Abstract
The pupillary dilation reflex of the paralyzed cat was studied during habituation to an acoustic stimulus. The effect of a scheduled stimulus omission was assessed by examination of pupillary activity during the omission, in the 4-sec intertrial interval, and on the following trial. It was found that dilation responses during the omission were rare. Effects were seen more often in the intertrial interval or on the following trial (“dishabituation”). Responses to an omitted stimulus were related to the dynamics of background (“tonic”) pupillary size; specifically, they occurred significantly more often for subjects which exhibited an increase in background pupillary diameter following initial stimuli and then a decrease during the later course of habituation.
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Cooper, C.L., Ashe, J.H. & Weinberger, N.M. Effects of stimulus omission during habituation of the pupillary dilation reflex. Psychobiology 6, 1–6 (1978). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03326681
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03326681