THE TRANSFER OF HABITUATION TO ROTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE DIRECTIONAL ASPECT OF THE VESTIBULAR REACTION
Abstract
Holsopple's hypothesis (J. Comp. Psychol., 4:185-93, 1924( states that transfer of habituation is to be expected because repeated rotations in one direction yield equal amounts of practice for clockwise and counterclockwise accelerations irrespective of the rotation direction. To validate this observation, 3 groups (I, II, and III) of 10 subjects were given identical tests of postrotational oculogyral illusion (OGI) for clockwise and counterclockwise rotation before and after 34 clockwise trails in a Link trainer modified to rotate solely about its vertical axis. The rotation-rest ratios were 61.5 sec/5 sec for I, 6.5/60 for II, and 91.5/90 for III. The conditions utilized in the experiment involved varying the indoctrination trials, rotational direction, and habituation series. Holsopple's original hypothesis was not supported by the test results which suggest the following: Habituation to rotation may occur when the effects of positive and negative angular accelerations overlap, but this habituation is not revealed by test trials administered before or after the habituation series, provided that these trials are stronger vestibular stimuli than those used in the habituation series. Holsopple's hypothesis does not predict an equal reduction in the practiced and unpracticed rotation directions, regardless of the rotation-rest ratio employed. Holsopple's generalization that habituation is dependent upon the time over which the response may act should be verified. Mowrer's investigation of rotation-rest ratios with pigeons (Comp. Psychol. Monograph, 9:1-48, 1934) should be repeated, and the habituation series as well as the trials should be recorded.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1953
- Accession Number
- AD0021029
Entities
People
- F. E. Guedry Jr.
Organizations
- Tulane University of Louisiana