Open AccessCARDIAC RESPONSIVITY TO TACTILE STIMULATION IN WAKING AND SLEEPING INFANTS 1
Author(s) -
Lewis Michael,
Dodd Cornelia,
Harwitz Marcia
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
ets research bulletin series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2333-8504
pISSN - 0424-6144
DOI - 10.1002/j.2333-8504.1969.tb00730.x
Subject(s) - habituation , heart rate , stimulus (psychology) , stimulation , psychology , sensory stimulation therapy , audiology , orienting response , developmental psychology , medicine , neuroscience , cognitive psychology , blood pressure
The role of state in determining a psychological or physiological response is not disputed. However, a few studies using neonates and young infants have paid much attention to this variable. This study was designed to investigate state differences in the newborn's cardiac response to a tactile stimulus. The results indicated: (1) the infant when asleep showed significantly different cardiac response than when awake. This replication demonstrates that an infant's state must be considered in any work using heart rate response. (2) In the present study, six cardiac response parameters were observed and it was clear that not all these measures of the cardiac response yield similar results and that the response parameter E chooses to use will determine the degree of habituation found and the nature of the response curve. (3) In general, there were differences in habituation between the waking and sleeping infant.