Premium
STIMULUS DETECTION DURING PERIODS OF HIGH AND LOW HEART RATE
Author(s) -
Edwards David C.,
Alsip Jonathan E.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1969.tb02843.x
Subject(s) - heart rate , stimulus (psychology) , sensory system , blood pressure , psychology , audiology , intensity (physics) , cardiology , sensitivity (control systems) , medicine , neuroscience , cognitive psychology , optics , physics , electronic engineering , engineering
The study was designed to test Lacey's suggestion that elevated heart rate and blood pressure could lead to decreased sensory sensitivity and that a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure may facilitate sensory sensitivity. A tone of five intensities encompassing the subject's intensity threshold was presented randomly 25 times under high and 25 times under low transient heart rate. The results indicated no differences in the number of correct detections under high and low heart rate and no interaction between heart rate level and tone intensity. It was concluded that low heart rate may well be a necessary condition for increased sensory sensitivity, but that it is not a sufficient condition. Discussion was directed to the range of possible HR changes and the possible requirements of the sensitivity mechanism.