Learning Process of Relaxation Skill.

在过去的二十年里，人们进行了大量关于放松对心身疾病影响的研究。然而，关于放松的心理生理学习过程的基础研究却很少。本研究试图发展以下新方法来研究放松技能的学习过程。(1)日本的放松练习被称为“野口泰索”有很多优点，放松任务中使用的基础研究，因为它是很难为正常的科目学习。在野口泰曾的练习中，受试者被要求尽快减少身体的紧张。举个例子，如果一个受试者水平地握住他的手臂，成功地将他的张力从肩膀降到手臂，他的手臂应该像钟摆一样摆动。肌电图（EMG）记录显示，当上肢肌肉中没有观察到EMG时，手臂摆动更频繁。被试在野口泰曾练习中比在自主反应的生物反馈训练中更容易报告他的认知策略和计划。(2)在日本，呼吸模式被认为与意识状态密切相关。然而，很少有研究揭示呼吸模式和放松之间的关系。我们的心理生理学研究结果表明，长而稳定的呼气后停顿时间和低的每分钟呼气量是放松状态下的典型呼吸模式。

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.