Locus of control and frontal electromyographic response training

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychophysiology
• Behavioral Medicine

Background:

• Locus of control (LOC) describes an individual's generalized expectancies about the extent to which they can control life events.
• Individuals with an internal LOC believe they have control, while those with an external LOC attribute outcomes to external factors.
• Electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback has shown potential in facilitating relaxation by providing real-time physiological feedback.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of auditory EMG biofeedback in reducing frontal muscle tension.
• To examine whether locus of control orientation moderates the effectiveness of EMG biofeedback for relaxation.
• To assess the generalizability of EMG biofeedback as a relaxation technique.

Main Methods:

• Forty-eight college students, screened for extreme internal or external LOC, participated in a laboratory relaxation setting.
• Participants were assigned to either an EMG biofeedback group (auditory pitch varied with EMG levels) or a control group (constant pitch).
• Frontal EMG levels were continuously monitored, with additional measures of finger temperature and self-reported relaxation.

Main Results:

• The EMG biofeedback group demonstrated significantly lower frontal EMG potentials compared to the control group.
• Within the biofeedback group, individuals with an internal LOC achieved lower EMG levels than those with an external LOC.
• No significant differences in EMG levels were observed between internal and external LOC groups in the control condition. Generalization effects on finger temperature and self-reported relaxation were not found.

Conclusions:

• Auditory EMG biofeedback is an effective method for reducing frontal muscle tension in a college population.
• Internal locus of control individuals benefit more from EMG biofeedback for muscle relaxation compared to external locus of control individuals.
• While effective for direct muscle tension reduction, EMG biofeedback did not generalize to other physiological or subjective relaxation measures in this study.