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Habituation to Scenes of Violence
Author(s) -
Mangelsdorff A. David,
Zuckerman Marvin
Publication year - 1975
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.1469-8986.1975.tb01261.x
Subject(s) - habituation , psychology , skin conductance , audiology , developmental psychology , neuroscience , medicine , biomedical engineering
This study in early 1971 deals with the effects of “set” (labeling of a picture) and Advanced Army ROTC membership on subjects' cognitive and physiological responses. A laboratory analog of the habituation process was suggested as a parallel to some of the attitudes toward the war in Viet Nam. Subjects were significantly more aroused by an auto accident scene than by the massacre and neutral slides (larger amplitude skin conductance changes). Across all series, there were significant trials effects (a decrease in amplitude of skin conductance changes), indicative of habituation. The set “Viet Cong massacre of civilians” produced higher self report ratings of agitation than the same slide with the caption “American …” There was cardiac deceleration to the Viet Cong label, but generally cardiac acceleration to the American label on the massacre presentations. ROTC cadets habituated more rapidly on the “agitated” ‐ “calm” ratings to repeated presentations of the massacre and to an auto accident scene than nonROTC male students.