Neuroscientist Ryan McGarry is getting ready to tap into the mind.
"I just have to adjust them so they're all in the right position so we know we're measuring brain activity right where we need to be," he said.
The EEG headset, and other sensors are hooked up and then the test begins.
Researchers with Spark Neuro in Bethesda are using the scientific tools to understand what people are paying attention to, and how they're feeling when watching campaign ads and debate clips of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
"We're looking at it from the perspective, really how did it make me feel in that moment, and how might it influence me," said Spark Neuro Founder and CEO Spencer Gerrol.
During the test, data is gathered from five main biometrics; brain activity, eye movement, skin response, heart rate and micro-facial expressions. It's kind of like a lie detector test on steroids.
So even though people may say they feel strongly about one candidate, their brain can tell a much different story.
Follow Catherine Hawley on Twitter@CatherineABC2 and like her onFacebook.
The equipment puts out a second by second measurement of attention and emotion. Those subconscious factors play a major role in decision making, and could be key to this crazy presidential campaign.
"And that gives us an understanding of what really is happening with people so that we have a much more accurate picture of why they're making the decisions that they're making," Gerrol said.
"We can see attention is increasing as soon as trump is starting to talk," McGarry said.
In this study, clips from the first presidential debate had a lot of peaks and dips. Trump made the participant pay attention, and also connected with him emotionally. While a Clinton commercial starts off strong, but seems to bore him.
"We can see that it only performed on a mediocre level,” said McGarry. “So it wasn't particularly engaging for this one person, this one viewer."
Which is striking, considering the participant, Yama Ghani, says he's a Clinton supporter.
"I can't say I agree with most of the stuff that he is saying, so I guess it's literally just his personality which is what I’m subconsciously just drawn to," Ghani said.
Research shows 95 percent of our decisions are based on feelings, not logic. Meaning, how we feel in the moment actually matters more.
Spark Neuro's testing found Trump makes people pay attention when he talks, and drives you to feel something. Gerrol says that's enough to sway certain voters on Election Day.
"Regardless of how one feels about Donald Trump, he does hit on emotions, and so some of the mystery around why he is doing so well when there are plenty of people who say it just doesn't make sense, well, it's that hitting upon emotions that he seems to have mastered, and that clearly is having an effect," said Gerrol.
Download the ABC2 News app for theiPhone,Kindle andAndroid.
