The effect of intermittent auditory stimulation on the occipital alpha rhythm

Abstract

Three groups of college students were monitored for alpha EEG production during eight daily sessions lasting 46 min each. No differential treatment was in effect for the first two sessions in which baselines were estabUshed. Over the subsequent six sessions, the feedback group received auditory stimulation (clicks) contingent upon alpha production, the taped-feedback group received the same type of auditory stimulation in a noncontingent fashion, and the control group received no auditory stimulation. Unexpectedly, the taped-feedback group showed the most reliable increases in alpha production (relative to baseline) over the six treatment sessions. Only half of the contingent feedback subjects demonstrated reliable increases, mostly during the last two sessions, while no control group subject showed reliable increases. The importance of using both a noncontingent feedback group and a no-feedback group in alpha conditioning studies is stressed. © 1976, Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.