Methods and systems for assessing psychological characteristics

A system for assessing psychological characteristics of a subject using responses obtained during the first moments of brain activity after presentation of a stimulus, the system comprising:

• a computer having a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, a display coupled to the processor, and a user input device coupled to the processor for providing a computer-implemented interface, the processor being configured to:
• retrieve, from a database, a sequence of visual stimuli configured to evoke at least one emotional response pre-cognitively from the subject upon exposure thereto;
• display each visual stimulus in the sequence one at a time on the display, each visual stimulus being displayed for a first period of time of between approximately 500 milliseconds and approximately 1 second;
• beginning no later than the end of the first period of time for each displayed visual stimulus, perform a transition action on the display in which the displayed visual stimulus is gradually and completely removed from the display over a second period of time of no longer than approximately 300 milliseconds;
• display no visual stimuli on the display for up to approximately 500 milliseconds between displaying successive visual stimuli in the sequence;
• receive, through the computer-implemented interface, at least one vote from the subject, each vote corresponding to at least one displayed visual stimulus in the sequence, each vote being received subsequent to the act of displaying the corresponding visual stimulus and prior to displaying any subsequent visual stimulus in the sequence, each vote representing a pre-cognitive emotional reaction of the subject to the respective visual stimulus in relation to the context that is obtained during the first moments of brain activity after the act of displaying the respective visual stimulus;
• and
• store, responsive to the act of receiving the at least one vote, at least one user response based on the at least one vote.

A computer readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by a computer causes the computer to:

• retrieve, from a database, a sequence of visual stimuli configured to evoke at least one emotional response pre-cognitively from the subject upon exposure thereto;
• display each visual stimulus in the sequence one at a time on the display, each visual stimulus being displayed for a first period of time of between approximately 500 milliseconds and approximately 1 second;
• beginning no later than the end of the first period of time for each displayed visual stimulus, perform a transition action on the display in which the displayed visual stimulus is gradually and completely removed from the display over a second period of time of no longer than approximately 300 milliseconds;
• display no visual stimuli on the display for up to approximately 500 milliseconds between displaying successive visual stimuli in the sequence;
• receive, through the computer-implemented interface, at least one vote from the subject, each vote corresponding to at least one displayed visual stimulus in the sequence, each vote being received subsequent to the act of displaying the corresponding visual stimulus and prior to displaying any subsequent visual stimulus in the sequence, each vote representing a pre-cognitive emotional reaction of the subject to the respective visual stimulus in relation to the context that is obtained during the first moments of brain activity after the act of displaying the respective visual stimulus;
• and
• store, responsive to the act of receiving the at least one vote, at least one user response based on the at least one vote.