ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the neural and behavioral mechanisms that must be activated for the performance of operantly conditioned autonomic responses. It also discusses the value of research on response mechanisms, as well as research strategies for studying them. The chapter explains strategies for carrying out research on response mechanisms in operant autonomic conditioning. The first goal of research on operant autonomic conditioning is, of course, to demonstrate that one has successfully changed some autonomic response by means of operant conditioning rather than by some other experimental manipulation. One could apply operant autonomic conditioning procedures therapeutically. One approach to finding out which neurobehavioral systems must be activated for the performance of an operantly conditioned autonomic response is based on correlational analyses. In correlational experiments, one must employ a bidirectional design at least. For example, in heart rate conditioning experiments, one should train one group of subjects to accelerate and another to decelerate heart rate.
