowledge. This will allow students to gain an understanding of the nature of Polygraph Tests. 4. come to a conclusion with regard to the hypotheses about cognitive complexity, personality and vigilance; and how these play a role in the GSR of individuals. 5. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings. 6. have used the functions available in the Analysis window to determine values necessary for this exercise.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this experiment, students will perform a set of exercises that will measure baseline skin temperature and record the data,measure changes in skin temperature during a mild psychosocial stressor (mental arithmetic), measure the effect of calming mental imagery in a biofeedback paradigm on skin temperature and test an experimental hypothesis about embarrassability, blushing, and gender.
Goals
1. Students will learn to measure and record skin temperature. 2. Students will observe and measure the changes in skin temperature during a mild psychosocial stressor, a mental arithmetic test. 3. Students will measure the effect of calming mental imagery in a biofeedback paradigm on skin temperature. 4. Students will test an experimental hypothesis about embarrassability and, blushing and gender. 5. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have successfully calibrated the temperature probe and recorded skin temperature traces. 2. be able to recognize changes in skin temperature as a result of a mild stressor and when using calming mental imagery. 3. come to a conclusion with regard to the about gender and embarrassability, using changes in skin temperature as the correlating factor. 4. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings. 5. have used the functions available in the Analysis window to determine values necessary for this exercise.
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Lab Equipment Required: 
Description: In this experiment, you will collect and analyze heart rate and blood pressure data during a baseline period, a mild cognitive stressor (spelling words backwards aloud) and a vigilance reaction time task.
Goals
1. Students will learn to measure and record heart rate and blood pressure as a baseline measurement. 2. Students will collect data and analyze heart rate and blood pressure changes during a stressful task and during a reaction time test. 3. Students will test a hypothesis that persons with high perceived shyness and behavioral inhibition have lower Vagal tone than persons with low perceived shyness. 4. Students will learn how these measurements coordinate with heart rate and breathing. 5. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have successfully calibrated the blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer) and recorded blood pressure and pulse. 2. be able to recognize changes from baseline measurements in blood pressure and pulse rate during a stressful task and a reaction time test. 3. come to a conclusion with regard to these changes. 4. come to a conclusion about shyness and the relationship with heart rate and breathing, and how this corresponds to vagal tone. 5. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings. 6. have used the functions available in the Analysis window to determine values necessary for this exercise.
Included with:
Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this experiment, you will collect and analyze heart rate and blood pressure data during a baseline period, a mild cognitive stressor (spelling words backwards aloud) and a vigilance reaction time task..
Goals
1. Students will learn to measure and record heart rate and respiration rate as a baseline measurement. 2. Students will collect data and analyze heart rate and respiration rate changes during a stressful task and during a reaction time test. 3. Students will test a hypothesis that persons with high perceived shyness and behavioral inhibition have lower Vagal tone than persons with low perceived shyness. 4. Students will learn how these measurements coordinate with heart rate and breathing. 5. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have successfully recorded pulse and respiration. 2. be able to recognize changes from baseline measurements in pulse and respiration rates during a stressful task and a reaction time test. 3. come to a conclusion with regard to these changes. 4. come to a conclusion about shyness and the relationship with heart rate and breathing, and how this corresponds to vagal tone. 5. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings. 6. have used the functions available in the Analysis window to determine values necessary for this exercise.
Included with:
Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this experiment, you will collect and analyze heart rate and blood pressure data during a baseline period, a mild cognitive stressor (spelling words backwards aloud), a vigilance reaction time task.
Goals
1. Students will learn to measure and record heart rate as a baseline measurement. 2. Students will collect data and analyze heart rate changes during a stressful task and during a reaction time test. 3. Students will test a hypothesis that persons with high perceived shyness and behavioral inhibition have lower Vagal tone than persons with low perceived shyness. 4. Students will learn how these measurements coordinate with heart rate. 5. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have successfully recorded pulse. 2. be able to recognize changes from baseline measurements in pulse rate during a stressful task and a reaction time test. 3. come to a conclusion with regard to these changes. 4. come to a conclusion about shyness and the relationship with heart rate, and how this corresponds to vagal tone. 5. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings. 6. have used the functions available in the Analysis window to determine values necessary for this exercise.
Included with:
Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this experiment, you will collect and analyze heart rate and blood pressure data during a baseline period, a mild cognitive stressor (spelling words backwards aloud) and a vigilance reaction time task.
