Emotions and Bodily Responses (PDF)

Emotions and Bodily Responses: A Psychophysiological Approach is an introduction to the principles of psychophysiology as they relate to bodily responses and emotions. The emphasis is on the study of human subjects and on those bodily responses (heart rate, blood pressure, blood volume, electrodermal responses, muscle tension, brain waves) that can be measured from the periphery of the body without the use of invasive techniques.

Comprised of nine chapters, this book begins with an overview of some basic physiological principles and recording techniques, followed by a discussion on some of the types of stimuli that cause changes in bodily responses. Subsequent chapters explore individual differences in personality and emotional factors and relate them to differences in physiological responses; how differences in bodily responses are related to the major forms of psychopathology; the link between bodily responses and behavioral performance; and general states such as sleep and stress in relation to bodily responses. Bodily responses that accompany psychosomatic illnesses are also considered, along with the modification of bodily responses by various learning techniques, including Pavlovian conditioning and biofeedback training. The final chapter is devoted to the application of bodily responses to the detection of deception.

This monograph is written for students, clinicians, and researchers who would like to become familiar with the basic methods, data, and concepts that relate bodily responses to emotional states.