Two independent indices of activation

TWO

INDEPENDENT

INDICES

OF ACTIVATION

1

RICHARD A. STERNBACH, P h . D . 2

Department o~ Psychology, University o~ California, Los Angeles, Calif. (Reeeiw~d for publication: A u g u s t 19, 1959)

In recent years there has been a growing tendency to identify emotional responses with physiological processes, to the exclusion of phenomenological content. W e n g e r (1950) has proposed a visceral action theory which implies a different p a t t e r n of activity, in organs imlervated by the autonomic nervous system, for each emotional state. He also has devised a score of relative autononlie balance (7\) for basal measurement of individual differences, employing seven measures of peripheral autononfie activity. The score, which is derived from a factor analytic s t u d y (Wenger 1948), is n o r m a l l y distributed around a central tendency which is defined as autonomic balance. A n i n d i v i d u a l ' s score, when compared to the distribution of similar scores of a large normative sample, indicates whether the individual has functional autonomic balance, relative sympathetic dominance (low scores) or relative p a r a s y m p a t h e t i c dominance (high scores) ( W e n g e r and Ellington 1943). Lindsley (1951) has proposed an activation theory of emotions, a p p r o a c h i n g the problem from studies on the brain stem reticular formation (reticular activating system), and the effect <)f v a r y i n g degrees of stimulation of this system upon the E E G . In particular, he has shown t h a t a behavioral c o n t i m m m of arousal, r a n g i n g f r o m deep sleep to strong emotional behavior, m a y be matched by an E E G continuum of progressive activation (Lindsley 1952). 1 This paper is p a r t of a doctoral dissertation submitted to the Graduate ;Division of the University ()f (!Mifornia, Los Angeles, in partial fulfilhnent of th(. requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philos()l)l,y. The rese:,reh w:~s supported in part by I r S l ' I l S research g r a n t M788, assigned to M. A. Wenger. The :,uthor is indebted to his chairman, Prr M. A. Wenger, and to Professor ])omdd B. [,indsley, for their advice and encour:lgement. " Now nt the Del)artment of Psychiatry, Massaehusetts Gener:d Hospital, Boston, Mass.

F r o m these considerations, it seemed plausible that two indices of activity m a y be related. W e n g e r ' s :=\ score, the estinlate of relative autonomic balance, is low (indicating relatiw, sympathetic dominane~e) in individuals who might he described as " n e r v o u s " or " a n x i o u s " , and is high (relative parasympathetic dominance) in " c a l m " or " p h l e g m a t i c " individuals. Similarly, since alpha r h y t h m is often present to a lesser extent in " l l e r v o n s ~ p e r s o n s a n d 1o a greater extent in " c a h n " persons, one wouht expect a direct relationship to exist between X scores and the alpha index (t>er cent-time a l p h a ) , despite the fact that these inf ~lrl)lts;-I1 level. W i t h the improvement in estimate of total autonomic function afforded by Weng e r ' s composite index, the .\ score, and with the rationale of a generalized (ANS - (!NS) activation theory, the writer hoped to test the specific hypothesis that a p p a r e n t SNS dominance (low 2\ scores) is associated with an activated E E G p a t t e r n (h>w I>er eel,t-time alpha), and that a p p a r e n t I ' N S d<>mhmm.e (high :-\ scores) is associated with a normal

[ 609 1

610

RICHARD A. STERNBACH

resting EEG alpha).

pattern

(high

per cent-time

METHOD Forty-two male undergraduates were t a k e n as v o h m t e e r s f r o m s t u d e n t s who w e r e e n r o l l e d in i n t r o d u c t o r y p s y c h o l o g y courses. The r e c o r d i n g a p p a r a t u s used in this s t u d y has been f u l l y d e s c r i b e d elsewhere ( W e n g e r , E n g e l a n d C l e m e n s 1!)57). B r i e f l y , it c o n s i s t e d of a n 8 - c h m m e l ( ) f i n e r t y p e D 3 e l e c t r o e n c e p h a l o g r a p h a n d t h r e e t y p e 133 ( ) f i n e r a m p l i f i e r s for DC r e c o r d i n g . A p a p e r s p e e d of .125 era. p e r see. was used, e x c e p t t h a t f o r 10 see. each m i n u t e the p a p e r d r i v e was i n c r e a s e d to 2.5 era. p e r see. for s a m p l i n g the E E G v a r i a b l e s . A n a d d i t i o n a l charon,1 of i n f o r m a t i o n was p r o v i d e d b y a (}ilson A u t o nmtic B l o o d P r e s s u r e R e c o r d e r . The v a r i a b l e s coral>rising A a r e shown in t a b l e I. TABLE I The variables comprising Ynriable

Unit of measurement Abbreviation

Salivary outlmt Sublingual temperature Palmar conductance Volar forearm con(hletance

l~og conductance change Diastolie blood pressure Heart period

cc./3 nfin. degrees F. micromhos

SO ST

micromhos

V('

