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

AKIHISA HIROTA; HISASHI HIRAI

doi:10.4992/psycholres1954.32.26

AKIHISA HIROTA, HISASHI HIRAI

Author information

Keywords: imagery, fear, relaxation, arousal, physiological responses, propositions

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1990 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 26-35

DOI https://doi.org/10.4992/psycholres1954.32.26

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Published: February 26, 1990 Received: November 04, 1988 Available on J-STAGE: February 24, 2009 Accepted: May 13, 1989 Advance online publication: - Revised: -
Correction information
Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: TITLE Details: Wrong : Effects of relaxation-response- or arousal-response- oriented training on psychophysiological responses during fear imagery
Right : Effects of relaxation-response- or arousal-response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses during fear imagery

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: ABSTRACT Details: Wrong : The present study investigated the effects of relaxation-response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses in the fear imagery based on Lang's theory. Twenty subjects were divided into arousal and relaxation groups. The arousal and the relaxation groups were given the arousal-response-oriented and the relaxation-response-oriented trainings, respectively. After the training, all subjects took the imagery test in which IBI (inter-heartbeat-interval), respiration, frontalis 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 relaxation-response-oriented imagery was more effective in reducing arousal responses than the arousal-response-oriented imagery. The present results suggest that the response-proposition-oriented procedure is effective not only in eliciting psychophysiologieal changes but also in inhibiting arousal responses during imagery.
Right : The present study investigated the effects of relaxation-response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses in the fear imagery based on Lang's theory. Twenty subjects were divided into arousal and relaxation groups. The arousal and the relaxation groups were given the arousal-response-oriented and the relaxation-response-oriented trainings, respectively. After the training, all subjects took the imagery test in which IBI (inter-heartbeat-interval), respiration, frontalis 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 relaxation-response-oriented imagery was more effective in reducing arousal responses than the arousal-response-oriented imagery. The present results suggest that the response-proposition-oriented procedure is effective not only in eliciting psychophysiojogical changes but also in inhibiting arousal responses during imagery.

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: CITATION Details: Wrong : Bauer, R. M., & Craighead, W. E. 1979 Psychophysiological responses to the imagination of fearful and neutral situations: The effects of imagery instructions. Behavior Therapy, 10, 389-403.
Carroll, D., Marzillier, J. S., & Merian, S. 1982 Psychophysiological changes accompanying different types of arousing and relaxing imagery. Psychophysiology, 19, 75-82.
Dekker, J., & Everaerd, W. 1988 Attentional effects on sexual arousal. Psychophysiology, 25, 45-54.
Grossberg, J. M., & Wilson, H. K. 1968 Physiological changes accompanying the visualization of fearful and neutral situations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 10, 124-133.
Hirota, A., & Hirai, H. 1986 Effects of stimulusor response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses and the propositional structure of imagery. Japanese Psychological Research, 28, 186-195.
Kamimura, E. 1987 The effects of instructed imagery on HR self-regulation. Japanese Journal of Behavior Therapy (Kodo ryoho kenkyu), 13, 70-78. (In Japanese with English summary)
Lang, P.J. 1979 A bio-informational theory of emotional imagery. Psychophysiology, 16, 495-512.
Lang, P. J. 1984 Cognition in emotion: Concept and action. In C. E. Izard, J. Kagan & R. Zajonc (Eds.), Emotion, cognition, and behavior. New York: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 192-226.
Lang, P.J., Kozak, M. J., Miller, G. A., Levin, D. N., & McLean, A. J. 1980 Emotional imagery: Conceptual structure and pattern of somatovisceral responses. Psychophysiology, 17, 179-192.
Lang, P. J., Levin, D. N., Miller, G. A., & Kozak, M. J. 1983 Fear behavior, fear imagery, and the psychophysiology of emotion: The problem of affective response integration. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 92, 276-306.
McCanne, T. R., & Iennarella, R. S. 1980 Cognitive and somatic events associated with discriminative changes in heart rate. Psychophysiology, 17, 18-28.
Marks, I. M., & Huson, J. 1973 Physiological aspects of neutral and phobic imagery: Further observation. British Journal of Psychiatry, 122, 567-572.
Miller, S. B., & Ditto, B. 1988 Cardiovascular responses to an extended aversive video game task. Psychophysiology, 25, 200-208.
Sagberg, F. 1979 Heart rate and finger pulse amplitude during muscular relaxation with frontalis versus forearm EMG feedback. Biological Psychology, 9, 201-214.
Sagberg, F. 1985 Cardiovascular changes during muscular relaxation. In J. F. Orlebeke, G. Mulder & L. J. P. van Doornen (Eds.), Psychophysiology of cardiovascular control: Models, methods, and data. New York: Plenum Press. Pp. 179-189.
Schwartz, G. E., Weinberger, D. A., & Singer, J. A. 1981 Cardiovascular differentiation of happiness, sadness, anger, and fear following imagery and exercise. Psychosomatic Medicine, 43, 343-364.
Sheehan, P. W. 1967a A shortened form of Betts' questionnaire upon mental imagery. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 23, 386-389.
Sheehan, P. W. 1967b Reliability of a short test of imagery. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 25, 744.
Van Egeren, L. F., Feather, B. W., & Hein, P. L. 1971 Desensitization of phobia: Some psychophysiological propositions. Psychophysiology, 8, 213-228.

