Laboratory of cognitive psychophysiology

head B. V. Chernyshevhead B. V. Chernyshev bchernyshev@hse.ru

http://psy.hse.ru/cognpp/

Psychophysiology is the branch Psychophysiology is the branch of psychology that is concerned of psychology that is concerned with the with the physiological bases of physiological bases of psychological processespsychological processes..

Psychophysiology is also the Psychophysiology is also the branch of branch of neuroscienceneuroscience and it and it relies on modern techniques of relies on modern techniques of studying the brain.studying the brain.

CognitioCognitio ( (latinlatin) ) —— knowledge, knowledge, acquaintance, consideration, acquaintance, consideration, conception, notion, idea conception, notion, idea

CognitiveCognitive — i.e. related to — i.e. related to information acquisition, storage, information acquisition, storage, retrieval, processing etc. in the retrieval, processing etc. in the mind and brain.mind and brain.

Among cognitive processes we study are: Among cognitive processes we study are: attention, perception, conscious awareness, attention, perception, conscious awareness, cognitive control, language, etc. cognitive control, language, etc.

We assume that the greater part of real-time cognitive We assume that the greater part of real-time cognitive processing is achieved automatically, preattentively, processing is achieved automatically, preattentively, preconsciously – much faster than consciousness can preconsciously – much faster than consciousness can follow the events of the fast external world.follow the events of the fast external world.

Questions that interest usQuestions that interest us

Why are we often not aware of things that Why are we often not aware of things that seem easy to notice?seem easy to notice?

Why do we commit errors even when we Why do we commit errors even when we exactly know what should have been done?exactly know what should have been done?

What happens when our mind wanders,What happens when our mind wanders,and we become distracted from reality?and we become distracted from reality?

How can we direct our actions by taking into How can we direct our actions by taking into account combinations of stimulus features?account combinations of stimulus features?

Is attention needed for that?Is attention needed for that?

How do we instantaneously perceive How do we instantaneously perceive Gestalts?Gestalts?

How do we instantaneously perceive word How do we instantaneously perceive word meaning?meaning?

How do we learn word meaning?How do we learn word meaning?

Why are we so differentWhy are we so different??

Topics that we studyTopics that we study

TopicTopic: : Attentional LapsesAttentional LapsesMethodsMethods::

- ERPs (P2, MMN etc.)- ERPs (P2, MMN etc.)

- prestimulus- prestimulus EEG (theta EEG (theta rhythmrhythm and alpha rhythm) and alpha rhythm)

QuestionsQuestions:: what makes us commit errors when we exactly know what to what makes us commit errors when we exactly know what to do but fail to do sodo but fail to do so??

Theoretical frameworkTheoretical framework::

- - competition for attention with other processes, particularly “mind-competition for attention with other processes, particularly “mind-wandering” (“task-unrelated thoughts”) = “default mode network” wandering” (“task-unrelated thoughts”) = “default mode network” activationactivation

- cognitive control- cognitive control

- arousal level- arousal level

The correct response can be made based on The correct response can be made based on simultaneous analysis of two independent features: simultaneous analysis of two independent features: pitch and noisiness (feature binding).pitch and noisiness (feature binding).

At least four sounds are used.At least four sounds are used.

High Low

Pure Left button Right button

Noised Right button Left button

ERP grand mean for (A) correct (black solid line) and erroneous (red dashed line) responses (N=52) and for (B) correct responses (black solid line) and omissions (blue dotted line) (N=34). Scale (µV)

The experimental paradigm will very soon be applied to The experimental paradigm will very soon be applied to frontal patients (in cooperation with Burdenko institute frontal patients (in cooperation with Burdenko institute of neurosurgery) – in terms of lowered cognitive control.of neurosurgery) – in terms of lowered cognitive control.

TopicTopic: : Feature bindingFeature binding

(feature integration)(feature integration)MethodsMethods::

- ERPs (MMN, P3 etc.)- ERPs (MMN, P3 etc.)

QuestionsQuestions:: is perception of multidimensional features automatic or is perception of multidimensional features automatic or dependent upon conscious controldependent upon conscious control??

Theoretical frameworkTheoretical framework::

- - a two-level structure is probably involved, with lower automatic a two-level structure is probably involved, with lower automatic preattentional level being obligatory. This level may be linked by both preattentional level being obligatory. This level may be linked by both bottom-up and top-down influences with conscious voluntary attentionbottom-up and top-down influences with conscious voluntary attention

Feature binding will be studied Feature binding will be studied

- within auditory modality: pitch, timbre, location, - within auditory modality: pitch, timbre, location, loudness, etc.loudness, etc.

