TUGAS REVIEW JURNAL MATA KULIAH TEORI KEPRIBADIAN

(Dosen Pengampu : R. Mahendra Wijaya Santoso, M.Psi., Psikolog)

Oleh :

Salsabila Umadiyan

5221111110

PROGRAM SARJANA PSIKOLOGI

FAKYLTAS BISNIS DAN HUMANIORA
UNIVERSITAS TEKNOLOGI YOGYAKARTA
2023
 EEG Correlates of Anxiety and Emotional Stability in Adult Healthy
Subjects. Neirofiziologiya Neurophysiology

V. B. Pavlenko,1 S. V. Chernyi,1 and D. G. Goubkina1 (2009).

Neirofiziologiya Neurophysiology

A. INTRODUCTION
Seseorang dengan situasi vital yang rumit dan dramatis disertai dengan perkembangan keadaan
psikofisiologis yang tidak menguntungkan, dan kecemasan adalah komponen kunci dari keadaan
tersebut. Kecemasan dikualifikasikan sebagai pengalaman emosional ketidaknyamanan yang terkait
dengan ekspektasi akan masalah atau firasat buruk. Fenomena ini terkait dengan pola emosional,
termasuk emosi yang sebagian besar adalah ketakutan, kesedihan. rasa malu, dan kesalahan. Kecemasan
memainkan peran adaptif karena memungkinkan individu untuk mempersiapkan diri menghadapi
kemungkinan situasi berbahaya. Pada saat yang sama, keadaan yang terlalu intens/berkepanjangan,
kecemasan merusak aktivitas normal manusia. Paling sering (dan, dalam banyak kasus, tanpa alasan yang
kuat) keadaan seperti itu terbentuk pada subjek yang dicirikan oleh kecemasan pribadi yang sangat tinggi.
Kecemasan tinggi adalah kekhasan kepribadian yang relatif stabil terkait dengan sifat- sifat yang
ditentukan atau diperoleh secara genetik dari fungsi otak manusia Properti semacam itu
menciptakan kondisi untuk peningkatan tingkat kegembiraan emosional yang terkait dengan bahaya atau
ketidakpastian. Kecemasan yang berlebihan memainkan peran destabilisasi dan menginduksi
perkembangan neurosis, fobia, keadaan obsesif dan yang lainya.
Sejumlah penelitian berurusan dengan masalah korelasi antara tingkat kecemasan. situasional dan pribadi
dan pola EEG. Metode untuk koreksi beberapa keadaan psikofisiologis yang tidak menguntungkan
(termasuk kecemasan tinggi yang tidak normal) berdasarkan penggunaan teknik neurofeedback telah
dikembangkan, Metode untuk koreksi beberapa keadaan psikofisiologis yang tidak menguntungkan
(termasuk kecemasan tinggi yang tidak normal) berdasarkan penggunaan teknik untuk meningkatkan
nilai absolut kekuatan ritme alfa atau dalam rasio antara kekuatan komponen frekuensi ini dan kekuatan
ritme EEG lainnya dalam satu bagian EEG atau lainnya. Arah pelatihan seperti itu didasarkan pada data
dari beberapa penelitian. Menurut temuan ini, intensitas ritme alfa pada individu dengan kecemasan
tinggi lebih kecil. sedangkan kekuatan ritme delta dan frekuensi beta tinggi lebih besar daripada subjek
yang ditandai dengan kecemasan rendah. Dalam hal ini, kekuatan osilasi alfa dan indeks alfa (durasi
periode yang dinormalisasi dengan dominasi komponen ini dalam EEG) berkorelasi negatif dengan
indeks kecemasan personal. kekuatan dan sinkronisitas ritme alfa pada subjek sehat dalam kondisi
istirahat yang relatif dan selama pelaksanaan tugas eksperimen berkorelasi positif dengan indeks
kecemasan situasional dan pribadi oleh Spielberger. Dalam studi lain, ditemukan bahwa subjek dengan
kecemasan pribadi yang tinggi berbeda disetiap individu.

