Changes in EEG Rhythms during Television Viewing: Preliminary Comparisons with Reading and other Tasks

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary data for comparing EEG activity during television viewing with EEG during reading and other tasks commonly used in psychophysiological research. EEG was recorded from left and right occipital locations in 18 subjects and a 2 × 2 × 6 × 5 (sex × site × task × trial) mixed factorial design was used in the analysis of alpha and beta EEG. Significant task effects were obtained for both alpha and beta scores and internal analyses indicated that the highest levels of beta and the lowest amounts of alpha were associated with the two tasks (reading and TV) which presented participants with specific patterns of sensory stimulation whereas tasks calling for mental relaxation (eyes open and eyes closed) and tasks requiring only mental operations (imagine and counting) were associated with lower beta levels and higher alpha. Although not statistically significant, more beta activity was observed during reading than during TV and more alpha was observed during TV than during reading. No main effects or interaction terms involving sex differences or hemispheric effects were significant.