Right : Bauer, R. M., &Craighead, W. E. 1979 Psychophysiological responses to the imagination of fearful and neutral situations: The effects of imagery instructions. Behavior Therapy, 10, 389-403.
Carroll, D., Marzillier, J. S., &Merian, S. 1982 Psychophysiological changes accompanying different types of arousing and relaxing imagery. Psychophysiology, 19, 75-82.
Dekker, J., &Everaerd, W. 1988 Attentional effects on sexual arousal. Psychoplysiology, 25, 45-54.
Grossberg, J. M., &Wilson, H. K. 1968 Physiological changes accompanying the visualization of fearful and neutral situations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 10, 124-133.
Hirota, A., &Hirai, H. 1986 Effects of stimulusor response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses and the propositional structure of imagery. Japanese Psychological Research, 28, 186-195.
Kamimura, E. 1987 The effects of instructed imagery on HR self-regulation. Japanese Journal of Behavior Therapy (Kodo ryoho kenkyu), 13, 70-78.(In Japanese with English summary)
Lang, P. J. 1979 A bio-inforrnational theory of emotional imagery. Psychophysiology, 16, 495-512.
Lang, P. J. 1984 Cognition in emotion: Concept and action. In C. E. Izard, J. Kagan&R. Zajonc (Eds.), Emotion, cognition, and behavior. New York: Cambridge University Press. Pp.192-226.
Lang, P. J., Kozak, M. J., Miller, G. A., Levin, D. N., &McLean, A. J. 1980 Emotional imagery: Conceptual structure and pattern of somatovisceral responses. Psychophysiology, 17, 179-192.
Lang, P. J., Levin, D. N., Miller, G. A., &Kozak, M. J. 1983 Fear behavior, fear imagery, and the psychophysiology of emotion: The problem of affective response integration. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 92, 276-306.
McCanne, T. R., &Iennarella, R. S. 1980 Cognitive and somatic events associated with discriminative changes in heart rate. Psychophysiology, 17, 18-28.
Marks, I. M., &Huson, J. 1973 Physiological aspects of neutral and phobic imagery: Further observation. British Journal of Psychiatry, 122, 567-572.
Miller, S. B., &Ditto, B. 1988 Cardiovascular responses to an extended aversive video game task. Psychophysiology, 25, 200-208.
Sagberg, F. 1979 Heart rate and finger pulse amplitude during muscular relaxation with frontalis versus forearm EMG feedback. Biological Psychology, 9, 201-214.
Sagberg, F. 1985 Cardiovascular changes during muscular relaxation. In J. F. Orlebeke, G. Mulder&L. J. P. van Doornen (Eds.), Psychophysiology of cardiovascular control: Models, methods, and data. New York: Plenum Press. Pp.179-189.
Schwartz, G. E., Weinberger, D. A., &Singer, J. A. 1981 Cardiovascular differentiation of happiness, sadness, anger, and fear following imagery and exercise. Psychosomatic Medicine, 43, 343-364.
Sheehan, P. W. 1967a A shortened form of Betts' questionnaire upon mental imagery. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 23, 386-389.
Sheehan, P. W. 1967b Reliability of a short test of imagery. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 25, 744.
Van Egeren, L. F., Feather, B. W., &Hein, P. L. 1971 Desensitization of phobia: Some psychophysiological propositions. Psychophysiology, 8, 213-228.

