Psychophysiological effects of self-regulation method: EEG frequency analysis and contingent negative variations.
Experiments were conducted to investigate the psychophysiological effects of self-regulation method (SRM), a newly developed method of self-control, using EEG frequency analysis and contingent negative variations (CNV). The results of the EEG frequency analysis showed that there is a significant increase in the percentage (power) of the theta-band and a significant decrease in the percentage (power) of the beta-band during SRM. Moreover, the results of an identical experiment conducted on subjects in a drowsy state showed that the changes in EEG frequencies during SRM can be differentiated from those of a drowsy state. Furthermore, experiments using CNV showed that there is a significant reduction of CNV amplitude during SRM. Despite the reduced amplitude during SRM, the number of errors in a task to evoke the CNV was reduced significantly without significant delay of reaction time. When an identical experiment was conducted in a drowsy state, CNV amplitude was reduced significantly, but reaction time and errors increased. From these experiments, the state of vigilance during SRM was discussed as a state of 'relaxed alertness'.
Ikemi
A
A
Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan.
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D001288:Attention; D001326:Autogenic Training; D003265:Contingent Negative Variation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012064:Relaxation Therapy