Digital sampling, bits, and psychophysiological data: a primer, with cautions

The assumption that technical terms used in psychophysiology literature are somehow understood via previous explanations in the literature is tenuous at best. While improved software has made the use of encoders (the "black box") more user friendly, it cannot replace a basic understanding as to how, what, when and why the encoder collects data. Further, with the improved software it is now easier to produce a column of data and make erroneous interpretations if one is not careful or does not have the requisite background knowledge. Once completed, it can be very difficult to go back and identify where the error(s) was made. In this primer, analog and digital processing, sampling, bandwidth, and bits are interpreted through every day events to illustrate the reasons for concern.