The Effect of Vibrotactile and Auditory Stimuli on Perception of Comfort, Heart Rate, and Peripheral Finger Temperature

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effect of music vs. the sound of a dental drill paired with or without the vibrotactile stimulation of a Somatron™, on continuous, com puterized recording of subject comfort and heart rate and intermittent recording of peripheral finger temperature. Sub jects ware 130 music majors divided into five auditory stimuli conditions (N=26) with 13 ma/es and 13 females in each group: (a) vibrotactile stimulation with music followed by den tal drill; (b) vibrotactile stimulation with dental drill followed by music; (c) free field music then dental drill (no vibrarion); (d) free field dental drill then music (no vibration); and (e) no auditory or vibrotactile stimuli. Each condition lasted 6.5 min utes. Results showed that the vibrotactile stimulation blunted perception, thereby reducing levels both of comfort and dis comfort; this stimulation also reversed the effects of the two auditory stimuli on heart rate from those caused by free field presentation, and raised significantly finger temperature for both auditory strimuli. Overall, music preceding the dental drill genera//y reduced the drill’s aversive effects while the drill preceding music generally enhanced music’s positive effects. Heart rate responses to music were varied. The initiation of all stimuli created an arousal response with acclimation oc curring in approximately 30 seconds. Neither music nor the dental drill, alone or in combination with vibrotactile stimu lation, produced a consistent heart rate response. Changes in heart rate seemed to be affected most by the sequence of stimuli across time. When music followed the drill, music decreased heart rate; however, when used in combination with the Somatron™, heart rate was increased. These results were identical to the effects of the drill following music when