Psychosomatic Medicine 11:361-376 (1949)
© 1949 American Psychosomatic Society

Psychologic Correlations with the Electroencephalogram

¹ From the Institute for Psychoanalysis, Chicago, and the Department of Physiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Now at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia
² From the Institute for Psychoanalysis, Chicago, and the Department of Physiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Now at Central Institute for the Deaf and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis
³ From the Institute for Psychoanalysis, Chicago, and the Department of Physiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston

Electroencephalograms were recorded over a five-year period on 136 adult patients at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis. No appreciable changes which could be attributed either to the lapse of time or to emotional changes during or following psychoanalysis occurred in the EEG of any individual.

Three correlations have been observed between certain major psychologic trends in our patients and the types of their EEG patterns.

Very "passive" individuals have A type EEG's with high alpha indices. "Passive" implies dependence, submissiveness, desires to receive from others, and readiness to retreat from danger, efforts, and responsibility. The associated A type of EEG typically shows a clear regular alpha rhythm (usually between 8.5 and 10.5 per second) on frontal and precentral as well as occipital areas.

Women with strong masculine trends have B type or low-alpha EEG's. With "masculine trends" are included independence, dominance, and a drive to activity and leadership. All of the women in our series with low-alpha EEG's show either strong masculine or very active maternal trends.

Frustrated, demanding, impatient, aggressive, hostile women have the mixed (M, MF, MS) types of EEG. The irregularity of EEG pattern, particularly in the precentral region, is the most distinctive feature separating these types of EEG from A and B. The irregularity depends on the prominence of waves other than the alpha waves. The more overtly hostile, aggressive, impatient, and demanding an individual is, the more likely is her EEG to show very prominent fast-frequency waves and only a small amount of alpha activity. The alpha rhythm is usually faster than average. The more repressed and inhibited are the feelings and manifestations of hostility, impatience, etc., the more likely is the EEG to show (1) less prominent fast frequencies, (2) a high alpha index, (3) a slower-than-average alpha rhythm and/or (4) prominent slow (6 to 8 per second) waves.

In the entire series of patients there is a preponderance of men who show A type, high-alpha EEG's and a corresponding preponderance of women with mixed types of EEG. A possible explanation is suggested.

The accuracy with which characteristics of the EEG may be inferred from psychologic data is greatest when (1) the psychologic trends are strong and overt, and (2) knowledge of the life history and present life situation, direct personal observation, and a study of dreams lead to an understanding of the "core" of the personality and its major emotional forces.

The possibility of making certain predictions as to EEG patterns from adequate psychologic data is demonstrated by our experimental tests. The further possibility of obtaining indications of certain trends of personality from EEG data is suggested by some of our observations.