Conditioned Stimulus Effects on Stuttering and GSRs

Abstract

The simultaneous effects of a conditioned stimulus on the frequency of autonomic arousal responses (GSRs) and stuttering for ten subjects were investigated. GSR and stuttering responses were recorded during baserate, treatment, and extinction conditions for three sessions. A face slide was presented continuously for treatment conditions of all sessions. Recorded laughter was presented contingent upon each moment of stuttering during the treatment condition of session two. Stuttering frequency was suppressed during session three demonstrating that the face slide was functioning as a discriminative stimulus. During the treatment portion of session three, GSRs increased for four subjects and decreased for six subjects. Autonomic arousal as a response to the conditioned stimulus did not demonstrate a consistent pattern across subjects.