Psychophysiology of emotions: Peripheral physiology monitoring can provide insights to self-regulation in an affective social context. Part of peripheral physiology is also thermal regulations mediated by internal physiological states such as heart rate, perspiration as well as vascular constriction or vasodilation and in certain occasions muscular activity. Variability in autonomic function within a social context is readily depicted on the face and according to the emotion there is an adjacent thermal mark.  Modern technological advancement allow us to harness these signal enriching our understanding about human nature in a naturalistic experimental context. Thermal imaging provides a novel avenue for the study of social psychophysiology as the face, in addition to its communicative value, provides easy access to contact-free affective physiological monitoring. Most importantly peripheral physiology provides a feedback loop between the body and the brain where bodily responses facilitate learning and adapt social behavior. Disruption of this loop has crucial psychosocial consequences commonly manifested in depression, schizophrenia as well as psychopathy.

Caloric intake, macronutrient selection and body weight: The view that desire for food is elicited to satisfy nutritional needs is well established (Pelchat, Johnson, Chan, Valdez, & Ragland, 2004). In support of this argument Weingarten and Elston (1991) postulated that cravings arise due to nutrient or caloric deficits. However, there are occasions where craving for food is not elicited in response to physiological needs. In such occasions, the desire to eat can lead to obesity, eating disorders, and noncompliance with dietary restrictions (Berthoud & Morrison, 2008; Cangiano et al., 1992; Levin & Routh, 1996; Ouwehand & Papies, 2010). Hormonal and chemical function of the brain could cause an imbalance between caloric intake and need. Industrial evolution has left as exposed to the abundance of food and educational as well as pharmacological interventions are needed to calibrate the problem.