Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Habituation in relation to State in the Human Neonate

Nature volume 220, pages 618–620 (1968)Cite this article

Abstract

IN a polygraphic study it was found that newborn babies responded differentially to pure and to patterned tones of equal sound pressure1. Patterned (square-wave) tones were more potent stimuli for eliciting electromyographic responses than pure (sine-wave) tones and within each of these categories those tones with low frequency fundamentals elicited most responses. Square-wave tones with low frequency fundamentals possess certain structural similarities to human speech sounds. They were therefore categorized as “supernormal” stimuli because they elicited more responses than the voice itself, which in turn was more potent than any of the sine-wave tones.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hutt, S. J., Hutt, C., Lenard, H. G., von Bernuth, H., and Muntjewerff, W., Nature, 218, 888 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Thorpe, W. H., Learning and Instinct in Animals (Methuen, London, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Sherrington, C. S., Integrative Action of the Nervous System (Yale Univ. Press, New Haven, 1906).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Prechtl, H. F. R., Akiyama, Y., Zinkin, P., and Kerr-Grant, D., in Clinics in Developmental Medicine, No. 27 (edit. by MacKeith, R. C., and Bax, M. C. O.) (Heinemann, London, 1968).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Roffwarg, H. P., Muzio, J. N., and Dement, W. C., Science, 152, 604 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Dement, W. C., New Directions in Psychology, (edit. by Newcombe, T. M.), 2 (Holt, Rinehart, Winston, New York, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Jouvet, M., Physiol. Rev., 47, 117 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Clemente, C. D. (edit. by), Exp. Neurol. Suppl., 4 (1967).

  9. Monod, N., and Pajot, N., Biologia Neonat., 8, 281 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Oswald, I., in Scientific Basis of Medicine: Annual Reviews (edit. by Ross, J.) (Athlone Press, London, 1964).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Petre-Quadens, O., J. Neurol. Sci., 3, 151 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. de Jonge, H. (Verhand. Ned. Inst. Praev. Geneesk.), Medische Statistiek (1963).

  13. Lipsitt, L. P., Merrill-Palmer Quart. of Behav. and Developm., 12, 45 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Bridger, W. H., Amer. J. Psychiat., 117, 991 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Keen, R. E., Chase, H. H., and Graham, F. K., Psychon. Sci., 2, 265 (1965).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Bartoshuk, A. K., Percept. Mot. Skills, 15, 15 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Bartoshuk, A. K., J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol., 55, 9 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Prechtl, H. F. R., in Clinics in Developmental Medicine, No. 27 (edit. by MacKeith, R. C., and Bax, M. C. O.) (Heinemann, London, 1968).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Hutt, S. J., Lenard, H. G., and Prechtl, H. F. R., in Advances in Child Development and Behaviour (edit. by Lipsitt, L. P., and Spiker, C. C.), 4 (in the press).

  20. McDonald, D. G., Johnson, L. C., and Hord, D. J., Psychophysiol., 1, 163 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Sokolov, E. N., Ann. Rev. Physiol., 25, 545 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Thomson, R. F., and Spencer, W. A., Psychol. Rev., 73, 16 (1966).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Horn, G., Nature, 215, 707 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. C. HUTT & S. J. HUTT

    Present address: Human Development Research Unit, The Park Hospital for Children, Oxford

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Developmental Neurology, University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands

    C. HUTT, H. VON BERNUTH, H. G. LENARD, S. J. HUTT & H. F. R. PRECHTL

Authors
  1. C. HUTT
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. VON BERNUTH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. G. LENARD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S. J. HUTT
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. H. F. R. PRECHTL
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

HUTT, C., VON BERNUTH, H., LENARD, H. et al. Habituation in relation to State in the Human Neonate. Nature 220, 618–620 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1038/220618a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/220618a0

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing