Habituation: A dual-process theory

Presented a dual-process theory of response plasticity to repeated stimulation. 2 hypothetical processes, 1 decremental (habituation) and 1 incremental (sensitization), are assumed to develop independently in the CNS and interact to yield the final behavioral outcome. Behavioral experiments are presented, using both the hindlimb flexion reflex of acute spinal cat and the acoustic startle response of intact rat, which are consistent with this theory. Neurophysiological experiments indicate that the 2 processes have separate and distinct neuronal substrates. The dual-process theory and other current theories of response habituation are evaluated in terms of these and other recent findings. (6 p. ref.)