CPE Psychophysiology 1

Question 1

Which division of the autonomic nervous system is primarily responsible for the physiological responses measured during a polygraph examination?

Accepted Answer

Sympathetic nervous system

Answer

The sympathetic nervous system triggers the 'fight or flight' response, producing the cardiovascular, respiratory, and electrodermal changes detected by the polygraph.

Question 2

The electrodermal activity (EDA) channel on a polygraph instrument measures changes in what physiological parameter?

Accepted Answer

Electrical conductance of the skin caused by sweat gland activity

Answer

EDA measures the skin's electrical conductance, which increases when eccrine sweat glands are activated by sympathetic nervous system arousal.

Question 3

Which neurotransmitter is primarily released at the sympathetic nerve terminals that innervate the sweat glands involved in electrodermal responses?

Accepted Answer

Acetylcholine

Answer

Although sweat glands are innervated by sympathetic fibers, those fibers release acetylcholine (a cholinergic exception) rather than norepinephrine.

Question 4

In polygraph psychophysiology, what is the term for the gradual diminishment of a physiological response to a repeated, non-threatening stimulus?

Accepted Answer

Habituation

Answer

Habituation is the decrease in response magnitude that occurs when a neutral stimulus is presented repeatedly without consequence.

Question 5

Which brain structure is most closely associated with the emotional processing that drives the autonomic arousal detected during a polygraph examination?

Accepted Answer

Amygdala

Answer

The amygdala processes emotional stimuli and initiates autonomic arousal through its connections to the hypothalamus and brainstem, producing the responses measured by polygraph.

(CPE) Certified Polygraph Examiner Practice Test

(CPE) Certified Polygraph Examiner Practice Test

CPE Psychophysiology 1