Reflex modification in the domain of startle: II. The anomalous history of a robust and ubiquitous phenomenon

Describes the discovery and rediscoveries of the phenomenon of the reflex modification of the startle reaction. The startle reaction is elicited in animals by abrupt stimuli in diverse modalities. Weak stimuli can modify the reflex. This phenomenon of reflex modification has been discovered on at least 4 separate occasions since the mid-19th century, beginning with I. M. Sechenov in 1862. The empirical and theoretical climate at the time of each discovery and each period of neglect are described. The authors conclude that reflex modification has been repeatedly discovered because it is a powerful and ubiquitous effect that finds expression in a wide variety of species and circumstances. It has suffered neglect because (a) it failed to be incorporated by the central theoretical conceptions of the times, (b) its procedures were sometimes confused with those of classical Pavlovian conditioning, and (c) too little attention was paid to the assessment of basic behavioral phenomena that might yield to direct empirical investigation in psychology's search for general theory. (66 ref)