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: PDF FILE Details: -

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: TITLE Details: Wrong : Effects of relaxation-response- or arousal-response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses during fear imagery
Right : Effects of relaxation-response-or arousal-response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses during fear imagery

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: ABSTRACT Details: Wrong : The present study investigated the effects of relaxation-response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses in the fear imagery based on Lang's theory. Twenty subjects were divided into arousal and relaxation groups. The arousal and the relaxation groups were given the arousal-response-oriented and the relaxation-response-oriented trainings, respectively. After the training, all subjects took the imagery test in which IBI (inter-heartbeat-interval), respiration, frontalis 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 relaxation-response-oriented imagery was more effective in reducing arousal responses than the arousal-response-oriented imagery. The present results suggest that the response-proposition-oriented procedure is effective not only in eliciting psychophysiojogical changes but also in inhibiting arousal responses during imagery.
Right : The present study investigated the effects of relaxation-response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses in the fear imagery based on Lang's theory. Twenty subjects were divided into arousal and relaxation groups. The arousal and the relaxation groups were given the arousal-response-oriented and the relaxation-response-oriented trainings, respectively. After the training, all subjects took the imagery test in which IBI (inter-heartbeat-interval), respiration, frontalis 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 relaxation-response-oriented imagery was more effective in reducing arousal responses than the arousal-response-oriented imagery. The present results suggest that the response-proposition-oriented procedure is effective not only in eliciting psychophysiological changes but also in inhibiting arousal responses during imagery.

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: CITATION Details: Wrong : Bauer, R. M., &Craighead, W. E. 1979 Psychophysiological responses to the imagination of fearful and neutral situations: The effects of imagery instructions. Behavior Therapy, 10, 389-403.
Carroll, D., Marzillier, J. S., &Merian, S. 1982 Psychophysiological changes accompanying different types of arousing and relaxing imagery. Psychophysiology, 19, 75-82.
Dekker, J., &Everaerd, W. 1988 Attentional effects on sexual arousal. Psychoplysiology, 25, 45-54.
Grossberg, J. M., &Wilson, H. K. 1968 Physiological changes accompanying the visualization of fearful and neutral situations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 10, 124-133.
Hirota, A., &Hirai, H. 1986 Effects of stimulusor response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses and the propositional structure of imagery. Japanese Psychological Research, 28, 186-195.
Kamimura, E. 1987 The effects of instructed imagery on HR self-regulation. Japanese Journal of Behavior Therapy (Kodo ryoho kenkyu), 13, 70-78.(In Japanese with English summary)
Lang, P. J. 1979 A bio-inforrnational theory of emotional imagery. Psychophysiology, 16, 495-512.
Lang, P. J. 1984 Cognition in emotion: Concept and action. In C. E. Izard, J. Kagan&R. Zajonc (Eds.), Emotion, cognition, and behavior. New York: Cambridge University Press. Pp.192-226.
Lang, P. J., Kozak, M. J., Miller, G. A., Levin, D. N., &McLean, A. J. 1980 Emotional imagery: Conceptual structure and pattern of somatovisceral responses. Psychophysiology, 17, 179-192.
Lang, P. J., Levin, D. N., Miller, G. A., &Kozak, M. J. 1983 Fear behavior, fear imagery, and the psychophysiology of emotion: The problem of affective response integration. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 92, 276-306.
McCanne, T. R., &Iennarella, R. S. 1980 Cognitive and somatic events associated with discriminative changes in heart rate. Psychophysiology, 17, 18-28.
Marks, I. M., &Huson, J. 1973 Physiological aspects of neutral and phobic imagery: Further observation. British Journal of Psychiatry, 122, 567-572.
Miller, S. B., &Ditto, B. 1988 Cardiovascular responses to an extended aversive video game task. Psychophysiology, 25, 200-208.
Sagberg, F. 1979 Heart rate and finger pulse amplitude during muscular relaxation with frontalis versus forearm EMG feedback. Biological Psychology, 9, 201-214.
Sagberg, F. 1985 Cardiovascular changes during muscular relaxation. In J. F. Orlebeke, G. Mulder&L. J. P. van Doornen (Eds.), Psychophysiology of cardiovascular control: Models, methods, and data. New York: Plenum Press. Pp.179-189.
Schwartz, G. E., Weinberger, D. A., &Singer, J. A. 1981 Cardiovascular differentiation of happiness, sadness, anger, and fear following imagery and exercise. Psychosomatic Medicine, 43, 343-364.
Sheehan, P. W. 1967a A shortened form of Betts' questionnaire upon mental imagery. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 23, 386-389.
Sheehan, P. W. 1967b Reliability of a short test of imagery. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 25, 744.
Van Egeren, L. F., Feather, B. W., &Hein, P. L. 1971 Desensitization of phobia: Some psychophysiological propositions. Psychophysiology, 8, 213-228.

