Experimental studies of sensory deprivation and social isolation.

Myers, Thomas I.; Murphy, Donald B.; Smith, Seward; Goffard, S. James

doi:10.1037/e449072004-001

Cited by 4 publications

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“…First, a baseline condition of living in the laboratory cubicle but with varied stimulation provided a tighter control of non-deprivation factors (e.g., attitudinal and motivational implications of monitored confinement, diet, etc.) than has been characteristic of previous studies utilizing "normal activity" controls (Jones, 1961;Goldstein, 1965;Myers, et al, 1963;Myers, et al, 1966). And second, attempts were made to remove as much potential "game playing" as possible from the experimental situation.…”

Section: Naval Medical Rerearch Institute" Bethesda Marylandmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Evidence relating to stimulation seeking later on in several-day periods of isolation suggests that for at least some Ss the picture is not one of a steady buildup in need for stimulus variability. Evidence for changes in the course of stimulation seeking over time comes from Zubek's laboratory (Zubek, 1964) and from the HumRRO studies (Myers, et al, 1966). Some Ss in long-term isolation seemingly make peace with their environment and develop a quiet serenity.…”

Section: Correlates Of Stimulation Seekingmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Stimulation Seeking during Sensory Deprivation

Smith

Myers

1966

Percept Mot Skills

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36 volunteer Naval enlisted men underwent isolation for 48 hr.during a srudy of conditions of "relaxation." Each S spent 24 hr. alone in dark quiet sensory deprivation (SD) and 24 hr. in a control condition (C) providing a virtual stimulus cafeteria. The amount of time S listened to a boring stock market report during 1 hr. each day was used as an index of stimulation-seeking need. Significantly more listening occurred while Ss were in the S D than in the C condition. Stimulation-seeking results were compared with various pre-isolation predictor tests, criterion measures during isolation and with post-isolation reports of isolation symptomatology.In an attempt to bring some theoretical order co various facts that were being gathered during early "percepnial isolation" experiments, Hebb (1955) called upon the concept of homeostasis. It was assumed that there is an optimal level of stimulation desired (or required) by an individ~ial and that marked deviations from this level should prompt efforts to bring the system back into "balance." Thus, just as a person attempts to remove himself from high noise fields and other stimulus overload situations, so shoiild he attempt to correct or avoid experiences involving stimulus underload. "Sensory deprivation" and "perceptual deprivation" are underload examples. In the former, there is typically a severe reduction in the physical stimuli that are permitted to impinge upon S's receptors. In the latter, meaningful perceptions are grossly reduced by immersing S in a world of unchanging stimuli, e.g., constant white light and white noise. The notion that persons undergoing conditions such as these should experience considerable "stimulus hunger" is now common. The problems of uncovering proof for the existence of such a "need and in determining its relevance to various isolation phenomena are, all at the same time, interesting, challenging, and cornplicated. It is clear at this time that the answers are not simple, as a survey of research results will reveal. 'We gratefully acknowledge the sizable assistance rendered by many individuals without whom a project of this magnitude could never be undertaken. The following can be only a partial listing. The contributions of our permanent staff members, Eugene Johnson, 111, Estelle N . Kushner, Peter M. Edmondo, and Stephen L. Milstein, were of the highest order in all phases of the srudy. Their efforts were well augmented by the summertime services of

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Section: Naval Medical Rerearch Institute" Bethesda Marylandmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Correlates Of Stimulation Seekingmentioning

confidence: 98%

Stimulation Seeking during Sensory Deprivation

Smith

Myers

1966

Percept Mot Skills

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“…Zubek and Wilgosh (1963) found that persons who had been subjected to a week of isolation while wearing translucent goggles and listening to white noise did significantly worse than controls on such simple tasks as letter cancellation, placing dots in very small triangles, and making check marks in small squares. Myers et al (1966) likewise found that sensory-deprived subjects did significantly worse than controls on simple tasks making up part of the MacQuarrie Test of Mechanical Skills. In contrast with these effects, Patton (1963) and Rathert et al (1964) found no significant deterioration in the performance of such simple skills as letter cancellation and, in fact, reported an improvement in the latter in two men confined to a small space capsule mockup for seven days with normal sensory input.…”

Section: Focus On Perceptual Discriminationmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Vernon et al (196la) found no difference in pencil maze-tracing ability between subjects sensory-deprived for 48 or 72 h and controls, nor did WaIters et al (1963) find any difference in degree of body sway or performance on a manual dexterity test in 40 prisoners after four days of solitary confinement. Myers et al (1966) reported that sensory-deprived subjects did significantly worse than controls in a tracing task taken from the MacQuarrie Test of Mechanical Ability, but the difference was not marked. observed no difference in mirror-tracing skill between controls and subjects perceptually deprived for three days.…”

Section: Focus On Perceptual-motor Coordinationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Factors in Long-Duration Spaceflight

1972

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Council with the express approval of the Governing Board of the NRC. Such approval indicated that the Board considered that the problem is of national significance, that elucidation of the problem required scientific or technical competence, and that the resources of NRC were particularly suitable to the conduct of the project. The institutional responsibilities of the NRC were then discharged in the following manner:The members of the study committee were selected for their individual scholarly competence and judgment, with due consideration for the balance and breadth of disciplines. Responsibility for all aspects of this report rests with the study committee, to whom we express our sincere appreciation.Although the reports of our study committees are not submitted for approval to the Academy membership nor to the Council, each report is reviewed by a second group of scientists according to procedures established and monitored by the Academy's Report Review Committee. Such reviews are intended to determine, inter alia, whether the major questions and relevant points of view have been addressed and whether the reported findings, conclusions, and recommendations arose from the available data and information. Distribution of the report is permitted only after satisfactory completion of this review process.PRECEDlliG PAGES__D NOT FILMED

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“…The literature on the effects of social isolation on the behavior of primates of all ages [i.e., Mitchell et al, 1966;Myers et al, 1966;Schultz, 1965;Suedfeld, 1974;Zuckerman et al, 1966] attests to the im portance of social factors in the development and maintenance of normal behavior. The most important point accrued from the studies reviewed is that social isolation represents a poorly understood form of stimulus reduction whose effects are adverse even in instances in which the environment may be abundant in other sensory stimuli [i.e., Jacobs and Teicher, 1967;Schultz, 1965;Suedfeld, 1974;Weininger, 1972].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Sociality following Isolation on Feeding Rhythms of Monkeys Entrained to Artificial Light Schedules

Braun¹

1979

IJFP

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Socialization following a period of isolation disrupted the feeding rhythms of monkeys entrained to artificial light schedules. When isolation was reinstituted, the performances of the subjects, which had shifted during socialization, reverted to profiles similar to but not the same as they were in the initial isolation period. The strength of the social factor may have derived, in part, from the effects of the isolation which preceded the socialization phase.

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Experimental studies of sensory deprivation and social isolation.

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Stimulation Seeking during Sensory Deprivation

Stimulation Seeking during Sensory Deprivation

Human Factors in Long-Duration Spaceflight

Influence of Sociality following Isolation on Feeding Rhythms of Monkeys Entrained to Artificial Light Schedules

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