Heart–Brain Dynamics in Analytical and Non-Analytical Intuition: A Study of HRV and EEG Correlates

Öz

This study investigates the physiological correlates of intuitive processes by examining the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV), electroencephalogram (EEG) activity, and two types of perception: analytical (AP) and non-analytical (NAP). A sample of 110 healthy university students completed tasks designed to measure AP and NAP under both resting and testing conditions, while HRV and EEG data were simultaneously recorded. Correlational analyses revealed that higher AP scores were positively associated with HRV indices such as RMSSD, PNN50, HF power, and HRV mean during rest, indicating a connection between analytical intuition and parasympathetic regulation. In contrast, NAP scores were negatively correlated with most HRV indices during testing, while positively associated with mean heart rate, suggesting heightened arousal and reduced autonomic flexibility. EEG analyses showed no significant brain wave correlates for AP, but trend-level differences in gamma variability were noted. NAP performance was associated with increased high beta activity and alpha peak frequency variability, indicating greater cortical arousal and modulation. Group comparisons revealed significant physiological differences between high and low performers, especially in HRV during testing and in EEG patterns at rest. Stepwise regression identified HRV mean, LF peak, broad beta mean, and SMR variability as significant predictors of NAP scores, explaining 17.3% of the variance. No significant predictors emerged for AP. These findings suggest that AP and NAP are supported by distinct physiological states, with AP linked to baseline autonomic stability and NAP to dynamic arousal and neural flexibility. The study offers empirical support for a dual-process view of intuition grounded in heart-brain interaction.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Analytical Intuition
• Non-Analytical Intuition
• Heart Rate Indices and Intuition
• Brain Wave Indices and Intuition
• Correlation between HRV and EEG. Predictive Variables for Intuition

Heart–Brain Dynamics in Analytical and Non-Analytical Intuition: A Study of HRV and EEG Correlates

Öz

Bu çalışma, sezgisel süreçlerin fizyolojik karşılıklarını incelemek amacıyla kalp atım hızı değişkenliği (HRV), elektroensefalogram (EEG) aktivitesi ile iki algı türü—analitik (AP) ve analitik olmayan (NAP)—arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmaktadır. Çalışmaya katılan 110 sağlıklı üniversite öğrencisi, hem dinlenme hem de test koşullarında AP ve NAP’ı ölçmek üzere tasarlanmış görevleri tamamlamış, bu sırada HRV ve EEG verileri eşzamanlı olarak kaydedilmiştir. Korelasyon analizleri, yüksek AP puanlarının, dinlenme sırasında RMSSD, PNN50, HF gücü ve HRV ortalaması gibi HRV göstergeleriyle pozitif yönde ilişkili olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Bu bulgu, analitik sezginin parasempatik düzenleme ile bağlantılı olduğunu göstermektedir. Buna karşılık, NAP puanları test sırasında çoğu HRV göstergesiyle negatif yönde, ortalama kalp atım hızıyla ise pozitif yönde ilişkili bulunmuş; bu durum, artmış uyarılma ve azalmış otonom esneklik ile ilişkilendirilmiştir. EEG analizlerinde AP için anlamlı bir beyin dalgası ilişkisi saptanmamış, ancak gama değişkenliği düzeyinde farklılıklar gözlenmiştir. NAP performansı ise artmış yüksek beta aktivitesi ve alfa tepe frekansı değişkenliği ile ilişkili bulunmuş, bu da artmış kortikal uyarılma ve modülasyonu işaret etmektedir. Grup karşılaştırmaları, özellikle test sırasında HRV ve dinlenme sırasında EEG desenlerinde, yüksek ve düşük performans gösterenler arasında belirgin fizyolojik farklılıklar ortaya koymuştur. Adımsal regresyon analizinde, HRV ortalaması, LF tepe değeri, geniş beta ortalaması ve SMR değişkenliği NAP puanlarının anlamlı yordayıcıları olarak belirlenmiş ve varyansın %17,3’ünü açıklamıştır. AP için anlamlı bir yordayıcı elde edilmemiştir. Bulgular, AP ve NAP’ın farklı fizyolojik durumlarla desteklendiğini; AP’nin temel otonom istikrarla, NAP’ın ise dinamik uyarılma ve nöral esneklikle ilişkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu çalışma, sezgilerin kalp-beyin etkileşimine dayalı çift süreçli bir modele ilişkin ampirik kanıtlar sunmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Sezgi
• Analitik Olmayan Sezgi
• Kalp Atım Göstergeleri ve Sezgi
• Beyin Dalgaları Göstergeleri ve Sezgi
• HRV ve EEG Arasındaki Korelasyonlar
• Sezgi için Yordayıcı Değişkenler

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