APA Dictionary of Psychology

empirical studies, often conducted in a laboratory setting using functional magnetic resonance imaging and other neuroscientific tools, that link an individual’s bodily responses (e.g., change in heart rate, palmar sweat, eye blink) and mental processes (e.g., memory, cognitive processing, brain function). For example, in addition to collecting data on several performance measures, a psychophysiological researcher might examine cortisol levels in adolescents with a diagnosis of conduct disorder and compare them to levels in those without the disorder.