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Sighs can become learned behaviors via operant learning
Elke Vlemincx1, Olivier Luminet2
1Department of Health Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Health Psychology, University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Biological Psychology
|January 26, 2020
Summary
Sighs can be learned behaviors through operant conditioning, influencing both healthy and unhealthy breathing patterns. This research opens new avenues for breathing training therapies.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Physiology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Sighs serve crucial physiological and psychological regulatory roles.
- The rewarding nature of sighing may reinforce its occurrence during regulatory needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if sighs can be learned behaviors through operant learning.
- To explore the role of operant conditioning in sighing behavior.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted, manipulating the consequences of spontaneous sighs.
- Sighs were either punished with dyspnea or not punished with continued relief.
Main Results:
- Sigh rates decreased by 1.20-1.28 times when sighs were predicted to be punished.
- This indicates that sighing can be modified by its consequences.
Conclusions:
- Sighs can be learned behaviors via operant learning, impacting adaptive and maladaptive respiratory regulation.
- Findings suggest potential for new clinical interventions to modulate sigh rates in breathing training.
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