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Responding for Sensory Change in a Causally Structured Environment: Effects Of Different Changes and Different
Peter H Glow1, Anthony H Winefield1
1a The University of Adelaide , South Australia.
The Journal of General Psychology
|February 2, 2017
Summary
Responding for sensory change depends on environmental complexity and stimulation levels. Initial changes are influenced by the environment, while subsequent changes depend on the change type, with light changes eliciting higher responses.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sensory Perception
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Previous research indicates enhanced responding for sensory change in causally structured environments.
- The current study investigates the impact of increased environmental complexity on this phenomenon.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how environmental complexity and different sensory changes affect responding.
- To compare the determinants of responding for initial versus contingent sensory changes.
Main Methods:
- Participants were exposed to varying environmental complexities and sensory changes (light and sound).
- Responding levels were measured for initial sensory changes and subsequent contingent changes.
Main Results:
- Increased environmental complexity did not enhance responding.
- Responding to initial sensory changes was dictated by the ongoing sensory environment's stimulation level.
- Responding to contingent sensory changes was determined by the type of change, with light changes yielding higher responding than sound changes.
Conclusions:
- The factors influencing responding for sensory change differ based on whether the change is initial or contingent.
- Sensory modality plays a crucial role in contingent responding, contrasting with previous findings on stimulus reduction preference.
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