B. METHOD

Perekaman dan analisis EEG dilakukan dengan menggunakan teknik standar, elektroensefalograf
telemetri terkomputerisasi (Tredex, Ukraina) digunakan. Sebagai perangkat lunak yang berfungsi, kami
menggunakan EEG Mapping 3 dengan Sinyal diproses menggunakan transformasi Fourier cepat,
smoothing menggunakan teknik Blackman digunakan. Prosedur eksperimental termasuk perekaman EEG,
latar belakang dalam keadaan istirahat motor, dengan mata tertutup dan terbuka. Komposisi spektral EEG
dihitung secara terpisah untuk sampel EEG yang direkam di negara bagian ini. Durasi pemkaman kontinyu
dari setiap segmen yang dianalisis adalah 60 detik. Estimasi kuantitatif tingkat kecemasan situasional dan
personal dilakukan dengan menggunakan teknik Spielberger yang dimodifikasi oleh Khanin, Kuesioner
mencakup 20 pernyataan yang berkaitan dengan perkembangan keadaan kecemasan dalam satu situasi
eksternal tertentu. penelitian juga menggunakan versi kuesioner Cattel 16 PF yang diadaptasi, memuat 187
pernyataan yang berkaitan dengan berbagai ciri kepribadian, kecenderungan, dan minat individu. Data
penelitian rekaman elektrofisiologi dan indeks tes psikologi diolah menggunakan teknik standar statistik
vanasional. Karena distribusi sebagian indeks berbeda dari yang normal, kami menggunakan uji Mann-
Whitney nonparametrik untuk estimasi signifikansi perbedaan antarkelompok

C. RESULT
Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa semakin tinggi perkiraan kecemasan sebagai ciri kepribadian,
semakin besar kecemasan yang dirasakan subjek dalam satu atau lain situasi. Indeks rata-rata kecemasan
pribadi yang diperkirakan menurut kuesioner Cattel sebagai faktor urutan kedua adalah sebesar 6.2 ± 0,2
poin dengan nilai ekstrim, 80 nilai 1,7 dan 10,0 poin. Koefisien korelasi antara rentang titik. Semakin besar
indeksnya, semakin tinggi nilai kecemasan sebagai ciri kepribadian yang diperoleh dengan menggunakan
dua sistem uji beda agak tinggi (r=0,48 pada P= 110-6). Dengan demikian, ntai- nilai ini berkorelasi positif
dan sangat signifikan satu sama lain, tetapi perkiraan kecemasan pribadi oleh Spielberger dibedakan
dengan lebih baik. Inilah sebabnya kami menggunakan sebagian besar kuesioner terakhir untuk
memperkirakan keterkaitan antara sifat kepribadian dan karakteristik EEG tersebut. Estimasi kecemasan
pribadi oleh Spielberger juga berkorelasi dengan indeks beberapa ciri kepribadian lainnya yang dihitung
dengan menggunakan kuesioner Cattel korelasi ditemukan dengan faktor C (kestabilan/ketidakstabilan
emosi) semakin rendah kestabilan emosi subjek, semakin tinggi (dalam banyak kasus) indeks kecemasan
pribadi. Selain itu, korelasi positif yang kurang dekat tetapi juga signifikan dari indeks kecemasan pribadi
oleh Spielberger ditemukan dengan faktor L (kecurigaan/kepercayaan). Saat perekaman dilakukan dengan
mata tertutup, korelasi yang signifikan antara indeks kecemasan situasional dan nilai SPDS ritme EEG
tidak ada sama sekali. Pada saat yang sama, korelasi antara indeks kecemasan pribadi dan nilai SPDS
komponen EEG jauh lebih banyak. Dalam kondisi mata terbuka, perkoraan kecemasan pribadi oleh
Spielberger berkorelasi secara signifikan, jika tingkat kecemasan pribadi relatif tinggi, kekuatan ritme
frekuensi tinggi di atas menjadi meningkat. Stabilitas emosional yang rendah merupakan komponen umum
dari penyimpangan patologis seperti neurosis, psikopati, alkoholisme.

