Conditioned generalization of the galvanic skin reaction to tones.

Abstract

This study originated in an attempt to verify the form of the curve of generalization for conditioning obtained by C. I. Houland. 22 subjects were conditioned to a tone with shock as the UCS and the galvanic skin reaction as the response. The subjects were then tested for generalization of the conditioning to 3 other tones. All subjects were conditioned and all tones used, in addition to the CS, showed an increase in reaction. Generalization was thus demonstrated. However, the shape of the curve was much shallower than that obtained by Houland, and suggested the possibility of a zero slope. An intensive analysis of the data suggests also that the generalization of inhibition may have a form different from that of the generalization of reinforcement.