Effects of the Range of Stimulus‐Variation Upon Habituation of the Orienting Response

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Abstract
The effects of the range of stimulus‐variation upon the habitation and return of the skin resistance response (SRR) component of the orienting response (OR) were investigated in three experiments using human subjects. In Experiment I the habituation and return of the OR were studied in two groups with a wide (Group‐W) und a narrow (Group‐N) range of stimulus‐variation. Habituation in the two groups did not differ, but a differential level of return of the OR to a novel stimulus was observed. In Experiment II the difference in the range was made large and a group presented with a constant stimulus (Group‐C) was added. Again Group‐W and ‐N habituated in the same way as Group‐C. In Experiment III the upper end stimulus of each group was set at the same intensity. The differential return of the OR disappeared, and as before a differential habituation could not he detected between Groups‐W and ‐N. These findings were discussed in reference to Sokolov's neuronal model of the OR.