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Probing the orienting response with startle modification and secondary reaction time
D L Filion1, M E Dawson, A M Schell
1Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90089-0161.
Psychophysiology
|January 1, 1994
Summary
This study links skin conductance orienting responses to attentional processing. Attended stimuli showed stronger orienting responses and varied blink/reaction time patterns compared to ignored stimuli.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Psychophysiology
Background:
- Orienting responses are theorized to relate to attentional processing.
- Investigating this link requires precise measures of attention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between orienting responses and attentional processing.
- To utilize secondary reaction time and startle eyeblink modification as attentional probes.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-eight college students were presented with attended and ignored tones.
- Skin conductance orienting responses were recorded.
- Secondary reaction time and startle eyeblink probes were administered at various lead intervals (120-2000 ms).
Main Results:
- Attended tones elicited larger skin conductance orienting responses than ignored tones.
- Attended tones showed differential blink modification (inhibition at 120 ms, facilitation at 2000 ms).
- Attended tones led to reaction time slowing at 2000 ms, while ignored tones showed slowing at 150 ms.
Conclusions:
- The findings support a connection between skin conductance orienting responses and attentional processes.
- Secondary reaction time and blink modification offer valuable insights into this relationship.