Learning Process of Relaxation Skill.

1990 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 01510054
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Psychology
• Research Institution: Fukui University
• Principal Investigator: UMEZAWA Akio Fukui University Faculty of Education Associate Professor, 教育学部, 助教授 (70151925)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NOJIMA Eiichiro Waseda University School of Human Sciences Associate professor, 人間科学部, 助教授 (20000086) ; MATSUKI Kenichi Fukui University Faculty of Education Associate Professor, 教育学部, 助教授 (10157282) ; MITSUHASHI Yoshinori Fukui University Faculty of Education Associate Professor, 教育学部, 助教授 (20157556)
• Project Period (FY): 1989 – 1990
• Keywords: Relaxation / Motion / Cognitive Process / Biofeedback / Stress

Research Abstract

A large number of studies concerning effects of relaxation upon psychosomatic diseases have been conducted during the past two decades. However there has been few basic research which dealed with the psychophysiological learning process of relaxation. In this investigation we attempted to develop following new methods for studying learning process of relaxtion skills.
(1) Japanese relaxation exercises called 'Noguchi Taiso' have many advantages for the relaxation task used in the basic research studies because it is difficult for normal subjects to learn. In Noguchi Taiso's excercises subjects were required to reduce their bodil tension as soon as possible. For in instance, if a subject holding his arm horizontally succeeded to drop his tension from shoulder to arm, his arm should swing like a pendulum. Electromyograph (EMG) recordings showed that the arm swung more frequently when no EMG was observed in the muscles of upper extremities. Subjects could report his cognitive strategies and plannings in Noguchi Taiso exercises more easily than in biofeedback training of autonomic responses.
(2) Breathing patterns are considered to be closely related to states of conciousness in Japan. There have been, however, few research studies which undertook to reveal the relationships between breathing patterns and relaxation. Our psychophysiological research findings suggested that long and stable post expiration pause time and low minute ventilatory volume are typical respiration patterns under relaxation.