The relation of conditioned discrimination to the MMPI Pd personality variable.

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Abstract
It was predicted and observed that Ss scoring high on the psychopathic deviation (Pd) scale of the MMPI would show poorer conditioned eyelid discrimination than would low-Pd Ss, as indicated by more responses to the negative CS. A sample of 48 students was given standard method of contrasts conditioning, using lights as CS and a corneal air puff as the UCS. For half of the Ss the right light was reinforced, and for the other half, the left was the positive stimulus. Each of these groups consisted of half high and half low-PD Ss. Conditioned discrimination occurred for all Ss but it was least in the high Pd group where frequency of conditioned responses to the negative stimulus did not decrease as much as for the low-Pd Ss. This finding was significant at the 5% level as predicted on grounds that high-Pd Ss would be more likely to preclude the possibility of immediate personal discomfort and would continue to blink to the negative stimulus.

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