Experimental Participation as a Source of Stimulation in Sensory and Perceptual Deprivation Studies of Stimulus-Seeking Behavior by Introverts and Extraverts

Abstract

The hypothesis that the experiment itself provided a change in stimulation was tested under conditions of perceptual deprivation with and without delay of self-stimulation in a free operant situation. Also tested was the hypothesis that extraverts would differ from introverts in seeking more frequent changes in self-administered sound stimulation, rather than in seeking stimulation of greater duration. Parametric tests indicated no significant difference between delay and non-delay groups or between introverts and extraverts with respect to duration and frequency of sound stimulation. Non-parametric test, however, showed extraverts tended to seek significantly more changes of self-stimulation than introverts.