The Law of Initial Value: A Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation
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| Language: | English |
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Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK
1969
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu155446408529401 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-bgsu155446408529401 |
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NDLTD |
| language |
English |
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NDLTD |
| topic |
Psychology |
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Psychology Goldwater, Bram C. The Law of Initial Value: A Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation |
| author |
Goldwater, Bram C. |
| author_facet |
Goldwater, Bram C. |
| author_sort |
Goldwater, Bram C. |
| title |
The Law of Initial Value: A Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation |
| title_short |
The Law of Initial Value: A Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation |
| title_full |
The Law of Initial Value: A Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation |
| title_fullStr |
The Law of Initial Value: A Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation |
| title_full_unstemmed |
The Law of Initial Value: A Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation |
| title_sort |
law of initial value: a theoretical and experimental evaluation |
| publisher |
Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
1969 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu155446408529401 |
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AT goldwaterbramc thelawofinitialvalueatheoreticalandexperimentalevaluation AT goldwaterbramc lawofinitialvalueatheoreticalandexperimentalevaluation |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-bgsu1554464085294012021-08-03T07:09:58Z The Law of Initial Value: A Theoretical and Experimental Evaluation Goldwater, Bram C. Psychology The law of initial value (LIV) states that as the prestimulus level of a physiological function increases the magnitude of response to function-raising stimuli decreases, while that to function-depressing stimuli increases. Most of the evidence in the LIV literature 1s in the form of either inter- or intra-subject correlations between prestimulus level and response-magnitude. Evidence provided by this correlational data has been far from consistent. Moreover, both types of correlational approaches have been criticized on methodological grounds. The inter-subjects correlation has been rejected on the basis that the LIV applies to the individual nervous system. rather than to a population of nervous systems, while the intra-subjects correlation is open to confounding by such factors as habituation and regression to the mean. A third approach to the evaluation of the LIV tests the relation between prestimulus level and response-magnitude by experimentally manipulating physiological levels. This strategy is relatively free from the above types of weaknesses, but has unfortunately been employed only rarely. The present study used an exercise task of moderate intensity as a means of increasing activation level, and measured the magnitude of physiological response to a series of stimuli under the exercise condition and under a control condition of normal relaxation. Stimulation consisted of a sequence of two tones, followed by a series of visually-presented integers. The subject had to add one to each digit, and then memorize the resulting series for subsequent reporting. Stimuli were presented during the exercise task for one group of subjects, and immediately following exercise for another. Two control groups received the stimuli at corresponding times relative to a relaxation period. The two groups stimulated during activity were given two trials, under opposite activity conditions (order counterbalanced across groups) providing for analyses both within and between subjects. The two groups stimulated after activity received only a single trial. Six physiological variables were examined: skin resistance, skin conductance (reciprocal of resistance). heart rate, respiration amplitude and period, and blood volume pulse. Simple between-groups analyses were carried out in order to compare both prestimulus level and responsemagnitude across exercise and relaxation conditions. In the case of the groups stimulated during activity, these comparisons were run only for the first of the two trials. A type of combined between- and within-groups analysis was also carried out in the case of the groups stimulated during activity, by comparing changes in level and responsemagnitude from Trial l to Trial 2 across these two groups. Some correlational analyses were also run, both between prestimulus level and response-magnitude, and between change in level and change in response. The results of the latter generally agreed with the group data. The results for skin resistance and skin conductance, and for blood volume pulse, generally supported the LIV, with prestimulus levels being greater, and responsemagnitudes being smaller under exercise than under relaxation. Respiration period showed no group differences in level or response, and was thus irrelevant as a test of the LIV. In the case of heart rate, prestimulus levels were predictably higher under exercise than under relaxation. Response-magnitude was greater under exercise than relaxation for the first stimulus, becoming larger under relaxation only later in the stimulus series, as heart rate level continued to climb. Respiration amplitude also gave some weak evidence for an increase in response-magnitude under exercise. The results for these two variables were interpreted as suggesting a curvilinear (inverted U) relation between level and response, with greatest amplitude of response occurring at middle ranges of activation. Shortcomings of the study as a means of evaluating such a curvilinear level-response relationship were discussed, and suggestions were made to modify the design accordingly. 1969 English text Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu155446408529401 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu155446408529401 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |