Effects of Stimulus Order and Novelty on Orienting Responses

The effects of stimulus order and novelty upon habituation and dishabituation of the GSR component of the OR were investigated. The numbers 21 to 60 were presented in serial order (Ordered‐Novel group), and in random order (Random‐Novel group), and the number 21 was repeated 40 times (Similar group). The number 600 was occasionally interpolated among each series. No group differences in magnitude of OR to the first stimulus or in habituation of the OR during the series of numbers were found. Dishabituation due to the interpolated stimulus was found primarily in the Similar group. The results were related to Sokolov's concept of neuronal models used in his theory of habituation.