The Relationship Among Absorption Anxiety and Frontal Electromyogram

This study examined the relationship among absorption, anxiety (state and trait), and frontal EMG in a sample of sixty undergraduate students. These relationships were examined during a baseline (relaxation) condition and during an anxiety condition during which an extemporaneous speech was given. It was determined that absorption was inversely related to state anxiety and trait anxiety was directly related to state anxiety measured after the relaxation period. Absorption and/or trait anxiety were not related to state anxiety after the speech anxiety condition. There was no relationship between absorption or trait anxiety and frontal EMG during either condition. In addition, state anxiety and absorption were inversely related at baseline. Implications of these results and directions for future research are presented.