PSYC 356 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Aplysia, Habituation, Motor Neuron
Lecture Overview:
Habituation and sensitization:
● Dual Process Theory
● Characteristics
● Invertebrates- Aplysia
● Humans- Drug Addiction
Habituation and Sensitization: Dual Process Theory
Learning- “mechanisms of behavior”
● Our examples of Habituation and Sensitization were of “performance” not a “mechanism
of behavior”
● What is the FORMAL CAUSE of these changes in behavior?
Dual Process Theory: Groves and Thompson (1970):
● Two distinct neural processes:
○ Habituation Process
○ Sensitization Process
● These processes are active simultaneously
● The behavioral outcome (performance) depends upon the strength of each process
● Changes in responding are the net of the Habituation and Sensitization processes
(figure)
Habituation (NET) observed when Hab. process (H) > Sens. process (S)
Sensitization (NET) observed when Sens. process (S) > Hab. process (H)
● Dual process theory is based on physiological data from the CNS
● Stimulus- Response (S-R System): habituation occurs in the reflex arc
○ Specific stimulus and response
○ Short neural loop
○ Each stimulus presentation activates the loop
○ Sensory——CNS——Muscle
● State System: sensitization occurs in CNS areas that determine activation
○ Generalized response
○ Only activated during arousing events
○ Drugs can affect the state system
● Learning: an “enduring change”
● Habituation and sensitization can produce “enduring” change but not as robust as other
learning phenomena
● Habituation and sensitization are often classified as short- term (sec to min) or long term
(hrs to days)
Habituation and Sensitization: Characteristics- Time Course
● Habituation:
○ Can be semi- permanent
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Document Summary
Our examples of habituation and sensitization were of performance not a mechanism of behavior . The behavioral outcome (performance) depends upon the strength of each process. Changes in responding are the net of the habituation and sensitization processes (figure) Habituation (net) observed when hab. process (h) > sens. process (s) Sensitization (net) observed when sens. process (s) > hab. process (h) Dual process theory is based on physiological data from the cns. Stimulus- response (s-r system): habituation occurs in the reflex arc. State system: sensitization occurs in cns areas that determine activation. Habituation and sensitization can produce enduring change but not as robust as other learning phenomena. Habituation and sensitization are often classified as short- term (sec to min) or long term (hrs to days) Short term habituation- when eliciting stimulus is frequent. Long- term habituation- when stimulus is widely spaced. 15mins after db background is off, return to baseline. Longevity perpetuated by the same neural mechanism.
