RE: FEEDBACK questions!!!!

[Guest guest]

Pete, As always, your explanation is very helpful. Thank you. Just to clarify. I don't intend to sound "critical" of one system and in favor of the other, I am simply stating my meager experience with the one (TLC) in comparison to the other (BST). Since I am being stretched and challenged to learn the skill of neurofeedback as opposed to the spoon fed version I was used to using, MY brain is just trying to consolidate it all. Could you elaborate on the feedback rate and how I would determine what the appropriate rate should be for each client. Would it also be appropriate to add auditory feedback to designs if they are not already apart of the design. For example, if a certain design only has video feedback with no sound, could we swap the video for audio? Is there a way to make a choice between contingent and continuous?Still playing catch up!! I appreciate all the feedback!!Thank you kindly,Joanietrainer From: pvdtlc@...Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 07:05:50 -0300Subject: Re: FEEDBACK questions!!!!

Joanie,Since Hardt trains alpha amplitude and coherence/synchrony, his comments about percent time (what percent of the time a client is training that he/she is meeting the threshold) are correct. If he worked with seriously under-aroused clients, he would likely have to change his opinion somewhat.

I prefer to speak of the two types of feedback as Contingent (on/off, beeps or dings or video starting/stopping), which requires that all conditions for feedback be met (e.g. theta below threshold and SMR above) to receive a "reward", and Continuous (feedback never stops but modulates pitch or volume of a sound or brightness/screen size of video based on the level of the target being measured).

In my experience, contingent feedback is much more effective for down-training slow activity or trying to speed up the brain, though it is very important to find the most effective feedback rate depending on the client. Continuous feedback is much more effective for training to alpha or deeper states or for coherence/synchrony.

My favorite approach is to combine the two in a design, as for example in the 2C WS Alpha Temporal design. There is continuous music being played which changes in pitch and volume as the amplitude of the signal being downtrained changes, but there is also a chime which plays when the client achieves levels in the lowest 10% for the target signal. The first is continuous, the second contingent.

BTW, since the BST feedback system with which you are familiar IS in fact the TLC system--only a truncated version of it which only trains using the continuous protocols--I'm not sure what you are uncomfortable with. You are simply using a more complete approach which should allow you to get better results with a broader range of clients.

Pete-- Van Deusenpvdtlc@...http://www.brain-trainer.comUSA 305 433 3160BR 47 3346 6235

The Learning Curve, Inc.

On Wed, Sep 1, 2010 at 1:12 AM, Joan <ckerftruth@...> wrote:

After perusing Dr. Jim Hardt's website, I came across an interesting explanation to different kinds of feedback. Since starting the TLC system we have been most uneasy about the feedback system as it is quite different from what we are used to. I have attached below the description from his site. Can anybody explain exactly what this means, and which of these two different types of feedback in used in the TLC system. I tend to think the latter.

For our brain wave scoring and feedback we use integration of amplitude across time, not the less accurate measure of 'percent time' over a threshold. Thus our training has a rich musical depth of feedback with feedback tones that vary continuously in tone volume as the amplitude of the brain waves wax and wane. Percent time feedback, common in other systems, is much less effective because it is just a simple on-off kind of feedback where the tone comes on and remains at a steady unchanging volume when the brain wave amplitude exceeds an arbitrarily set threshold, and then the tone goes off and stays off when the brain wave amplitude is less than that arbitrary pre-set threshold. Published research shows that percent time feedback is demonstrably less effective in learning to control your own brain waves. Biocybernaut's integrated amplitude feedback is a superior way of telling your brain how well it is doing.

Joanie