PSYC 356 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Reflex Arc, Startle Response, Habituation
Document Summary
Our examples of habituation and sensitization were of performance not a. Two distinct neural processes: habituation process, sensitization process. The behavioral outcome (performance) depends upon the strength of each process: performance is what we observe. Changes in responding are the net of the habituation and sensitization processes. The net (what we observe) is the sum of the habituation and sensitization: Dual process theory is based on physiological data from the cns. Stimulus- response (s-r system): habituation occurs in the reflex arc. Sr system is the neural substrate of habituation (reason for habituation) State system: sensitization occurs in cns areas that determine activation. Psychoactive compounds can affect the state system. Example: people who have coffee raise their state system making them more sensitive to their environment. Response to 4x4 decreases over time (habituation; s-r system) Initial response to 12x12 increases (sensitization; state system) After trial 3, response to 12x12 decreases (habituation> sensitization) Response to tone decreases with soft background (habit.