Goals
1. Students will participate anonymously in a personality assessment for the cynicism/hostility personality trait. 2. Students will learn to measure and record heart rate and blood pressure as a baseline measurement. 3. Students will collect and analyze heart rate and blood pressure during a social issues debate and during a recovery to baseline period. 4. Students will test hypotheses about personality and changes in heart rate and/or blood pressure that may have occurred during the debate. 5. Students will learn how these measurements coordinate with being a “hot reactor”. 6. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have taken a personality profile test specifically designed to gauge hostile reactions to certain questions. 2. have successfully calibrated the blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer) and recorded blood pressure and pulse. 3. learn about current social issues, proper debate procedures and presenting in front of their peers. 4. be able to recognize changes from baseline measurements in blood pressure and pulse rate during a debate on social issues. 5. come to a conclusion about personality with regard to these changes. 6. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings. 7. have used the functions available in the Analysis window to determine values necessary for this exercise.
Included with:
Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this experiment, you will use measurements of skin conductance to analyze psychophysiological responses. You will measure the tonic level of skin conductance, the frequency of spontaneous conductance responses, and the habituation of the skin conductance response, observe and measure the GSR as an orienting response to looking at a variety of pictures and observe and measure the GSR to questions with emotional content to determine if a subject has been ‘cheating’ on quizzes.
Goals
1. Students will learn to measure the tonic level of skin conductance, the frequency of spontaneous conductance responses, and the habituation of the skin conductance response. 2. Students will observe and measure the galvanic skin response (GSR) as an orienting response to being asked neutral content questions. 3. Students will observe and measure the GSR in response to questions with emotional content and about performing a certain task (lying or telling the truth). 4. Students will measure skin conductance and form conclusions about “lie detector” tests based on the lab experiment. 5. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have recorded GSR traces. 2. be able to recognize changes in the GSR as a response to neutral content or emotional content questions. 3. be able to determine and understand the effects of these questions on an individual’s GSR. 4. understand the nature of “lie detector” tests and be able to articulate whether these tests are accurate or inaccurate based on data collected. 5. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings. 6. have used the functions available in the Analysis window to determine values necessary for this exercise.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this series of lab exercises, students will record and analyze facial EMGs using an iWorx recorder while looking at a variety of images known to produce emotional responses. Students will be viewing still images, but this exercise can be extended to include both video and responses when listening to music. This lab experiment is also fully customizable to add Galvanic Skin Response and both Pulse and Heart Rate to the data collection. This will allow students to observe a wide range of parameters to support the idea that facial EMGs are a valid method for determining emotional response.
Goals
1. Students will successfully record electromyograms (EMGs) from facial muscle groups, especially those involved in smiling and frowning. 2. Students will gain an understanding of the muscle groups involved in making certain facial expressions. 3. Students will study the subject’s emotional response while looking at a series of images based on EMG activity. 4. Students will gain an understanding of the relationship between the electric current from the nerves and the response of the muscle or muscle group being innervated. 5. Students should be able to measure the EMG produced and corresponding muscle activity. 6. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. understand and be able to record an EMG. 2. understand how nerves send electrical signals to muscles to cause a response. 3. be able to determine the relationship between EMG activity and smiling or frowning. 4. have gained understanding of the relationship between emotion and certain muscle activity. 5. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings. 7. have used the functions available in the Analysis window to determine values necessary for this exercise.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: Students will use the iWorx data acquisition unit and electrode lead wires attached to the scalp of the subject. The subject will watch a series of flashing lights and images while testing each eye individually and results will be measured by the length of time it took the brain to respond to the stimuli.
