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Acute Alterations of Behavioral Rhythms Through Classical Conditioning
Author(s) -
Rosenblum Leonard A.,
Schwartz Henry
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
journal of medical primatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1600-0684
pISSN - 0047-2565
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0684.1983.tb00059.x
Subject(s) - classical conditioning , conditioning , rhythm , stimulus (psychology) , psychology , neuroscience , unconditioned stimulus , audiology , developmental psychology , physiology , medicine , cognitive psychology , mathematics , statistics
A classical conditioning method was used to alter in acute fashion a discrete portion of the activity rhythm of squirrel monkeys living in social groups. Time of day was considered the unconditioned stimulus, while a previously neutral flashing light was used as the conditioned stimulus. When the CS was associated with an active period, its subsequent presentation during a quiet time of day resulted in significant increases in activity in conditioned subjects. This demonstration of the conditionability of daily activity patterns has important implications in both clinical and experimental settings.