The objective of this research study was to investigate if the startle reflex of 9-month-old infants could be modulated by emotional stimuli, in addition to look at the particular faculties of infants’ startle reactions within an emotion-modulated paradigm. Two studies were conducted to deal with these questions. In Study 1, 32 9-month-old infants viewed photographs of happy, neutral, and angry facial expressions. Infants’ startle responses to acoustic probes throughout the presentation of the facial stimuli were recorded and compared over the three affective conditions. Autonomic and looking time data were also gathered to be able to assess the contribution of other facets, such as for example attention, to the modulation of the startle reflex. The outcomes of the study indicated a pattern of startle modulation opposite to that particular documented in adults. Infants demonstrated a potentiated startle reflex throughout the viewing of happy faces and an inhibited response throughout the viewing of angry faces…..
Contents
LITERATURE REVIEW
The startle reflex
Startle reflex modulation: Terminology and paradigms
The emotional modulation of startle
A motivational account for the emotion-modulated startle
Emotional modulation of startle in infants
Startle modulation by attention
STUDY 1
Overview
Methods
Participants
Procedure
Stimuli
Data reduction and analysis
Research hypotheses
Results
Startle response
Heart period
Looking time
Discussion
STUDY 2
Overview
Methods
Participants
Procedure
Stimuli
Data reduction and analysis
Research hypotheses….
Source: University of Maryland