Goals
1. Students will set up equipment and image generator to be able to record electrical activity generating visual evoked potentials (VEPs). 2. Students will learn how to record VEP activity from the subject while the eyes are closed. 3. Students will identify the VEP pattern for both the left and right eyes while looking at a flashing checkerboard. 4. Students will identify the VEP pattern for the both the left and right eyes while looking at a rotating dartboard pattern. 5. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. understand and be able to record a VEP from both left and right eyes. 2. understand how nerves send electrical signals to cause a visual response. 3. be able to determine the relationship between VEP activity and right vs. left eyes. 4. be able to determine the difference in VEP activity using a flashing checkerboard and a rotating dartboard. 5. have gained understanding of the latency and response time. 6. understand what is happening physiologically during the latent period and evoked potential. 7. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings. 8. have used the functions available in the Analysis window to determine values necessary for this exercise.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this lab exercise, you will perform the rubber hand illusion on different subjects using the iWorx data recording equipment and determine any changes in various physiological parameters. A background questionnaire is initially given to participants, and it consists of various demographic questions and obtains information on a subject’s suggestibility, hobbies and activities, and imagination. The rubber hand illusion is conducted, and physiological measures of body schema changes are recorded. The subjects’ subjective experiences are further explained in a survey that immediately follows the illusion.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: This experiment is a gaze-cueing paradigm. A face is presented in the center of the screen with the eyes looking either to the right or to the left. A target letter, ‘H’, is presented to the left or right of the face. A distracting stimulus, the letter ‘W’, is presented on the other side of the face. The subject will indicate, as quickly as possible, whether the target letter is an ‘H’ or a ‘W’. In the congruent condition, the face looks at the target; in the incongruent condition, the face looks at the distracting stimulus. The typical finding is that you are faster in the congruent condition as compared to the incongruent condition, even though the direction of gaze is not predictive of the target location. This shows that our attention is automatically guided by other people’s gaze, even in situations where this doesn’t serve any purpose
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: This experiment also uses the Eye-Tracking System, which allows analysis of other data by actually being able to “see” when the subject’s eyes focused on the object in question – the target letter ‘H’. It will also allow determination of how long it took the subject to recognize the target after their eyes actually focused on it, and if the subject pressed the event marker when they focused on the correct target.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: This lab is meant to be a “hypothesis-driven” lab where students will come up with a technique or techniques they would like their subject to try in order to alter some aspect of the subject’s physiological parameters. This can include: reducing heart rate, sweating, altering body temperature and/or breathing rate. The settings file for this lab is currently set up to record: ECG, Pulse, Skin Conductance, Blood Pressure, Respiration, Body Temperature, Heart Rate and Breathing Rate. Parameters can be added or removed based on what the goal of the hypothesis is.
Goals
1. Students will learn to measure and record skin temperature, GSR, pulse, and other parameters. 2. Students will observe and measure the changes in a variety of during a mild stressor - heat, cold, imagery, etc.... 3. Students will measure the effect of calming mental imagery in a biofeedback paradigm on various physiological parameters. 4. Students will test an experimental hypothesis of their own design. 5. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have successfully calibrated the temperature probe and recorded skin temperature, GSR, pulse and other traces. 2. be able to recognize changes in parameters as a result of a mild stressor and when using calming mental imagery. 3. have tested and analyzed their own hypothesis and drwan conclusions using statistical analyses. 4. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings. 5. have used the functions available in the Analysis window to determine values necessary for this exercise.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: Listening to relaxing music to control tension. What is the “most relaxing song?” This can be tested right in the lab by recording the subject’s baseline values and then recording while they are listening to the song “Weightless”. You can also compare these “Top 10” relaxing songs to see if one really does work better than the others.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this lab you can test whether a “vacation” can reduce the impact of stress. By looking at a series of stress-inducing images or performing a stressful task, you can simulate that feeling in your subjects. Then have them look at and visualize relaxing, vacation-type images: a day at the beach, a lovely sunset, etc….
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this lab, students will measure pulse and heart rate, skin temperature and respiration rate while waiting for something to happen (perhaps waiting for a scary video clip, or virtually riding a rollercoaster and waiting for that first drop) and then after the anticipation is over. Different anticipatory video clips are included with the lab settings.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: Our eyes usually give us away when we lie due to their movement. Regular eye movement under questioning usually means we are being truthful, but if that movement changes suddenly and drastically then it’s probably going to be due to a lie being told. This is what an eye tracking system looks for when monitoring a person’s eyes during questioning about events that have happened or people they may know or have seen.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: For this study, students can create a hypothesis and design an experiment around one of these types of alternative therapies or they can find one of their own (ex – crystals). Recordings of heart rate, GSR, EEG, ECG, and/or other parameters can show whether or not these devices work to reduce overall stress. Studies can be either short- or long- term, and a simple t-test can determine statistical validity.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this lab, we will be looking at EEG and heart rate before and while listening to music. It is thought that if the subject is listening to upbeat, motivational music, you will see certain changes in both EEG and heart rate.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this lab, students will look at a series of images, rank the person’s attractiveness (rank 1-4), discuss why the person is or isn’t attractive to them, while recording physiological parameters such as GSR, pulse, heart rate, and skin temperature.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: This lab uses EEG, meditation and scoring to see if brain wave activity can be controlled to lessen feeling of anxiety and it also can bring in the challenge of having to compete with another subject.
