S. IOFFE ET AL. 183
sciously.
4) Each participant’s psycho-semantic space was recon-
structed after the subconscious teaching procedure.
Reliability of the PsyExpert results was investigated using a
degree of conformity of the word COBRA with colour. In the
course of testing it was required to correlate the word COBRA
with colours of a spectrum and to evaluate the strength of the
association from 1 to 10 (10 has been accepted for 100%). If
the average conformity would turn out to be much below 50%
we could not depend reliably on the test results (Ivanter, 1992).
The PsyExpert test comprises of a number of steps:
1) The subject being tested looks through a number of pic-
tures illustrating various life situations, recognizes some as
opposite pairs of emotions, names them and undersigns. It is
natural that the emotions especially relevant to the subject be-
ing tested are “recognized” with ease.
2) The colors of a visible spectrum are shown one by one and
the subject being tested is asked to select for each of the emo-
tions (poles of the constructs) revealed in the previous step, the
most “desirable” colors and evaluate their strength using a scale
from 1 to 10.
Consequently, pairs of opposite emotions (the constructs) are
replaced with corresponding pairs of colors.
3) Evaluation of the elements with these color associative
pairs is carried out.
Evaluating the elements by colors, the subject being tested
does not suspect that he/she is actually “associating” each ele-
ment with an individual specific emotion (the pole of the con-
struct), thus openly revealing their inner world.
4) In conclusion, the colors are ranked by the subject being
tested in the order of desirable-undesirable colors. Identified
emotions (poles of constructs) and elements are all included in
the same order of colors.
Finally, calculation is provided for a number of statistical in-
dices: color correlation, index of cognitive differentiation (con-
nection intensity), exact distances between all the objects in
psycho-semantic space and conflicts of personality of self iden-
tification.
The test results are displayed in graphic form as a 3D color
psycho-semantic space represented as a Runge’s Sphere with
basic emotions, constructs and elements situated within and
also displayed in a printable form comprising a detailed de-
scription of analysed psycho-semantic space.
SMART technology is based on the universal principles of
human behaviour and scientific experimentation: Humans are
the product of information of their surrounding environment.
Any traits, influences, abilities, etc. are described and experi-
enced through words, pictures, sound etc. Information is cate-
gorized and prioritized by emotions throughout one’s life. The
major content of the human’s informational being is not acces-
sible to his/her conscious mind. It belongs to the subconscious
mind. SMART technology uses the universal principles of sci-
entific experimentation: each experiment consists of: Control
Probe/Stimuli, Reper (Reference point) and a Registered re-
sponse (Smirnov, Beznosjuk, & Zhuravlyov, 1995; Ioffe, Yesin,
Afanasjev, & Nezhdanov, 2007). Each person is his own con-
trol, since every person’s psyche is different. It is important to
understand that every individual test is a complete scientific
experiment since it contains all the above-mentioned compo-
nents. Controls represent stimuli which have no meaning to the
subject. They are in the form of a row of randomly chosen 15
numbers that flash across the screen at a fraction of a second,
registering through the retina into the brain. This control is then
masked by a different row of randomly-chosen 15 numbers.
The first row, the control, is seen subconsciously. The second
row, the masker, is seen consciously. The probe is semantically
meaningful stimuli in the form of a word that moves across the
screen at a fraction of a second, registering through the retina
into the brain. This probe/word is then masked by a row of
randomly-chosen 15 numbers. The probe/word is seen subcon-
sciously and the masker row of numbers is seen consciously.
Reper is a different kind of control. It is a measurement devel-
oped to gauge defence reaction (the subject’s reaction to the
“punishment” they receive during the test). This reaction is then
measured to understand how the subject’s subconscious mind
responds defensively. Registered Response is when the subject
is asked to press a mouse button each time they see a row of
numbers. The combined visual and motor reaction to the con-
trols, probe and reper are measured by the response time be-
tween a stimuli and the subject pressing the mouse button.
Rigid requirements are placed on the respondent ensuring that
they are unable to alter the test results in any way. The speed at
which they react is measured using statistical analysis. The
relationship between the control, probe and reper is analyzed by
measuring deviations between the three components.
Statistics
Statistical calculations were carried out using nonparametric
criteria of Lehmann-Rosenblatt for homogeneity test (Lehmann,
1951; Rosenblatt, 1952), Pearson’s correlation coefficient sen-
sitive to a linear relationship between two variables and Spear-
man’s rank correlation coefficient (nonlinear correlation) rs as a
non-parametric measure of statistical dependence between two
variables. Statistical significances of the coefficients were cal-
culated. Significance level at 95% (p < 0.05) was accepted. In
addition, we used general classification of association of corre-
lation according to Ivanter, 1992. The association was consid-
ered to be strong if the correlation factor r > 0.70; average if
0.50 < r < 0.69; moderate if 0.30 < r < 0.49; weak if 0.20 < r <
0.29; and very weak if r < 0.19.
Results
The Psycho-Semantic Space Dynamics for the
Emotions and “Defenc e Re a c ti o n”, and Deve l opment
of “Defence Reaction” to the Word COBRA
When we tested all participants BEFORE the defence reac-
tion development procedure to the word COBRA, we observed
in the psycho-semantic space the closest negative emotion to
the word COBRA (Table 1) emotion of FEAR (25.0) which
was “inside” of one sigma range (26.8). This fact reflects the
initial psychological state of the participants which is in full
conformity with Leontief’s theory of emotions: “cobra” is a
snake, can bite, it is possible to die—anticipating emotion
(though yet have not bitten, but can bite!) and directed on itself
(to bite not someone, but!). “Fear”, according to Leontief is
also the anticipating emotion directed on the self. AFTER de-
fence reaction development procedure to the word COBRA, we
see in the psycho-semantic space the closest negative emotion
to the word COBRA is also the emotion FEAR (Table 1). The