Subjective aspects of alpha enhancement

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology

Background:

• Early research suggested alpha enhancement via feedback was pleasant and relaxing.
• Subjective experiences of alpha enhancement require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the subjective experiences of 140 participants undergoing alpha enhancement training.
• To compare subjective reports under eyes-open versus eyes-closed conditions.

Main Methods:

• Four studies were conducted involving alpha enhancement feedback.
• Participants provided subjective ratings on pleasantness and relaxation.
• Training conditions included both eyes-open and eyes-closed states.

Main Results:

• Approximately 50% of subjects found alpha enhancement pleasant, while 50% reported unpleasant/neutral experiences.
• Under eyes-open conditions, 50% found it relaxing, 50% not relaxing.
• Under eyes-closed conditions, 63% found it relaxing, 37% not relaxing.

Conclusions:

• Subjective experiences of alpha enhancement are diverse and not universally pleasant or relaxing.
• Eyes-closed training conditions appear to yield a higher proportion of relaxing experiences.
• A potential circular relationship between alpha increase and deep relaxation may exist, particularly in eyes-closed states.