- - withinwithin visual modality: color, orientation, contrast, line visual modality: color, orientation, contrast, line thicknessthickness, etc., etc.

- between auditory and visual modality- between auditory and visual modality

TopicTopic: : Relation between attention and Relation between attention and consciousnessconsciousness

(in cooperation with Maria Kuvaldina, SPbGU)(in cooperation with Maria Kuvaldina, SPbGU)

MethodsMethods::

- ERPs (Visual awareness negativity, Selection positivity)- ERPs (Visual awareness negativity, Selection positivity)

QuestionsQuestions:: is awareness possible without attentionis awareness possible without attention??

Theoretical frameworkTheoretical framework:: what is primary – awareness or attention.what is primary – awareness or attention.

TopicTopic: : Perception of Gestalt (Kanizsa illusion) Perception of Gestalt (Kanizsa illusion) (in cooperation with Tatiana Stroganova, MEG-centre MSUPE)(in cooperation with Tatiana Stroganova, MEG-centre MSUPE)

MethodsMethods::

- MEG (distributed source estimation)- MEG (distributed source estimation)

QuestionsQuestions:: do early low-level processes in the primary visual cortex do early low-level processes in the primary visual cortex relate to holistic perceptionrelate to holistic perception??

Theoretical frameworkTheoretical framework::

- - a recently found feature of the primary visual cortex functioning – a recently found feature of the primary visual cortex functioning – surround suppression – may be the first important stage in grasping the surround suppression – may be the first important stage in grasping the whole figure.whole figure.

Difference between responses to the small Kanizsa stimulus and the control stimulus Difference between responses to the small Kanizsa stimulus and the control stimulus in source space (left hemisphere). Negative values point to the inverted IC effect.in source space (left hemisphere). Negative values point to the inverted IC effect.

Shown are timeframes at 5 ms step: upper row – 40-65 ms, middle row – 70-95 ms, Shown are timeframes at 5 ms step: upper row – 40-65 ms, middle row – 70-95 ms, bottom row – 100-120 ms. Scalebottom row – 100-120 ms. Scale: : nAnA

-50 0 50 100 150

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Time (ms)

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plit

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Timecourses of brain activity in source Timecourses of brain activity in source space (small stimuli, left hemisphere)space (small stimuli, left hemisphere)

Further analysis will be carried out for synchronized Further analysis will be carried out for synchronized gamma-rhythm, including connectivity measuresgamma-rhythm, including connectivity measures

TopicTopic: : Ultrarapid learning of word meaningUltrarapid learning of word meaning(in cooperation with Tatiana Stroganova, MEG-centre MSUPE)(in cooperation with Tatiana Stroganova, MEG-centre MSUPE)

MethodsMethods::

- MEG (distributed source estimation)- MEG (distributed source estimation)

QuestionsQuestions:: is meaning of newly learnt words processed in the brain in the is meaning of newly learnt words processed in the brain in the same fast automatic way it deals with real words of a languagesame fast automatic way it deals with real words of a language??

Theoretical frameworkTheoretical framework::

- - a recently found feature of automatic word meaning processing is that a recently found feature of automatic word meaning processing is that words evoke a very early distributed activation, spreading to relevant words evoke a very early distributed activation, spreading to relevant brain representations of the meaning.brain representations of the meaning.

- “embodied cognition” (“grounded cognition”) – a recent theoretical - “embodied cognition” (“grounded cognition”) – a recent theoretical framework according to which brain representations of words and framework according to which brain representations of words and abstract notions reside on evolutionary older biological somatic abstract notions reside on evolutionary older biological somatic representation.representation.

Action-words are known to induce very early somatotopic Action-words are known to induce very early somatotopic activation related to meaning of the wordsactivation related to meaning of the words

(Hauk and Pulvermuller, 2004)(Hauk and Pulvermuller, 2004)

During the experiments eight pseudowords are used. During the experiments eight pseudowords are used. Four pseudowords are to be assigned meaning as Four pseudowords are to be assigned meaning as action-words through associative trial-and-error action-words through associative trial-and-error learning, and four words are used as controls.learning, and four words are used as controls.

And some photos…And some photos…