Relative effects of prolonged social isolation and confinement: Behavioral and EEG changes.

The study attempted to determine the relative effects of social isolation and confinement, of 1-wk. duration, on measures of EEG activity, intellectual test performance, affect, and a variety of psychological and somatic symptoms derived from Myers postisolation questionnaire. No significant differences in performance were observed on any of the 11 tests of the intellectual battery or on measures of subjective stress and mood. However, a significant decrease in occipital alpha frequency was obtained in both the socially isolated and confined groups after the 1-wk. period. Since there was no significant difference between these two groups in the magnitude of the decrease, this EEG change appears to have resulted from confinement alone. An analysis of the questionnaire data revealed significant F ratios on 16 of the 22 content areas. Ten of the 16 symptom categories were associated with confinement alone and the remainder were associated either wtih social isolation or a combination of social isolation and confinement. Finally, the results of this study were compared with those reported in several earlier, 1-wk. experiments on perceptual deprivation, a complex condition involving not only social isolation and confinement but also a reduction in sensory stimulation. (Author)