Abstract
The effects of attentional and motivational variables on reaction time in brain-damaged and familial retardates were investigated. Reaction time was functionally related to 2 intensities of an auditory reaction signal under conditions of contingent, noncontingent, or no reinforcement over 5 30-trial sessions for both etiologic groups. While no significant differences between brain-damaged and familial Ss were found, reaction time decreased as signal intensity increased and decreased over sessions as a function of contingent reinforcement. Likewise, differences in reaction times to each signal intensity became smaller over sessions as a function of contingent reinforcement. Results were discussed in relation to previous research and in relation to the relative effect of attentional and motivational factors in the reaction-time performance of the retarded.
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