Related Experiment Videos
Effects of stimulus preexposure and intermodality change on electrodermal orienting
D A Siddle1, O V Lipp, P J Dall
1Department of Psychology, University of Queensland, Australia.
Psychophysiology
|September 1, 1994
Summary
Preexposure to a stimulus before habituation training eliminates the intermodality change effect, suggesting anticipatory processes are key to orienting responses and habituation.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Processing
Background:
- Habituation involves decreased response to repeated stimuli.
- Intermodality change trials typically elicit larger orienting responses than initial stimuli.
- The novelty of the change stimulus's role in this effect is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if prior exposure to a stimulus affects the intermodality change effect.
- To determine the role of stimulus novelty in habituation and orienting responses.
- To test the implications of findings for habituation theories.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments involving habituation series of auditory or vibrotactile stimuli.
- Intermodality change trials were introduced after habituation.
- Preexposure conditions varied across experiments, including no preexposure, preexposure to the test stimulus, or preexposure to an irrelevant stimulus.
Main Results:
- The intermodality change effect was diminished or abolished by preexposure to the test stimulus.
- Preexposure to an irrelevant stimulus also reduced the effect.
- Habituation theories not accounting for anticipatory processes were challenged.
Conclusions:
- Prior exposure to a stimulus, even if irrelevant, can abolish the intermodality change effect.
- Anticipatory processes are crucial for understanding orienting responses and habituation.
- Findings support models of habituation that incorporate predictive mechanisms.