The conditioning of the blocking of the alpha rhythm of the human electroencephalogram.

Abstract

Previous work on the conditioning of the blocking of the alpha rhythm of the EEG did not establish sufficient controls to permit differentiation between sensitization of the previously adapted response to the conditioned stimulus and the response believed to be the CR. To make such differentiation feasible the authors separated the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli by an interval of four seconds in order that full recovery of the alpha rhythm could occur after its response to the unconditioned stimulus and before the conditioned stimulus was presented. A conditioned anticipatory response which was unstable and appeared subject to inhibition of reinforcement appears to have been established. Sensitization of the response to the conditioned stimulus appears to have occurred, and this serves to explain the unorthodox type of conditioning data reported by previous workers. The implications of the conclusion that conditioning of the alpha rhythm can be accepted are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)