Right : Bauer, R. M., & Craighead, W. E. 1979 Psychophysiological responses to the imagination of fearful and neutral situations: The effects of imagery instructions. Behavior Therapy, 10, 389-403.
Carroll, D., Marzillier, J. S., & Merian, S. 1982 Psychophysiological changes accompanying different types of arousing and relaxing imagery. Psychophysiology, 19, 75-82.
Dekker, J., & Everaerd, W. 1988 Attentional effects on sexual arousal. Psychoplysiology, 25, 45-54.
Grossberg, J. M., & Wilson, H. K. 1968 Physiological changes accompanying the visualization of fearful and neutral situations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 10, 124-133.
Hirota, A., & Hirai, H. 1986 Effects of stimulusor response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses and the propositional structure of imagery. Japanese Psychological Research, 28, 186-195.
Kamimura, E. 1987 The effects of instructed imagery on HR self-regulation. Japanese Journal of Behavior Therapy (Kodo ryoho kenkyu), 13, 70-78.(In Japanese with English summary)
Lang, P. J. 1979 A bio-informational theory of emotional imagery. Psychophysiology, 16, 495-512.
Lang, P. J. 1984 Cognition in emotion: Concept and action. In C. E. Izard, J. Kagan & R. Zajonc (Eds.), Emotion, cognition, and behavior. New York: Cambridge University Press. Pp.192-226.
Lang, P. J., Kozak, M. J., Miller, G. A., Levin, D. N., & McLean, A. J. 1980 Emotional imagery: Conceptual structure and pattern of somatovisceral responses. Psychophysiology, 17, 179-192.
Lang, P. J., Levin, D. N., Miller, G. A., & Kozak, M. J. 1983 Fear behavior, fear imagery, and the psychophysiology of emotion: The problem of affective response integration. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 92, 276-306.
McCanne, T. R., & Iennarella, R. S. 1980 Cognitive and somatic events associated with discriminative changes in heart rate. Psychophysiology, 17, 18-28.
Marks, I. M., & Huson, J. 1973 Physiological aspects of neutral and phobic imagery: Further observation. British Journal of Psychiatry, 122, 567-572.
Miller, S. B., & Ditto, B. 1988 Cardiovascular responses to an extended aversive video game task. Psychophysiology, 25, 200-208.
Sagberg, F. 1979 Heart rate and finger pulse amplitude during muscular relaxation with frontalis versus forearm EMG feedback. Biological Psychology, 9, 201-214.
Sagberg, F. 1985 Cardiovascular changes during muscular relaxation. In J. F. Orlebeke, G. Mulder & L. J. P. van Doornen (Eds.), Psychophysiology of cardiovascular control: Models, methods, and data. New York: Plenum Press. Pp.179-189.
Schwartz, G. E., Weinberger, D. A., & Singer, J. A. 1981 Cardiovascular differentiation of happiness, sadness, anger, and fear following imagery and exercise. Psychosomatic Medicine, 43, 343-364.
Sheehan, P. W. 1967a A shortened form of Betts' questionnaire upon mental imagery. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 23, 386-389.
Sheehan, P. W. 1967b Reliability of a short test of imagery. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 25, 744.
Van Egeren, L. F., Feather, B. W., & Hein, P. L. 1971 Desensitization of phobia: Some psychophysiological propositions. Psychophysiology, 8, 213-228.

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of relaxation-response-oriented training on psychophysiological responses in the fear imagery based on Lang's theory. Twenty subjects were divided into arousal and relaxation groups. The arousal and the relaxation groups were given the arousal-response-oriented and the relaxation-response-oriented trainings, respectively. After the training, all subjects took the imagery test in which IBI (inter-heartbeat-interval), respiration, frontalis 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 relaxation-response-oriented imagery was more effective in reducing arousal responses than the arousal-response-oriented imagery. The present results suggest that the response-proposition-oriented procedure is effective not only in eliciting psychophysiological changes but also in inhibiting arousal responses during imagery.

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Correction information

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