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A Proposed Feedback Method For Studying the Inhibition of EEG Responses to Visual Stimuli
Author(s) -
Mulholland Thomas B.
Publication year - 1979
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.1469-8986.1979.tb01443.x
Subject(s) - stimulus (psychology) , psychology , electroencephalography , photic stimulation , visual perception , neutral stimulus , stimulation , neuroscience , audiology , stimulus control , cognitive psychology , perception , medicine , nicotine
A new method for studying inhibition of an electroencephalographic component of the OR to visual stimuli is described. The EEG response is suppression of the occipital alpha following visual stimulation. By a controlled feedback contingency, two stimuli are made to occur in sequence with a controlled time delay after the onset of alpha in the EEG. Inhibition is defined as a lack of EEG response to the first stimulus followed by a response to the second, delayed stimulus. Because the stimuli are feedback with regard to the occurrence of alpha, the dynamics of the alpha ‐ alpha suppression system are different when a response is made to the first stimulus (elicitation of OR to first stimulus) compared to not responding to the first stimulus but responding to the second delayed stimulus (inhibition of OR to the first stimulus).