{"id":133,"date":"2025-03-17T11:28:49","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T18:28:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/?page_id=133"},"modified":"2025-03-31T12:11:34","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T19:11:34","slug":"ecg","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/ecg\/","title":{"rendered":"ECG"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"What is Electrocardiography (ECG) ?<\/h1>\n\n\n
\r\n \n\n

Electrocardiography (ECG) is a method of collecting electrical signals from the heart<\/strong>, providing a real-time measure of physiological arousal<\/strong>. While heart activity is often linked to physical exertion<\/strong>, it is also closely tied to emotions and cognitive processing<\/strong>. By measuring ECG, we can gain insight into psychological states<\/strong> such as attention, emotional engagement, and stress responses<\/strong>\u2014all of which influence how people interact with media and advertisements.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

How it Works <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The heart is not just a mechanical pump; it is deeply connected to the brain, and its activity adjusts based on emotions, attention, and cognitive load<\/strong>. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulates heart rate through:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Sympathetic activation<\/strong> (arousal) \u2192 Increases heart rate (HR), indicating heightened engagement or stress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Parasympathetic activation<\/strong> (relaxation) \u2192 Slows heart rate (HR deceleration), linked to deep cognitive processing and attention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    This means that heart rate patterns reveal whether someone is actively engaged, stressed, or disengaged<\/strong> while interacting with media content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The heart generates\u00a0electrical impulses\u00a0that regulate its rhythm and contractions. ECG captures these signals using\u00a0small electrodes placed on the body, which detect variations in heart activity. These variations provide key physiological metrics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Heart Rate (HR)<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The number of beats per minute, reflecting\u00a0arousal and engagement levels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Heart Rate Variability (HRV)<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The variation in time between heartbeats, linked to\u00a0emotional regulation and cognitive effort.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Inter-Beat Interval (IBI)<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The precise time between heartbeats, offering\u00a0detailed insights into stress and focus.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Changes in these signals indicate how the body responds to media stimuli, allowing us to study engagement, attention, and emotional reactions in real-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Why Do We Measure Heart Activity in Our Studies?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      At the Murrow Media Mind Lab, we use ECG to study how audiences process media, engage with content, and respond emotionally to advertisements. Heart activity provides a real-time, objective measure of engagement, allowing us to go beyond self-reported emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Measuring Emotional & Cognitive Responses<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • Tracking Arousal Levels<\/strong> \u2013 Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) indicate whether a person is excited, calm, or disengaged while interacting with media.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Differentiating Emotional Intensity<\/strong> \u2013 Large fluctuations in HR and HRV suggest heightened emotional reactions, whether positive (joy, excitement) or negative (stress, fear).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Understanding Attention & Engagement <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Assessing Focus<\/strong> \u2013 A slower heart rate (HR deceleration) means the person is deeply engaged and actively processing the content.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Identifying Key Moments<\/strong> \u2013 HR and HRV help pinpoint which parts of an ad, video, or interactive experience hold the most attention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Studying Stress & Decision Making<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • Evaluating Cognitive Load<\/strong> \u2013 Lower HRV suggests mental overload or stress, helping researchers understand when content may be too complex or overwhelming.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Analyzing Behavioral Responses<\/strong> \u2013 Heart activity patterns reveal how stress influences choices, such as purchasing decisions, risk-taking, or user retention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            How We Measure Heart Activity in Our Lab<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            We use iMotions and BIOPAC systems<\/strong> to accurately collect and analyze ECG data<\/strong>, providing real-time insights into audience engagement and physiological responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Heart Rate ECG Recording Process:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
              \n
            • iMotions Software<\/strong> \u2013 Synchronizes ECG with eye tracking, facial expression analysis, and EDA, creating a comprehensive view of physiological and emotional engagement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • BIOPAC Systems<\/strong> \u2013 Enables short-term, long-term, and mobile ECG monitoring, ensuring accurate data collection across different research environments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Automated ECG Analysis<\/strong> \u2013 Detects heart rate fluctuations, HRV patterns, and real-time responses to stimuli, helping researchers analyze audience reactions on a deeper level.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              ECG Sensors In Action<\/h4>\n\n\n
              \r\n\t\t
              \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t
              \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
              \r\n\t\t\tThis image showcases the\u00a0electrocardiography (ECG) sensors<\/strong>\u00a0used in our studies. The electrodes are placed on the inner arms\u2014just below the bend of each elbow\u2014and above the left wrist to form\u00a0Einthoven\u2019s Triangle<\/strong>. This placement captures the heart\u2019s electrical signals, allowing us to measure\u00a0heart rate and heart rate variability<\/strong>\u00a0in real time, providing valuable insights into\u00a0emotional arousal, cognitive engagement, and physiological responses<\/strong>.\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n\n\n

              Why It Matter?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

              By studying heart activity through ECG, we gain a scientific, data-driven understanding of how people emotionally and cognitively engage with media. These findings help businesses, educators, and researchers develop and enhance content. Understanding how the heart responds to media stimuli allows for smarter, more ethical, and more effective content creation\u2014ensuring that messages truly resonate with audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \"\"<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              What is Electrocardiography (ECG) ? How it Works The heart is not just a mechanical pump; it is deeply connected to the brain, and its activity adjusts based on emotions, attention, and cognitive load. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulates heart rate through: This means that heart rate patterns reveal whether someone is actively engaged, stressed, or disengaged while interacting with media […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44114,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"wsuwp_university_location":[],"wsuwp_university_org":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/133"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44114"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/133\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":314,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/133\/revisions\/314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_location?post=133"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_org","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/mediamindlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_org?post=133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}