DYNAMICS OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT SPECIALTIES DURING THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

O. V. Hulka, V. I. Sheiko, N. M. Grabik, I. Ya. Hrubar, V. H. Omelyanenko

Abstract


This article examines the dynamics of psychophysiological functions in female students across various specialties as manifestations of functional adaptation of the central nervous system to educational stress. The relevance stems from the increasing intensity of academic demands in higher education, which act as chronic stressors and lead to both adaptive and maladaptive changes in cognitive regulation. It was found that changes in attention and short-term memory are not uniform but vary depending on the professional training profile and the specific nature of the educational activities.
The study involved 125 female students from Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University, representing four faculties: Foreign Languages (FL), Physical Education (PE), Physics and Mathematics (PM), and Chemistry and Biology (CB). Psychophysiological assessment was conducted at three stages: during the first year of study, in the fourth year before pedagogical practice, and in the fourth year after practice. Attention properties—including volume, stability, productivity, distribution, switching, and number of errors—were evaluated using Anfimov’s correction tables, number-search tasks, and Schulte tables. Short-term visual memory for syllables, words, digits, and figures was assessed using standardized methods.
Pedagogical practice served as an additional stressor, intensifying psychophysiological load and revealing the limits of adaptive mechanisms. Short-term stress contributed to the mobilization of cognitive resources and improved certain attention parameters, whereas prolonged or excessive stress was associated with decreased attention and memory efficiency, an increased number of errors, and signs of mental fatigue. These findings align with the concept of allostatic load, which posits that optimal levels of activation enhance performance, while excessive activation leads to cognitive decline.
In conclusion, psychophysiological functions serve as sensitive indicators of the central nervous system's functional adaptation to educational stress. Their dynamics reflect both the specificity of professional training and the balance between adaptive mobilization and cognitive fatigue, which can be considered objective markers of functional state and potential risk of maladaptation in students.

Keywords


psychophysiological functions; attention; short-term memory; educational stress; functional adaptation; students

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.25128/2078-2357.25.4.5

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