The effects of pure tone stimulation on non-nutritive sucking in the human infant

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Natalia Hoenigmann Hughes (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Natalia Soderquist

Abstract: Non-nutritive sucking initiation and non-nutritive sucking cessation to four pure tone stimuli varying both in frequency and intensity were investigated in an attempt to discern the usefulness of these two discrete response indices when testing auditory sensitivity in 2½ month old infants. Stimuli were presented contingent upon S’s sucking state and variable interstimulus intervals were employed to minimize the occurrence of sucking habituation. Non-stimulus control trials were randomly presented along with experimental trials such that infants could be used as their own controls. A TSD analysis resulted in the calculation of sensitivity indices (d1), based on the total number of trials each stimulus was presented, averaged across all subjects. Analyses of variance performed on the sensitivity indices yielded a significant main effect for Intensity when non-nutritive sucking cessation was considered. Differential responsivity to stimulus frequency was not evidenced. The utility of the two response indices under investigation was found to be equivocal and highly conditional, varying as a function of subject, stimulus, and procedural variables.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 1974
Subjects
Infants
Sound $x Psychological aspects
Auditory perception in children

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