The study explores the need for sensory stimulation during sensory deprivation (S.D.). Confined and nonconfined Ss were compared on time spent button-pressing for visual, auditory, visual and auditory, or no stimulation. Thus, there were 8 treatment groups of 10 human Ss each. Ss in confinement spent more time button-pressing than did nonconfined Ss. Ss receiving pleasant visual stimulation spent more time button-pressing than did Ss not receiving such stimulation. No significant relationships were found between button-pressing behavior and performance on a variety of tests.
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