OPERANT CONDITIONING OF THE HEART RATE
Abstract
Operant conditioning of heart rate was demonstrated by making shock avoidance contingent upon the temporary accelerations heart rate of human Ss, Shocks were avoided for 20-sec. for some Ss, and 60-sec. for others, when adequate increases in heart rate accelerations were emitted, according to a Sidman-type schedule. Each operant S had paired with him a yoked control S whose sequence of shocks and shock avoidances was established by the responding of the operant S. Across the five sessions of the experiment the number of temporary heart rate accelerations rose for the operant Ss and fell for their yoked controls. Both operant and control Ss on the 20-sec. shock avoidance schedule gave many more temporary acceleration heart rate than S on the 60-sec. schedule, although the 60-sec. Ss showed a greater tendency to gain or lose these responses across sessions. Mean over-all heart rate, while little effected by the difference between the operant and yoked control treatments, was greatly effected by the 20-sec. and 60-sec. shock avoidance schedules, especially within experimental sessions. A much greater decrement in over-all heart rate was observed for the 20-sec. condition. Significant changes in respiration were shown to accompany the heart rate increase responses. The problem of the effects of respiration upon heart rate was discussed within the present methodological framework. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0267800
Entities
People
- Donald W. Shearn
Organizations
- Indiana University Bloomington