D. TANGGAPAN DARI REVIWER

Dari penjelasan jurnal tersebut mudah untuk dipahami dengan penggunaan bahasa yang kompleks,
hal ini menghasilkan aktivitas sistem yang memainkan peran penting dalam proses pembelajaran asosiatif
melalui menghafal elemen aktivitas yang berurutan. Korelasi yang signifikan ada antara sensitivitas D,
reseptor dalam nukleus amigdalar (kompleks) pada manusia (sensitivitas ini meningkat dengan defisiensi
pemancar yang sesuai) dan perkiraan karakteristik bawaan terhadap kecemasan, orientasi untuk
menghindari kegagalan. Aktivitas sistem dopaminergik yang tidak mencukupi, seperti Blum et al. Rasa
percaya, dapat mendasari apa yang disebut sindrom kekurangan imbalan. Sindrom ini dimanifestasikan
dalam kombinasi beberapa faktor bawaan dan efek lingkungan yang tidak menguntungkan (tekanan awal,
alkoholisme orang tua, dll.). Sindrom ini mengakibatkan peningkatan risiko perkembangan perilaku
paksa dan antisosial, gangguan impulsif dan kompulsif, serta kecanduan alkohol dan/atau narkotika.
Dilaporkan bahwa ritme alfa seringkali tidak termanifestasi dalam EEG subjek dengan ketergantungan
dan gangguan tersebut. Dapat diasumsikan bahwa sistem serebral dopaminergik berfungsi secara
memadai dan stabil pada individu, dengan irama alfa yang termanifestasi dengan baik secara bersamaan,
merupakan prasyarat untuk kestabilan emosi dan adaptasi sosial.

DAFTAR PUSTAKA

V. B. Pavlenko,1 S. V. Chernyi,1 and D. G. Goubkina1 (2009). EEG Correlates of Anxiety and

Emotional Stability in Adult Healthy Subjects. Neirofiziologiya Neurophysiology, Vol. 41, No. 5, pp.
400-408, September-October, 2009
EEG Correlates of Anxiety and Emotional Stability 5

Neurophysiology, Vol. 41, No. 5, 2 009

EEG Correlates of Anxiety and Emotional

Stability in Adult Healthy Subjects
V. B. Pavlenko,1 S. V. Chernyi,1 and D. G. Goubkina1
Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 41, No. 5, pp. 400-408, September-October, 2009.

Received June 10, 2009.

We studied peculiarities of the spectral characteristics of EEG in 111 healthy adult subjects of both sexes.
The levels of situative anxiety (anxiety state) and personal anxiety were estimated using the Spielberger–
Khanin test system. To estimate anxiety-related properties of the personality, Cattel’s technique 16 PF (form
А) was used. Estimates of situative anxiety demonstrated only two cases of positive correlation with the
spectral power density (SPD) of EEG rhythms (SPDs of the beta2 rhythm in the right -hemisphere temporal
and occipital regions; recording with the eyes open). Estimates of personal anxiety positively correlated with
the SPDs of the beta1 and (especially) beta2 EEG rhythms. Under conditions with the eyes open, the number
of significant correlations was greater, and correlations themselves were tighter than with the eyes closed.
The closest correlations of the estimates of personal anxiety with the SPDs of the beta rhythm were found in
frontal and central leads of both hemispheres and in parietal and occipital loci of the right hemisphere. Only a
single case of correlation of the alpha rhythm SPD with personal anxiety (negative correlation, a parietal lead
in the left hemisphere) was found. At the same time, rather numerous correlations of the alpha rhythm
expression with an index congeneric to anxiety, the C factor by the Cattel’s questionnaire (emotional
stability/instability), were found. Thus, the intense beta EEG rhythm can be considered an electrographic
correlate of high situative and personal anxieties. At the same time, the alpha rhythm power correlates with
the emotional stability of the individual. We suppose that persons with a well-developed alpha rhythm are
characterized by active and stable functioning of the cerebral dopaminergic system; this simultaneously
serves as a pre-requisite of high emotional stability and social adaptability.

