Abstract
Tactile classical conditioning of an autonomic reflex (pupillary dilation and constriction) and a somatic response (eyeblinking) was attempted in two separate experiments with one-month-old infants. The tactile CS was effective for conditioning eyeblinking but was ineffective for elaborating conditional pupillary reflex dilation or constriction. These differences were related to the interaction between stimulus and response in infant conditioning and the source of nervous system innervation of the CR as it relates to conditionability.
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This research was supported in its preliminary stages by USPHS Grant MH-14100 to Dr. Fitzgerald and throughout by NSF Research Grant GB 4784 and USPHS Research Career Grant MH 5925 to Dr. Brackbill. The authors would like to express their appreciation to Mr. Michael little for his invaluable assistance throughout the research project.
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Fitzgerald, H.E., Brackbill, Y. Tactile conditioning of an autonomic and somatic response in young infants. Conditional Reflex 6, 41–51 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03000266
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03000266