HABITUATION OF 2 RESPONSE SYSTEMS IN THE LIZARD, ANOLIS-CAROLINENSIS

These experiments investigated habituation of two responses in the lizard Anolis carolinensis. In Experiment 1, intertrial intervals (ITI) of 5, 30, and 120 sec had various effects on habituation of dewlap distension and optokinetic response (OKR). Although there were no size differences noted for the OKR, smaller anoles (50-58 mm snout-vent length, SVL) failed to habituate under the 30- and 120-sec ITI of the dewlap response, while larger anoles (≥ 59-mm SVL) habituated under each ITI tested, with no response level differences between ITIs. Rates of habituation were similar within and across responses. In a second experiment, larger anoles were employed to study recovery and retention of dewlap distension and OKR habituation after 15-min and 24-h intervals. Complete recovery of both responses occurred in 24 h, with substantial recovery of both responses after 15 min. Retention was present for both responses after 15 min but not after 24 h. A multiple response-system approach is offered as a promising method for research and theories in habituation. Rather than concentrating upon a single response in one or more species, a multiple response-system approach examines similarities and differences in the habituation of various responses within a single species. © 1979 Psychonomic Society, Inc.