Relation of Bekesy Tracings to Personality and Electrophysiologic Measures

Abstract

Bekesy amplitudes of 10 white men, 10 white women, 10 colored men, and 10 colored women were compared and also correlated with MMPI personality measures, EEG amplitude changes, heart rate changes, and skin-resistance levels and changes. All subjects had normal hearing. It was initially proposed that normal-hearing individuals who are similar in personality and who have similar emotional changes (measured by electrophysiologic recordings) during Bekesy audiometry will produce tracings of similar amplitude. Findings indicate that the size of Bekesy amplitudes do relate to personality as well as to emotional changes that occur during Bekesy audiometry. These relations, however, are specific to Bekesy amplitudes produced with a fast (2.5 dB/sec) continuous stimulus, dependent upon like skin resistance levels and probably independent of race and sex. Clear patterns of relations involving personality and electrophysiologic measures and Bekesy amplitudes traced with a fast (2.5 dB/sec) pulsed, slow (0.625 dB/sec) continuous, and slow pulsed stimulus, were not evident.