Keywords: EEG, test systems of Spielberger and Cattel, situative anxiety, personal anxiety, emotional
stability.
EEG Correlates of Anxiety and Emotional Stability
INTRODUCTION
A person’s encounter with complicated and/or dramatic
vital situations is accompanied by the development of
unfavorable psychophysiological states, and anxiety is a
key component of such states. Anxiety is qualified as an
emotional experience of discomfort related to
expectation of trouble or foreboding evil. This
phenomenon is related to an emotional pattern,
including emotions of mostly fear, grief, shame, and
fault [1]. Anxiety plays an adaptive role because it
allows the individual to prepare him/herself for a
probable dangerous situation. At the same time, a state
of excessively intense/prolonged
1
Vetnadskii Tavricheskii National University, Simferopol’, Autonomic
Republic Crimea, Ukraine.
Correspondence should be addressed to V. B. Pavlenko
(e-mail: pavlenkovb@crimea.edu,
S. V. Chernyi (e-mail: neurolab@mail.ru), and
anxiety ruins the normal activity of a human being.
Most frequently (and, in many cases, with no weighty
reasons) such states are formed in subjects
characterized by abnormally high personal anxiety. The
latter is a characteristic of personality manifested as
inclination of the subject to frequent and intense
suffering from the anxiety state at an excessively low
threshold of development of such state. High anxiety is
a relatively stable peculiarity of personality related to
genetically determined or acquired properties of the
functioning of the human brain. Such properties create
conditions for an increased level of emotional excitation
related to danger or an uncertainty state. Excessive
anxiety plays a destabilizing role and induces the
development of neuroses, phobias, obsession states, etc.
[2]. Traditionally, the anxiety levels are estimated using
psychological testing (first of all, using Spielberger’s
questionnaire), and this allows one to differentiate
situative anxiety as a psychological phenomenon (the
D. G. Goubkina (e-mail: gubkina_danuta@mail.ru).
337
state found within the present period) and personal
anxiety as a stable psychological feature of the
personality [3].
A number of studies dealt with the problem of
correlations between the levels of situative and personal
anxieties and the EEG pattern. Methods for corrections
of a few unfavorable psychophysiological states
(including abnormally high anxiety) based on the use of
a neurofeedback technique have been developed (see
6
reviews [4, 5]). The trainings used are, as a rule,
directed toward an increase in the absolute value of the
power of the alpha rhythm or in the ratio between the
power of this frequency component and powers of other
EEG rhythms in one EEG lead or another. Such a
direction of training is based on the data of a few
studies. According to these findings, the intensity of the
alpha rhythm in highanxiety individuals is smaller,
while the powers of the delta and high-frequency beta
rhythms are greater than those in subjects characterized
by low anxiety. In this case, the power of the alpha
oscillations and the alpha index (normalized duration of
the periods with the predominance of this component in
the EEG) negatively correlate with the indices of
personal and situative anxiety [6-9].
It should, however, be mentioned that the question of
the relations between the alpha rhythm power and the
anxiety level remains little studied. There are data on an
opposite pattern of interrelations between the above
characteristics. For example, it was reported [10, 11]
that the power and synchronicity of the alpha rhythm in
healthy subjects under relatively resting conditions and
in the course of performance of experimental tasks
positively correlated with the indices of situative and
personal anxiety by Spielberger. In another study [12],
it was found that subjects with high personal anxiety
differed from individuals with a low level of anxiety in
a greater power of the alpha rhythm in frontal regions
of both hemispheres and central/parietal regions of the
left hemisphere. It was also found that the coherence
not only of the theta and beta EEG components but also
that of the alpha rhythm increased in the tested subjects
in the course of experimentally induced anxious
rumination [13].
Thus, the results of studies of the interrelations between
the levels of situative and personal anxiety, on the one
