Binaural beat induced theta EEG activity and hypnotic susceptibility: contradictory results and technical considerations.
The present study offered a constructive replication of an earlier study which demonstrated significant increases in theta EEG activity following theta binaural beat (BB) entrainment training and significant increases in hypnotic susceptibility. This study improved upon the earlier small-sample, multiple-baseline investigation by employing a larger sample, by utilizing a double-blind, repeated-measures group experimental design, by investigating only low and moderate susceptible participants, and by providing 4 hours of binaural beat training. With these design improvements, results were not supportive of the specific efficacy of the theta binaural beat training employed in this study in either increasing frontal theta EEG activity or in increasing hypnotic susceptibility. Statistical power analyses indicated the theta binaural beat training to be a very low power phenomenon on theta EEG activity. Furthermore, we found no significant relationship between frontal theta power and hypnotizability, although the more hypnotizable participants showed significantly greater increases in hypnotizability than the less hypnotizables. Results are discussed within the context of participant selection and classification factors, technical considerations in the presentation of TBB training, and theta blocking.
Department of Psychology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff 86011, USA. Larry.Stevens@nau.edu
Larry
L
Stevens
Zach
Z
Haga
Brandy
B
Queen
Brian
B
Brady
Deanna
D
Adams
Jaime
J
Gilbert
Emily
E
Vaughan
Cathy
C
Leach
Paul
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Nockels
Patrick
P
McManus
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D004007:Dichotic Listening Tests; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010898:Pitch Perception; D011594:Psychometrics; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013826:Theta Rhythm; D013998:Time Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome