EFFECTS OF STIMULUS COMPLEXITY, INTERSTIMULUS INTERVAL, AND MASKING TASK CONDITIONS IN DIFFERENTIAL EYELID CONDITIONING

102 undergraduates were Ss in a differential eyelid conditioning experiment in which the presence or absence of a masking task was combined factorially with 2 levels of stimulus complexity and 3 interstimulus intervals (ISIs) 500, 800, and 1100 msec. Data indicated an ISI * Complexity interaction in the masking-task group, with optimal differential conditioning appearing at the 800-msec interval for simple stimuli and at 1100 msec. for complex stimuli. Without the masking task, differential responding increased in a linear manner, as a function of ISI, under both stimulus conditions. Results were discussed in terms of inhibitory and perceptual response conceptions of differential conditioning and the role of cognitive factors in this conditioning paradigm. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.