hand, and EEG characteristics, on the other hand, are to
a significant extent contradictory. Naturally, these
disagreements make difficult the selection of the
0090-2977/09/4105-0337 © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.
optimum strategies for neurofeedback sessions and
understanding of the mechanisms of their effects. This
is why we carried out a correlation analysis of the
indices of anxiety and some corresponding aspects of
the psychological characteristics of personality and the
EEG pattern in a sufficiently extensive group of healthy
subjects.
EEG Correlates of Anxiety and Emotional Stability
METHODS
Altogether, 111 practically healthy students (47 men
and 64 women, 18 to 25 years old) of the Vernadskii
Tavricheskii National University (Simferopol’,
Ukraine) were involved in the tests. The subjects
underwent no preliminary selection by one personal
characteristic or another.
Recording and analysis of EEGs were performed using
standard techniques; a computerized telemetric
electroencephalograph (Tredex, Ukraine) was used. As
a working software, we used EEG Mapping 3
(programmer E. N. Zinchenko). Monopolar recording
from leads Fp1, Fp2, Fpz, F3, F4, F7, F8, Fz, С3, С4,
Cz, T3, T4, T5, T6, P3, P4, Pz, O1, O2, and Oz,
according to the international 10-20 system, was
performed. All interconnected electrodes except for the
active one were used as the reference electrode. A
neutral (grounding) electrode was placed between the
Fz and Cz loci. Cut frequencies of the frequency filters
were 1.5 and 35 Hz, and the digitizing frequency for
EEG signals was 250 sec–1. The signals were processed
using fast Fourier transformations; smoothing using the
Blackman technique was used.
The experimental procedure included recording of the
background EEG in the state of motor rest, with the
eyes closed and open. The spectral composition of EEG
was separately calculated for EEG samples recorded in
these states. The duration of continuous recording of
each analyzed segment was 60 sec. A value of the
distribution of the spectral powers (SPs) within the
corresponding frequency range (spectral density power,
SPD, µV2/Hz) was used as the index characterizing the
SP of one EEG component or another. Within the EEG
composition, we differentiated the following frequency
ranges and subranges: delta (1.5-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz),
alpha (8-12 Hz), beta1 (1220 Hz), and beta2 (20-30 Hz)
rhythms.
Quantitative estimation of the levels of situative and
personal anxiety was performed using Spielberger’s
technique modified by Khanin [14]. The questionnaire
included 20 statements related to the development of
the anxiety state in one definite external situation or
another (situative anxiety) and 20 statements allowing
the experimenter to characterize the anxiety level as a
stable feature of the personality (personal anxiety). The
total index in each of the subscales (of situative and
personal anxiety) could vary within a 20 to 80 point
range. The greater the index, the higher the estimated
level of anxiety of the corresponding type.
To quantitatively estimate features of the subject’s
personality, we also used an adapted version of the
7
Cattel 16 PF questionnaire (form А). This version
contained 187 statements related to various features of
the personality, predispositions, and interests of the
individual; when filling the form, the subject should
select one of several possible answers. Using this
technique, it is possible to estimate 20 features of the
personality (factors); among these factors, 16 are
factors of the first order, while four are factors of the
second order (they are calculated based on the values of
primary factors). The total index in each scale varies
within a 0 to 10 point range [14].
The data of electrophysiological recording and indices
of the psychological testing were processed using
standard techniques of variational statistics. Since
distributions of a part of the indices differed from the
normal ones, we used the nonparametric Mann–
Whitney test for estimation of the significance of
intergroup differences. To estimate the correlations
between the indices, the nonparametric Spearman’s
criterion was used.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The mean estimates of situative and personal anxiety
calculated according to Spielberger’s questionnaire in
the subgroup of youths were equal to 33.8 ± 1.3 and
34.5 ± 1.3 points, respectively. In girls, the
