Measurement of the conditioned cardiac response.

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Abstract
In an attempt to develop measurement conventions 7 measures of the cardiac response in a conditioning experiment were obtained from 110 human Ss. A trace conditioning paradigm was employed with schedule of reinforcement and type of reinforcer as independent variables. Effect of conditioning procedures was interpreted to be inhibition of habituation of the biphasic cardiac orienting reflex (OR). Extinction procedures permitted OR habituation. Shock was more effective than sound and 50% schedules more effective than 100% schedules in inhibiting OR habituation. Difference between rapidly occurring accelerative phase and subsequent decelerative phase was the most sensitive measure of cardiac response, and the data suggest adoption of this measure as a scoring convention.

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