PSYCH 2AA3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Dishabituation, Habituation, Operant Conditioning

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH 2AA3
• Professor: Laura Cirelli

Document Summary

Sensation: info received by sense organs i. e. the brain receives input from the sensory organs. Perception: interpretation of info received by sense organs i. e the brain makes sense our of that input. Studying perception in infants: preference technique , habituation/ dishabituation, operant conditioning technique. Results: human faces and contrast + patterns. Showing preference involves an increase in looking time at a stimulus when presented simultaneously with another stimulus. Determine if infant can distinguish between 2 objects. Present stimuli & measure physiological changes in heart rate/breathing. 1st trial may produce high peak of excitement. Upon repeated trials, peak will at line - at this point the infant is habituated to stimuli. Still recognizing stimulus, its just not interesting for them anymore. Interest decreases after trials, no longer looks for as long. presenting green square = peak = dishabituation. Training phase: train babies to tun=en head when sound changes. Baby rewarded if looks to source of sound.