corresponding mean indices were significantly higher,
38.2 ± 1.1 and 42.5 ± 1.0 points (Р ≤ 0.01 in both
cases). At the same time, values of the SPDs of EEG
rhythms in the above subgroups showed no significant
differences; so, there were reasons to analyze these
indices in the entire group. Within this group, the mean
estimate of situative anxiety was 36.3 ± ± 0.8 points
with the extreme values 21.0 and 64.0 points. The mean
intragroup value of the personal anxiety estimate was
39.1 ± 0.9 points (minimum and maximum values 21.0
and 65.0 points, respectively). The above indices of
anxiety were in close positive correlation with each
other (r = 0.80 at Р = 0…). It is obvious that the higher
the estimate of anxiety as a feature of the personality,
the greater the anxiety the subject feels in one situation
or another. The mean index of personal anxiety
estimated according to Cattel’s questionnaire as a factor
of the second order was equal to 6.2 ± 0.2 points with
the extreme values 1.7 and 10.0 points. The correlation
coefficient between the values of anxiety as a feature of
the personality obtained using two different test systems
was rather high (r = 0.48 at Р = 1 10–6). Thus, these
values positively and highly significantly correlated
with each other, but estimates of personal anxiety by
EEG Correlates of Anxiety and Emotional Stability
points
80
70
C 60
50
40
30
20
10
0.0 0. 5 1.0 1. 5
Fig. 1. Correlation
power density
beta2 rhythm recorded with the eyes open and estimates of situative anxiety by Spielberger. A) Correlation field of the SPD values of the
beta2 rhythm in an occipital lead from the right hemisphere, O2 (abscissa, µV2/Hz) and estimates of situative anxiety (ordinate, points), and
also the corresponding linearly regression function. B, C) Histograms of the SPDs of the beta2 rhythm (B) and estimates of anxiety (C);
graphs of the normal distributions for these values are also
Spielberger were better differentiated. This is why we
used mostly the latter questionnaire for estimation of
interrelations between this property of personality and
EEG characteristics.
Estimates of personal anxiety by Spielberger also
correlated with the indices of a few other features of
personality calculated using Cattel’s questionnaire. The
closest correlation was found with factor C (emotional
stability/instability; r = –0.43 at Р = = 8 10–6). In other
words, the lower the emotional stability of the subject,
the higher (in most cases) the index of personal anxiety.
In addition, less close but also significant positive
correlations of the indices of personal anxiety by
Spielberger were found with factor L
(suspiciousness/trustfulness) and factor О (inclination
to a feeling of guilt/self-confidence). Negative
correlations were found with factor Н
(boldness/timidity) and Q3 (control of desires/
impulsivity).
Under conditions of EEG recording with the eyes open,
we observed in our tests only two significant
correlations of the indices of situative anxiety with the
EEG characteristics. Correlation of the anxiety
estimates with the SPD of the beta2 rhythm was found
in leads O2 (r = 0.24 at Р = 0.04) and Т6 (r = 0.23 at Р
8
A
2.0 2 .5 3.0 3 .5 µ V 2/ Hz
between the spectral
(SPD) of the EEG
= 0.05) of the right hemisphere (Fig. 1). When
recording was performed with the eyes closed,
significant correlations between the indices of situative
anxiety and values of the SPDs of EEG rhythms were
absent altogether. At the same time, correlations
between the indices of personal anxiety and values of
the SPDs of EEG components were much more
numerous. Under conditions of the eyes open, estimates
of personal anxiety by Spielberger correlated
significantly with the beta1 rhythm SPD in lead F7 (r =
0.23 at Р = 0.05) and beta2 SPDs in most leads (r
values varied from 0.24 to 0.35; Fig. 2). In other words,
if the level of personal anxiety was relatively high, the
power of the above high-frequency rhythm was
increased (Fig. 3). Under conditions of recording with
the eyes closed, the indices of personal anxiety by
Spielberger demonstrated, as in the former case,
significant positive correlations with the power of the
beta2 rhythm in most leads (r values varied from 0.21
to 0.31; Fig. 4). When EEG was recorded with both the
eyes open and closed, the closest correlations of
shown.
the level of personal anxiety with the SPDs of the beta
EEG Correlates of Anxiety and Emotional Stability 9

