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BGSU_Dissertations_0104_Harley.pdf (2.72 MB)

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Temporal Conditioning of the Galvanic Skin Response as a Function of Instructions and Intertrial Interval

Harley, James P.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1555931250425737

Abstract Details

1971, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, Psychology.
The present study was designed to investigate temporal conditioning of the galvanic skin response (GSR) under three different conditions: 1) with and without instructions informing subjects of the temporal patterning of shock occurrence; 2) different intertrial interval (ITI) durations; and 3) fixed versus variable ITis. A 2 X 2 X 2 factorial design was used, with 80 Ss assigned randomly to eight equal groups. The factors of each of the three dimensions were: 1) fixed or variable ITI; 2) 20 or 40 sec. ITI duration; and 3) relational or nonrelational instructions. SubJects given relational learning instructions were told that they would receive shocks at the end of every 20 or 40 sec. period (fixed ITIs) or that the average time between shocks was 20 or 40 sec. (variable ITI groups). The relational groups were also instructed to anticipate shock. No relational instructions were given to the other four corresponding groups. Eight adaptation trials preceded 5O presentations of the UCS. The acquisition trials were immediately followed by eight extinction trials, i.e., no shocks were delivered. Temporal conditioning was evaluated by several different analyses. For the first analysis, anticipatory responses 5 sec. prior to the UCS onset were analyzed over the 5O acquisition trials for all groups. The second analysis compared GSR magnitude and percentage of responses for both ITI durations (20 and 40 sec.) of the fixed and variable ITI groups. Conditioning was assessed in the last analysis by observing changes in GSR magnitude at consecutive 5 sec. intervals following the unconditioned response interval for the fixed 20 and 40 sec. ITIs. Major results of the study may be summarized as follows: 1) temporal conditioning was demonstrated by greater anticipatory response magnitude with the relational-fixed ITIs than the relational-variable ITI groups during acquisition; 2) GSR magnitude and percentage of responses increased across the ITI intervals for fixed ITI-relational conditions for the two ITI durations, 20 and 40 sec.; 3) additional evidence for temporal conditioning was demonstrated by larger responses in the anticipatory response interval compared to other 5 sec. intervals preceding shock for the fixed-relational 20 and 40 sec. ITI treatments over the acquisition trials; and 4) relational learning instructions resulted in greater overall GSR magnitude.
Pietro Badia (Advisor)
Psychology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Harley, J. P. (1971). Temporal Conditioning of the Galvanic Skin Response as a Function of Instructions and Intertrial Interval [Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1555931250425737

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Harley, James. Temporal Conditioning of the Galvanic Skin Response as a Function of Instructions and Intertrial Interval. 1971. Bowling Green State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1555931250425737.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Harley, James. "Temporal Conditioning of the Galvanic Skin Response as a Function of Instructions and Intertrial Interval." Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University, 1971. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1555931250425737

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1555931250425737
140
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