Affect, attention, or anticipatory arousal? Human blink startle modulation in forward and backward affective conditioning

Affect modulates the blink startle reflex in the picture-viewing paradigm, however, the process responsible for reflex modulation during conditional stimuli (CSs) that have acquired valence through affective conditioning remains unclear. In Experiment 1, neutral shapes (CSs) and valenced or neutral...

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Main Authors: Mallan, K., Lipp, Ottmar, Libera, M.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier BV 2008
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/8367
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author Mallan, K.
Lipp, Ottmar
Libera, M.
author_facet Mallan, K.
Lipp, Ottmar
Libera, M.
author_sort Mallan, K.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Affect modulates the blink startle reflex in the picture-viewing paradigm, however, the process responsible for reflex modulation during conditional stimuli (CSs) that have acquired valence through affective conditioning remains unclear. In Experiment 1, neutral shapes (CSs) and valenced or neutral pictures (USs) were paired in a forward (CS ? US) manner. Pleasantness ratings supported affective learning of positive and negative valence. Post-acquisition, blink reflexes were larger during the pleasant and unpleasant CSs than during the neutral CS. Rather than affect, attention or anticipatory arousal were suggested as sources of startle modulation. Experiment 2 confirmed that affective learning in the picture-picture paradigm was not affected by whether the CS preceded the US. Pleasantness ratings and affective priming revealed similar extents of affective learning following forward, backward or simultaneous pairings of CSs and USs. Experiment 3 utilized a backward conditioning procedure (US ? CS) to minimize effects of US anticipation. Again, blink reflexes were larger during CSs paired with valenced USs regardless of US valence implicating attention rather than anticipatory arousal or affect as the process modulating startle in this paradigm. Crown Copyright © 2008.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-83672017-09-13T14:36:23Z Affect, attention, or anticipatory arousal? Human blink startle modulation in forward and backward affective conditioning Mallan, K. Lipp, Ottmar Libera, M. Affect modulates the blink startle reflex in the picture-viewing paradigm, however, the process responsible for reflex modulation during conditional stimuli (CSs) that have acquired valence through affective conditioning remains unclear. In Experiment 1, neutral shapes (CSs) and valenced or neutral pictures (USs) were paired in a forward (CS ? US) manner. Pleasantness ratings supported affective learning of positive and negative valence. Post-acquisition, blink reflexes were larger during the pleasant and unpleasant CSs than during the neutral CS. Rather than affect, attention or anticipatory arousal were suggested as sources of startle modulation. Experiment 2 confirmed that affective learning in the picture-picture paradigm was not affected by whether the CS preceded the US. Pleasantness ratings and affective priming revealed similar extents of affective learning following forward, backward or simultaneous pairings of CSs and USs. Experiment 3 utilized a backward conditioning procedure (US ? CS) to minimize effects of US anticipation. Again, blink reflexes were larger during CSs paired with valenced USs regardless of US valence implicating attention rather than anticipatory arousal or affect as the process modulating startle in this paradigm. Crown Copyright © 2008. 2008 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/8367 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.02.005 Elsevier BV restricted
spellingShingle Mallan, K.
Lipp, Ottmar
Libera, M.
Affect, attention, or anticipatory arousal? Human blink startle modulation in forward and backward affective conditioning
title Affect, attention, or anticipatory arousal? Human blink startle modulation in forward and backward affective conditioning
title_full Affect, attention, or anticipatory arousal? Human blink startle modulation in forward and backward affective conditioning
title_fullStr Affect, attention, or anticipatory arousal? Human blink startle modulation in forward and backward affective conditioning
title_full_unstemmed Affect, attention, or anticipatory arousal? Human blink startle modulation in forward and backward affective conditioning
title_short Affect, attention, or anticipatory arousal? Human blink startle modulation in forward and backward affective conditioning
title_sort affect, attention, or anticipatory arousal? human blink startle modulation in forward and backward affective conditioning
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/8367