rhythm were found in the frontal and central leads of
both hemispheres and also in the parietal and occipital
leads of the right hemisphere.
Other authors also reported that the powers of the beta1
and (especially) beta2 EEG rhythms were increased in
the subjects in the anxiety state or in the subjects
characterized by high personal anxiety [12, 15]. Just a
positive correlation of the anxiety level and power of
the beta rhythms is probably typical of patients
suffering from depression, social phobias, post-
traumatic stress-related disorders, alcoholism, and
predisposition for the latter; these subjects are
characterized by excessive manifestation of the above
EEG rhythms [16-18].
As was mentioned above, the question on the
interrelation between the levels of situative/personal
anxiety and parameters of the alpha rhythm is most
debatable. According to our tests, the SPD of alpha
oscillations demonstrated practically no correlations
with the estimates of situative anxiety, i.e., with the
level of anxiety observed within the given time in
definite circumstances. The absence of a correlation
between these indices can be explained if we take into
account the fact that individual values of the alpha
0.30 Fpl * Fpz * Fp2
0.15
0.00
–0.15
**
0.30 F7 * F3 ** Fz ** F4
0.15
0.00
–0.15
rhythm power are a rather stable parameter poorly
sensitive to situational influences under conditions of
relative rest. The case was somewhat different with
respect to correlation of the power of the alpha rhythm
with the level of anxiety as the property of the
personality. Under conditions of recording with the
eyes open, we found negative correlation of the
estimates of this type with the alpha SPD in the parietal
lead from the left hemisphere (locus Р3, r = –0.24 at Р
= 0.03), i.e., a lower power of the alpha rhythm
corresponded to higher level of personal anxiety. This
was, however, a single case of significant correlation. In
most other leads, trends toward a negative correlation
between these indices could be detected, but they did
not reach the significance level. Considering this
circumstance, we examined the relations between the
power of the alpha EEG component and other
properties of the personality “congeneric” to anxiety. It
was found that such a correlation does exist with factor
С by Cattel’s questionnaire (emotional
pliability/obstinacy).
In the case of EEG recording with the eyes closed,
values of the factor С positively and significantly
correlated with the alpha rhythm SPD in locus Оz
Fig. 2. Diagrams of the values of correlation coefficients
for the values of spectral power density of the EEG
rhythms (recording with the eyes open) in different leads
(shown above the diagrams) and estimates of personal
anxiety by Spielberger. Designations of the EEG rhythm
*
(delta, theta, alpha, beta1, and beta2) are shown below the
columns; vertical scale) values of the correlation
coefficients. One and two asterisks show cases of
correlation significant with Р ≤ 0.05 and Р ≤ 0.01,
F8 respectively.

