The effect of vibrotactile and auditory stimuli on perception of comfort, heartrate, and peripheral finger temperature

Author(s): Somatron, peripheral-finger-temperature, vibrotactile.

Journal/Book: Journal of Music Therapy. 1991; 28: US. National Association for Music Therapy. 120-134.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effect of music vs. the sound of the dental drill, paired with or without the vibrotactile stimulation of a Somatron, on continuous, computerized recording of subject comfort and heart rate and intermittent recording of peripheral finger temperature. Subjects were 130 music majors divided into five auditory stimuli conditions with thirteen males and thirteen females in each group: (a) vibro- tactile stimulation with music followed by dental drill (b) vibrotactile stimulation with dental drill followed by music; (c) free field music then dental drill (no vibration); (d) free field dental drill then music (no vibration); and (e) no auditory or vibrotactile stimulation. Results showed that vibrotactile stimulation blunted perception; this stimulation also reversed the effects of the two auditory stimuli on heart rate from those from those caused by free field presentation. Overall, music preceding the dental drill reduced the aversive effects while the drill preceding music generally enhanced music's positive effects.

Keyword(s): auditory-stimuli, vibration, perception, heart-rate, dental-procedures.

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