EEG 파라미터를 활용한 껌의 경도(Hardness)에 따른 스트레스 저감 효과 및 선호도 분석

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Chewing gum is one of the easy methods used to relieve tension and manage stress in daily life. Previous research has demonstrated the stress-reducing effects of chewing gum, but the relationship between the hardness of gum and stress reduction, particularly hardness and its correlation with stress reduction, has not been definitively established. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to measure the stress-reducing effects of gum hardness using EEG (electroencephalogram). EEG responses and preferences were measured for three levels of gum hardness (Soft, Medium, Hard) among a group of 20s-aged students and 17 working professionals who participated in the experiment. Gum hardness was used as an independent variable, and EEG asymmetry parameters, specifically FAA (frontal alpha asymmetry), FBA (frontal beta asymmetry), and FBrA (frontal brain asymmetry), previously used for measuring stress levels, were used as dependent variables. Each experimental session involved an initial stress-inducing task, followed by measurement of stress reduction through gum chewing. The results revealed a significant increase in stress reduction for Soft gum compared to Hard gum, particularly in the FBrA parameter. Subjective preference survey results indicated the highest preference for Soft gum among females, leading to additional analysis of gender differences. As a result, it was discovered that women exhibit a greater tendency for stress reduction when chewing Soft gum. In conclusion, this study confirms significant differences in stress reduction effects based on gum hardness, with a more pronounced effect observed for softer gum. Additionally, the effectiveness of the FBrA asymmetry parameter in the Fp1-Fp2 channel pair for measuring low levels of stress was established. Further research is needed to confirm gender differences in response to gum properties.