I)C

Log mieromhos

l,('('

ram. Hg millimin, per ten cycles

[)BI) 1[ P

_-- .41 HP + .30 ST + + .18 I)BP* + .17 LCC -t.14 SO -I- .09 PC* -I- .09 VC* (* = reflected, so that sympathetic-like responses receive low v:dues, parasympathetic-like responses receive high wdues). The nornmtive sample of Wenger's (1948) 460 Air Force cadets had a mean ~ )f 69.89 with a standard deviation of 7.36. W h e n s i g n i n g as v o h m t e e r s for t h e exp e r i m e n t , s u b j e c t s were g i v e n a n a p p o i n t merit sheet on w h i c h were l i s t e d these i n s t r u c t i o n s : t h e y were to get a n o r m a l a m o u n t of sleep the n i g h t b e f o r e the e x p e r i m e n t ; to a b s t a i n f r o m food f o r two h o u r s , a n d f r o m tobacco a n d l i q u i d s f o r o n e - h a l f h o u r b e f o r e

t h e e x p e r i m e n t . U p o n a r r i v i n g at the labo r a t o r y , t h e s u b j e c t was s e a t e d a n d his subl i n g u a l t e m p e r a t u r e t a k e n f o r 3 rain., u s i n g a s t a n d a r d c l i n i c a l o r a l t h e r m o m e t e r . No subj e c t was u s e d whose t e m p e r a t u r e was h i g h e r t h a n 99.4 d e g r e e s F a h r e n h e i t , to c o n f o r m to t h e s t a n d a r d s of W e n ~ ' e r ' s (1948) n o r m a t i v e g r o u p . The collection of d a t a for d e t e r m i n i n g the e s t i m a t e of a u t o n o m i c b a l a n c e (2\) t h e n p r o c e e d e d in the s t a n d a r d i z e d m a n m w pres c r i b e d in the r e f e r e n c e : b r i e f l y , t h e r e was a 3-rain. f o r c e d e j e c t i o n of saliva, a m e a s u r e m e n l of p a l m a r c o n d u c t a n c e a f t e r 1 a n d 2 rain. of s t a n d i n g r e l a x e d , a n d a m e a s u r e m e n t of t ) a h n a r c o n d u c t a n c e a f t e r 1 rain. of inlensc m u s c u l a r s t r a i n . The s u b j e c t t h e n lay on a cot f o r 12 rain., d u r i n g w h i c h time p a h n a r a n d v o l a r f o r e a r m con(hletance, h e a r t rate a n d blood p r e s s u r e s were r e c o r d e d . All)ha r h y t h m was r e c o r d e d in twelve ten-secmnl t i m e s a m p l e s d u r i n g t h i s period. M o n o p o l a r r e c o r d i n g s were m a d e w i t h a s t a n d a r d E E ( I c u p - s h a p e d e l e c t r o d e ow,r t h e left o c c i p i t a l a r e a , a n d an " i n ( t i f f e r c n t " lea
1NDICES OF ACTIVATION level of " a c t i v a t i o n " of the o r g a n i s m (ind e p e n d e n t l y ) . ()ne n m s t c o n c l u d e t h a t " a c t i v a t i o n " as a c o n c e p t in e m o t i o n s ( L i n d s l e y 1951 ; W o o d w o r t h a n d S e h l o s b e r g 1954) c a n n o t r e f e r u n i f o r m l y to C N S a n d A N S a c t i v i t y . The d a t a of this s t u d y show t h a t som~ p e r s o n s w i t h a u t o n o n f i c " a c t i v a t i o n " ( a p l ) a r e n t s y m p a t h e t i c d o m i n a n c e ) m a y show a r e l a t i v e l y h i g h d e g r e e of c o r t i c a l i n a c t i v i t y ( h i g h a l p h a i n d e x ) . C o n v e r s e l y , some subj e c t s w i t h high ~-~ scores ( a p p a r e n t p a r a s y m p a t h e t i c (lonfinance) m a y show a r e l a t i v e l y a c t i v a t e d E E G (low a l p h a i n d e x ) . t~learly, an u n c r i t i c a l use of an " a c t i v a t i o n " concept of e m o t i o n s f a i l s to do justi¢,e to the d i f f e r e n t i a l a c t i v i t i e s of the n e r v o u s syst e m J u s t as the a u t o n o m i c s y s t e m r e s p ( m d s d i f f e r e n t l y to d i f f e r e n t s t i n m l i ( W e n g e r a n d C u l l e n 1958), r a t h e r t h a n in the massive, u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d m a m w r C a n n o n (1927) prol)Os('d, so the A N S a n d C N S c a n n o t he said to r e s p o n d all of a pie,!c, in the m a n n e r of a single e f f e c t o r . U n t i l a single i n d e x sel~sitive to all c h a n g e s is d e v e l o p e d , a single concepl e m b r a ( ' i n g all e m o t i o n a l b e h a v i o r s m u s t |)o suspect. SUMMARY Two i n d i c e s of " a c t i v a t i o n " , W e n g c r ' s e s t i m a t e of r e l a t i v e a u t o n o m i c b a l a n c e (X) a n d p e r (-cnt-time a l p h a , were o b t a i n e d f r o m 42 male u n d e r g r a d u a t e subjects. No c o r r e l a tion was f o u n d b e t w e e n them. The i n d i c e s were j u d g e d to m e a s u r e i n d e p e n d e n t funotions, a n d it was c o n c l u d e d t h a t a g e n e r a l " a ( , t i v a t i o n " t h e o r y of e m o t i o n s ix not y e t just ified.

