LEARNED STABILIZATION OF CARDIAC RATE WITH RESPIRATION EXPERIMENTALLY CONTROLLED

Within a previously used cardiac rate stabilization task, respiration was experimentally controlled by having 30 of 40 male Ss breathe in synchrony with a respiration simulator either at 14, 16, or 18 cpm. 1/2 of the Ss received visual feedback of their own heart rate changes; 1/2 viewed the rate changes of a yoked control. Results showed that even with restricted respiration, Ss viewing their own heart rate achieved greater heart rate control during feedback than nonfeedback periods. Also, as compared to control Ss, feedback Ss showed both better control of heart rate level and a greater reduction of heart period variability across the session. Assigned respiration rate did not effect task success. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.