SLIDE 93 Coherence & Entrainment
Just as oscillators provide the timing for computers, coordination of body function via rhythms such as heart beat and respiration are described by coherence and
- entrainment. The term coherence is used to describe two or more waves (or systems)
that are either phase‐ or frequency‐locked. This is also called entrainment. In the coherent mode, respiration, heart rhythms, and blood pressure rhythms become entrained and oscillate at the same frequency. An exchange of electromagnetic energy produced by the heart occurs when people touch or are in proximity. Signal averaging techniques are used to show that one's electrocardiogram (ECG) signal is registered in another person's electroencephalogram (EEG) and elsewhere on the other person's body. While this signal is strongest when people are in contact, it is still detectable when subjects are in proximity without contact. Sustained positive emotions affect bodily functions. Thus, there are physiological correlates of positive emotion. This is called psychophysiological coherence. This mode, characterized by heart rhythm coherence, increased heart‐brain synchronization and entrainment of diverse physiological
- scillatory systems, is associated with increased emotional stability, improved
cognitive performance, and a range of positive health‐related outcomes.
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