**
0.30 Т3 * С3 * Cz C4 T4
0.15
0.00
–0.15

0.30 T5 P3 Pz P4 ** T6 **
*
0.15
0.00
δ θ α β1 β2 δ θ α β1 β2
–0.15

**
0.30 О1 *
Oz O2
0.15
0.00
δ θ α β1 β2 δ θ α β1 β2
–0.15
δ θ α β1 β2
EEG Correlates of Anxiety and Emotional Stability 10

points A
70

60

50

40

30

20

10
0.0 0. 5 1.0 1 .5 2 .0 2 .5 µV 2/Hz

C
Fig. 3. Correlation between the spectral power density (SPD) of the EEG beta2 rhythm and estimates of the personal anxiety by Spielberger.
A) Correlation field of the beta2 SPDs in a frontal lead from the left hemisphere, F7, recorded with the eyes open (abscissa, µV2/Hz) and
estimates of personal anxiety (ordinate, points), and also the linear regression function. B, C) Histograms of the SPDs of the beta2 rhythm
(B) and estimates of personal anxiety (C); graphs of the normal distributions for the values are also shown.
EEG Correlates of Anxiety and Emotional Stability 11

Fig. 4. Diagrams of the correlation coefficients for the

values of SPD of the EEG rhythms (recording with the
eyes closed) in different leads (shown below the
0.30 Fpl ** Fpz Fp2 columns) and estimates of personal anxiety by
*
0.15 Spielberger. Designations are similar to those in Fig. 2.
0.00 stability. It seems worth mentioning that
–0.15
trends toward exclusively positive
0.30 F7 ** F3 Fz ** F4 F8
correlations of the above rhythm with
* * *
0.15 emotional stability of the personality were
0.00 found in all other leads.
–0.15
In addition to correlation of factor С with the
0.30 Т3 С3 ** Cz ** C4 T4
alpha rhythm power, we observed positive
* *
0.15 correlations of the values of this factor of
0.00 personality with the SPDs of the beta1
–0.15
rhythm (loci Fz, Pz, and Oz) and negative
0.30 T5 P3 Pz P4 T6
correlations with the SPDs of the delta
* *
0.15 rhythm (loci Т6 and О2).
0.00 Our findings allow us to conclude that the
–0.15
δ θ α β1 β2 *
δ θ α β1 β2 SPD of the alpha rhythm does not strictly
0.30 О1 Oz O2 *
correlate with the actual level of anxiety in an
0.15 individual or with the indices of his/her
0.00 personal anxiety; to a greater extent, this
–0.15 δ θ α β1 β2
δ θ α β1 β2 δ θ α β1 β2 EEG parameter correlates with another
important characteristic of the personality,
(r = 0.24; Р = 0.03), while with the eyes open such a emotional stability. Factor C characterizes the
correlation in this lead was found to be somewhat ability of the subject to control his/her emotions and
closer (r = 0.28; Р = 0.02; Fig. 5). In general, mental attitude. As was noted [19], high estimates by
significant positive correlations between this factor and this factor are typical of individuals that are
the power of the alpha component with the eyes open emotionally mature, self-confident, and stable in their
were detected in five leads (F7, Fz, P3, Pz, and Oz; r = plans and affections; these subjects look boldly ahead
0.24-0.28, Р = 0.03-0.02; Fig. 6). Figure 6 shows that for facts and situations and do not give into occasional
the power of the alpha rhythm in the frontal, parietal, fluctuations of their mood. Low estimates of the above
and occipital sagittal loci and also in the frontal and personal characteristic were found in individuals that
parietal loci of the left hemisphere can be considered, were unable to control their emotions and attractions
to a definite extent, as an indicator of emotional and to express the latter in a socially admissible form.
Externally, this is manifested as weakened emotional
EEG Correlates of Anxiety and Emotional Stability 12

control, insufficiency or absence of responsibility, and alpha rhythm (which predominates in the state of
a yearning for escape from reality. Low emotional relative rest, as compared to other EEG rhythms) is a
stability represents a general common component of reflection of the adequacy of descending inhibitory
such pathological deviations as neuroses, control realized by the evolutionary novel thalamo-
psychopathies, alcoholism, etc. cortical system with respect to “older” cerebral
Our findings agree with the suppositions of Knyazev et systems. Individuals with such characteristics
al. [20, 21] who hypothesized that a clearly expressed
B C

9
points A

3
Fig. 5. Correlation between the spectral
power density (SPD) of 2 the EEG alpha rhythm
and estimates at the C scale (emotional
stability/ instability) of 1 Cattel’s questionnaire.
A) Correlation field of the alpha SPDs recorded
0
with the eyes open from 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 µ V 2/ Hz the Оz lead (abscissa,
µV2/Hz) and values at the C scale (ordinate,
points); the corresponding linear
regression function is also shown. B, C) Histograms of the alpha SPDs (B) and C scale estimates (C); graphs of the normal distribution for
the values are also shown.
EEG Correlates of Anxiety and Emotional Stability 13

Fig. 6. Diagrams of the correlation coefficients for the

values of SPD of the EEG rhythms (recording with the
eyes open) in different leads (shown below the columns)
0.30 Fpl Fpz Fp2 and indices at the C scale (emotional
0.15 stability/instability) of Cattel’s questionnaire.
0.00 Designations are similar to those in Fig. 2.
–0.15
–0.30

0.30 F7 *
F3 Fz * F4 F8
0.15
0.00
–0.15
–0.30
0.30 Т3 С3 Cz C4 T4
0.15
0.00
–0.15
–0.30

0.30 T5 P3 * Pz * * P4 T6
0.15
0.00
–0.15
–0.30 δ θ α β1 β2
**
Oz ** *
θ α β1 β2
0.30 О1 O2
0.15
0.00
δ θ α β1 β2
–0.15
–0.30 δ θ α β1 β2
**
θ α β1 β2
EEG Correlates of Anxiety and Emotional Stability
of their EEG are usually capable of suppressing
negative (socially inadmissible) behavioral patterns
directed toward immediate satisfaction of biological
needs. This allows them to show adequate behavior in
the modern community and, finally, realize longterm
behavioral targets that do not infringe upon the interests for sufficiently high emotional stability and social
of other members of society.
The existence of the detected correlations between the
EEG pattern and factor C by Cattel makes
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