Effect of Knowledge of Response on the Self‐Control of Heart Rate

At an initial session groups of Ss either were (1) correctly informed of the response to be controlled, HR, and given visual feedback of it, or were (2) correctly informed of the response but given no feedback, or were (3) incorrectly informed of the response and given feedback of HR, or were (4) not informed of the response and given feedback of HR. At a second session half of the misinformed and uninformed S s were correctly informed. Trials on which S s were to raise and to lower HR were both given. Between group comparisons generally supported the proposition that correct knowledge of response facilitates learning to lower HR when given external feedback. Results on raising HR, although generally indicating the facilitative role of correct knowledge of response, were not as consistent as those for lowering. Within group comparisons showed trends for correct knowledge of response to improve HR control. Further within group comparisons of raise HR and lower HR trials consistently showed that S s who knew the correct response and received feedback of it, achieved control of HR, whereas those who were misinformed or who received no feedback did not achieve control.