Effect of delay interval on classical eyeblink conditioning in 5-month-old human infants.
Associative learning was evaluated in human infants with simple delay classical eyeblink conditioning. A tone conditioned stimulus (CS) was paired with an airpuff unconditioned stimulus (US) at three different delay intervals (250, 650, and 1,250 ms). Independent groups of healthy, full-term 5-month-old human infants were assigned to these three paired conditions and received two identical training sessions 1 week apart. The two longer delays resulted in associative conditioning, as confirmed by comparison with unpaired control groups. However, only at the 650-ms delay were associative eyeblinks adaptively timed to avoid the airpuff. The delay function at 5 months of age appears much sharper than is observed in adults. Together with the findings of A. H. Little, L. P. Lipsitt, and C. Rovee-Collier (1984), the present study suggests a downward shift in the optimal delay interval for associative eyeblink conditioning between 1 and 6 months of age. However, this delay remains longer than what is typically reported in adults.
Claflin
Dragana I
DI
Department of Psychology and Integrated Toxicology Curriculum, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
Stanton
Mark E
ME
Herbert
Jane
J
Greer
Jennifer
J
Eckerman
Carol O
CO
Klaflin
Dragana I
DI
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology*; D003215:Conditioning, Eyelid / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors