FRONTALIS FEEDBACK AND INSTRUCTIONAL SET IN RELAXATION TRAINING: EFFECTS ON FRONTALIS TENSION AND OTHER PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES.
Item
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Title
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FRONTALIS FEEDBACK AND INSTRUCTIONAL SET IN RELAXATION TRAINING: EFFECTS ON FRONTALIS TENSION AND OTHER PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES.
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Identifier
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AAI8409414
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identifier
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8409414
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Creator
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RICHMAN, STEVEN.
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Contributor
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Daniel V. Caputo
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Date
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1984
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Physiological
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Abstract
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This study examined the potential of frontalis EMG feedback as a facilitator of frontalis muscle tension reduction and general relaxation, as measured by reduced sternomastoid muscle tension and skin conductance level and increased fingertip skin temperature. It was proposed that the outcome of frontalis feedback relaxation training is dependent upon the nature of instructions provided to subjects. It was predicted that active instructions (suggesting conation, by presenting the training as a task to be accomplished) are not as effective as passive instructions (suggesting a non-striving approach to training) in facilitating either reductions in frontalis tension or changes in other variables indicative of relaxation. General instructions (informing subjects that the feedback signal is an indicator of overall relaxation) were predicted to be more effective in facilitating general relaxation, but less effective in reducing frontalis tension than specific instructions (informing subjects that the signal represents forehead muscle tension). Instructions plus feedback were predicted to be superior to instructions alone, in facilitating both frontalis tension reduction and general relaxation.;Relaxation instructions, designed to be specific-active, specific-passive, general-active, and general-passive, were written and validated. Four groups, of eight subjects each, received these instructions; another four groups of eight subjects received comparable instructions and were provided with feedback. All physiological variables were monitored over five training sessions, each providing two 10-minute training periods.;Results strongly supported the superiority of feedback over no-feedback for the reduction of frontalis tension. This effect could not be attributed merely to superior motivation of feedback subjects. There was no indication of motivational inequity among the eight groups. There was no indication that instructional set had any effect on frontalis tension. General instructions seemed to facilitate more general muscular relaxation. Frontalis feedback was not any more effective than instructions alone in facilitating changes in variables other than frontalis tension. Subjects achieved significant progressive reductions in frontalis and sternomastoid tension and in skin conductance level over minutes of a trial and over sessions, indicating increasing relaxation. Fingertip skin temperature did not conform to this pattern, decreasing over minutes and showing no change over sessions.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Psychology
