CPE Psychophysiology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The cardiovascular component of the polygraph most commonly records which parameter using a partially inflated blood pressure cuff?
- Mean arterial pressure
- Relative changes in blood pressure and pulse amplitude (Correct answer)
- Stroke volume
- Cardiac output in liters per minute
Correct answer: Relative changes in blood pressure and pulse amplitude
The partially inflated cuff captures relative changes in blood pressure waveform and pulse amplitude rather than absolute pressure readings.
Question 2: What is the primary physiological explanation for increased blood pressure observed in response to a deception-relevant stimulus during polygraph testing?
- Increased parasympathetic tone causing vasodilation
- Sympathetic stimulation causing vasoconstriction and increased cardiac output (Correct answer)
- Voluntary breath-holding raising intrathoracic pressure
- Histamine release causing capillary expansion
Correct answer: Sympathetic stimulation causing vasoconstriction and increased cardiac output
Sympathetic activation causes peripheral vasoconstriction and increases heart rate and contractility, elevating blood pressure in response to a perceived threat or stressor.
Question 3: Which respiratory pattern change is most commonly associated with heightened sympathetic arousal during a polygraph examination?
- Increased tidal volume with slower rate
- Suppression of breathing or apnea followed by a deep breath (Correct answer)
- Regular slow diaphragmatic breathing
- Cheyne-Stokes periodic breathing pattern
Correct answer: Suppression of breathing or apnea followed by a deep breath
Arousal in response to a salient question often produces suppression or breath-holding followed by a compensatory breath, a pattern examiners look for on the respiratory tracing.
Question 4: In psychophysiology, the 'orienting response' to a novel stimulus is characterized by which combination of reactions?
- Increased heart rate, pupil constriction, and muscle relaxation
- Decreased heart rate, skin conductance increase, and attentional focus (Correct answer)
- Increased heart rate, skin conductance decrease, and pupil constriction
- Decreased heart rate, vasoconstriction, and respiratory increase
Correct answer: Decreased heart rate, skin conductance increase, and attentional focus
The orienting response (Pavlov's 'what is it?' reflex) involves cardiac deceleration, increased EDA, and enhanced sensory attention as the organism processes the novel stimulus.
Question 5: What does the term 'general arousal' refer to in the context of polygraph psychophysiology?
- A subject's willingness to cooperate with the examiner
- A non-specific elevation in physiological activity across multiple response channels (Correct answer)
- The maximum amplitude recorded on any single channel during the exam
- The examiner's subjective rating of the subject's anxiety level
Correct answer: A non-specific elevation in physiological activity across multiple response channels
General arousal describes a diffuse, non-specific increase in sympathetic nervous system activity manifested across cardiovascular, respiratory, and electrodermal channels simultaneously.
Question 6: Which glands are responsible for the electrodermal response measured in polygraph examinations, and where are they most densely located on the human body?
- Apocrine glands, most dense on the scalp and axillae
- Eccrine sweat glands, most dense on the palms and soles (Correct answer)
- Sebaceous glands, most dense on the face and chest
- Merocrine glands, most dense on the upper back
Correct answer: Eccrine sweat glands, most dense on the palms and soles
Eccrine sweat glands, most densely packed on the palms and soles, are innervated by sympathetic cholinergic fibers and produce the electrodermal responses measured by polygraph.
Question 7: How does the concept of 'response specificity' apply to polygraph psychophysiology?
- Each examiner elicits identical responses from all subjects
- Individual subjects tend to show their largest responses consistently in one physiological channel (Correct answer)
- Each question type produces a response only in the cardiovascular channel
- All physiological channels respond equally to every question stimulus
Correct answer: Individual subjects tend to show their largest responses consistently in one physiological channel
Response specificity means that individuals differ in which channel (e.g., cardiovascular vs. electrodermal) most reliably reflects their arousal, requiring examiners to evaluate all channels.
CPE Psychophysiology 2
The cardiovascular component of the polygraph most commonly records which parameter using a partially inflated blood pressure cuff?