INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN HUMAN NEONATES' RESPONSES TO STIMULATION

Abstract

Individual differences in neonates' intensity of response to stimulation were studied by repeatedly applying four stimuli to 30 babies during the first 4 or 5 days of life. The stimuli were a soft tone, a loud tone, a cold disk, and a pacifier. Babies were stimulated three times at each of four sessions. Ratings were made on a continuum which included inhibitory responses and no responses, and positive responses ranging in intensity from 1 to 5. Ratings were made by two or three of a group of six trained observers. Individual differences among babies in intensity of response were found, and these differences showed significant day-to-day constancy.