Effects of relaxation-response-or arousal-response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses during fear imagery

Abstract

20 undergraduates were divided into arousal and relaxation groups. The arousal and the relaxation groups were given the arousal-response-oriented (ARO) and the relaxation-response-oriented (RRO) trainings, respectively. After the training, all Ss took an imagery test in which inter-heartbeat-interval, respiration, frontalis electromyogram (EMG), and peripheral temperature during neutral and fear imageries were measured. There were no differences between groups on any measures, except for the respiration when the neutral scene was imagined. In the fear scene, the RRO imagery was more effective in reducing arousal responses than the ARO imagery. The response-proposition-oriented procedure was effective not only in eliciting psychophysiological changes but also in inhibiting arousal responses during imagery. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)