D e n x i n d i c e s ¢ d ' a c t i v a t i o n >), l % v a l u a t i o n (te ]a b a l a n c e a u t o n o m i q u e r e l a t i v e de W e n g e r (.X) et le p o u r c e n t a g e - t e m p s de l ' a c t i v i t ~ a l p h a , o n t 4t~ o b t e n u s chez 42 j e u n e s s u j e t s m'~les. A u c u n e c o r r e l a t i o n n ' a ~t6 trouv6e e n t r e ees indices, ll e n e s t d 6 d u i t que les indices m e s u r e n t d e u x f o n c t i o n s ind6pendan-. te~ et il out conclu q n ' u n e th6orie g6n@ale

Reference: STERNBACFI, R. A. 609-611.

<) des 6motions n ' e s t pax (,n(,or~, justifi~e. ZUSAMMENFASS U N( Zwei I n d i c e s fiir " A k t i v a t i o n " , Wengers S c h i i t z u n g d e r r e l a t i v e n a u t o n o m m l Fbflan('e (~-\) m i d d a s " p e r c e n t - t i m e a l p h a " ((t5. (toy P r o z e n t s a t z d o t Zeit in dent A l p h a - A k t i v i t : , i t in e i n e r g e g e b e n c u E E ( ] - K u r v ~ , v o r h a n ( l c n i s t ) , w u r d e n bei 42 nfiimfli(,hen Stu(lent(,n b(,s t i m m t . K e i n o K o r r e l a t i o n zwis~,heu bei(len w n r d e g e f u n d e n . E s wm'(te d e s h a l b ang(,n o m m e n dass die b e i d e n I n d i c e s nnat)hiingige P u n k t i o n e n messen, u n d claus ein(, a l l g e m e i n e " A k t i v a t i o n s " - T h e o r i e (ter E m o t i m w u no('h lficht o ' e r e c h t f e r t i g t ist. REFEREN(!ES (~ANN()N~ W. ]~. The James-I,angc theory of emotions:

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New York. 1951.

LINDSLEY, ]D. B, Psychological phenomt,na :~nd ele('troencep|mlogram. EEG Clin. .V,'urophy.~iol., 1952, 4: 443-456. MCNEM/d¢, Q. Psqehological Stalistic.~. '-'nd ed. \Vihw,

New York, 1955. MORRICE, ,]. K. W. Slow wqve l)rodu(.tion in th(, EE(;,

with reference to hy|)erpnoea, c:,rbon dioxi(h, nnd autonomic balance. EE(; Clin. ?¢,',ropb!t.~'iol., 1956, X: 49-72. STENNETT, R. G. The relntionship of nil)h:, :lmplitude to the level of pahnar conduct:mt, e. EE(; Clht. Nrurophysiol., 1957,9: 131-138. WENGER, M. A. ,qtudies of :mtonomie t,:~lanee in Army Air Forces pcrsomJel. Comp. l'syehol. Monoflr., 1948, I9, No. 4: l - l l l . WENGER, M. A. Emotion as viseerM :wtion: An extention of lmnge's theory. In M. l,. Reym',,rt (Ed,), The Second International S!lmlU,Siuul On Feelings and Emotions. Me(;raw-IIill, N~,w York, 1950. WENGER, g .

]¢~:su~t]::

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A. and CULLEN, T. ]).

Folll't(?eH A N ~

response lmtterns in man. .4mt'r. l'.~q,,hol., 1958. 13 : 423. WENGER, ~'[. A. {llld ]~]LIANGTON, ~'|.

TIw me:,sur(,-

ment of autonomic balane(, in ('hildren: Method and normative data. P.~!leho.~om. M/',I., 1943, 5: 241 253. WENGFR, M. i . , ENGEL, B. T. and ('t~ES[L~:NS.T. I,. Studies of autonomic response l)att('rns: R:Itionqle nnd methods. Behavioral Sei., 1957, 2: 216-221. WOODV/ORTH, ~. S. and SCHLOSBERG, ~ . E.rperimcntal Psychology. Henry IIolt, New York, 1954.

Two independent indices of activation. EEG Cli.n. Neurophysiol., 1960, 12: