Talk:Psychophysiology

Um. That's just an example, right? There's no actual link between those two, yes? In which case, it should be made clear. DS 18:24, 30 May 2004 (UTC)

Amygdala- fear
His example makes sense neuro-anatomically. in deed

Distinction From Physiological Psychology
I would diagree with this line in the article:
 * Psychophysiology is different from physiological psychology in that psychophysiology looks at the way psychological activities produce physiological responses, while physiological psychology looks at the physiological mechanisms which lead to psychological activity.

I think this is a false dichotomy, and also inaccurate. The main difference between the two is methodology, and to some extent, the questions asked. The article is right: psychophysiologists usually use intact human subjects, measuring peripheral responses (heart rate, etc.) and central responses (EEG) to assay changes in neural processes. Physiological psychologists usually use nonhuman subjects and perform a manipulation of nervous systems, such as lesion or drug injection or whatever. Both study the relationship between physiology and behavior/thought. SJS1971 16:59, 21 February 2007 (UTC)

I like the line the way that it is. More and more work is physiological psychology is done with imaging techniques such as functional MRI, PET, and SPEC. This research is often done on intact human subjects. The difference really seems to me to be an input output thing. Physiological psychology describes the input to the mind from the environment, body, and brain. Psychophysiology seems to describe the output from the mind to the brain and body. I just am finishing up a physiological psychology course so I know something about it. I will have to research psychophysiology some more. MilitantLeftist 07:24, 29 May 2007 (UTC)


 * I guess maybe I can trump you here. I have a PhD in the field and have been publishing in physiological psychology journals since 1994.  Psychophysiology is a specialized field.  Physiological psychology is more general.  Biological psychology is more general still.  I'm not sure what you mean about input-output differences.

I have always understood physiological psychology to be to do with alterations in physiology and their psychological effects; psychophysiology to do with alterations in psychology and their physiologial effects. Certainly that was the case when I was a psychology undergraduate, back in the 1980s. My field is psychology, but I shall admit that I specialise in other fields (such as social psychology, personality, creativity, psychology of religion and transpersonal psychology). ACEOREVIVED (talk) 21:08, 7 November 2008 (UTC)


 * I agree that the two should stay apart. It's obvious that the two don't mix, because when one studies the effects of physiological activity on behavior is completly different from when one studies behavioural changes on physiology. Besides, the applied psychophysiology procedures, which are related to neurofeedback and biofeedback, use behavioural activity, as analysed by EEG, EMG and so on, to change physiological responses. So how the two can merge? If you mix the two is like mixing a positive with a negative electric poles. They are both types of electricity but they are completly different from each other. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 188.80.202.63 (talk) 18:09, 16 December 2010 (UTC)

Whether Should be Joined with Psychophysiology
I strongly believe two should be kept separate. I will try to expand physiological psychology section when/if I have time.MilitantLeftist 07:24, 29 May 2007 (UTC)


 * It would make a lot more sense to merge it with Biological psychology rather than psychophysiology. SJS1971 14:46, 24 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I agree, the merge doesn't make sense. I'll remove the old tag that got no support. Dicklyon 00:53, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

Having been a psychophysiologist now for approximately 40 years, my opinion is that it would be completely inaccurate to merge the entries for Psychophysiology and Physiological Psychology. The fact that they use some dependent measures in common does not make them identical, by any measure. The research disciplines have separate professional organizations and separate professional identities. Having just reread the entry for Psychophysiology, I would object somewhat to a big part of this entry that deals with physiological psychology at all and would purge those references. One does not need to define Psychophysiology by what it is not. It is more than sufficient to define the discipline by what it IS. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.142.67.180 (talk) 12:59, 9 March 2012 (UTC)

The name "Physiological Psychology" is accurate and clear as a physically founded modeling of behavior. Please do not change it and get into University "Psychobabble".Donaldjjohnsonsr (talk) 00:51, 5 June 2012 (UTC)

Psychophysiology and Physiopsychology: Different Focus
As a student of psychophysiology, I believe the two should be kept distinct.

The reason I chose to study psychophys is that the programs are primarily focused on out the mental process affects the body. For example, if I'm stressed, how does that affect my heart rate, my muscle tension, etc.? Thus, in application, there is a focus on improving physical functioning through the use of changing mental processes. In treatment, to improve physical problems (e.g. headaches, bladder control, excess adrenaline and cortisol production, etc.) mental processes need to change. A common treatment method used is biofeedback because it allows clients to recognize the effects of their mental state on their physical state. A psychotherapist could use psychological interventions to treat physical problems caused by cognitive-affective-behavioral states.

In contrast, physiopsych programs focus on how the function of the body affects the mind. For example, if I have cancer, does the tumor release a chemical that causes a neurochemical reaction that results in my being depressed (even if I'm unaware that I have cancer)? Is my anxiety caused by a nutritional problem (e.g. deficiency or too much caffeine)? Thus, in order to improve a mental state (e.g. depression, anxiety, anger, cognitive skills, etc.), physical function needs to change (e.g. supplements, medications, TMS, TCES, etc.). A psychotherapist could use physiological interventions to treat mental problems.

Both certainly overlap. If you make changes to one area, you will inevitably change the other. All process in the body, including the brain, are interconnected and work in feedback loops, so there will always be overlap. An example that comes to mind is the separation of endocrine system and the nervous system, which are extremely interconnected yet often studied and practiced separately (e.g. one physician may be an endocrinologist and another who is a neurologist, yet their specialties has a great deal of overlap, and both affect how a person feels, thinks, and behaves). Thus, if you change the way a person thinks, feels, and behaves, you will change the way that person's body functions. If you change the functioning of a person's body, you will change the way that person thinks, feels, and behaves.

Kbbeck (talk) 19:06, 4 August 2011 (UTC)

What this hover picture?
Why does the hover definition for this page Psychophysiology show battling dinosaurs? What's going on, please? Slade Farney (talk) 22:46, 17 April 2015 (UTC)

First sentence is misleading
The first sentence, in defining psycho-physiology as the branch of psychology that deals with physiological bases of psychological processes, is wrong. Surely physiological psychology is the branch of psychology that does that - psycho-physiology looks at how changes in psychological state influence physiological bases.Vorbee (talk) 15:59, 3 August 2017 (UTC)