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Modification of human gastric acid secretion with operant-conditioning procedures
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|January 1, 1975
Summary
Operant conditioning, using visual feedback and monetary rewards, effectively controlled gastric acid secretion in women. Subjects increased or decreased acid output based on reinforcement schedules, demonstrating behavioral control over physiological responses.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Gastroenterology
- Psychophysiology
Background:
- Gastric acid secretion is a critical physiological process.
- Understanding voluntary control over gastric function is important for managing acid-related disorders.
- Operant conditioning offers a potential avenue for behavioral modulation of physiological processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of operant conditioning techniques in controlling gastric acid secretion.
- To determine if monetary reinforcement can modify gastric acid output.
- To explore correlations between gastric acid secretion and other physiological measures.
Main Methods:
- Four healthy women participated in the study.
- Visual feedback on gastric pH and monetary reinforcers were utilized.
- Differential reinforcement of high rates (DRH) and differential reinforcement of other behaviors (DRO) schedules were employed.
Main Results:
- Three out of four subjects significantly increased gastric acid secretion under the DRH schedule.
- These three subjects returned to baseline acid secretion levels under the DRO schedule.
- Heart rate, respiratory frequency, and stomach motility showed inconsistent correlations with acid secretion across subjects.
Conclusions:
- Operant conditioning is a viable method for controlling gastric acid secretion in humans.
- Behavioral interventions can modulate physiological functions like gastric acid production.
- Further research is needed to understand individual physiological response patterns during behavioral control of gastric acid secretion.