Subjective uncertainty,the orientation reaction,and the reinforcement of an instrumental response

In Experiment 1, Ss were exposed to slides of intermediate blur for 5, 10, 30, or 60 sec and were asked to guess the identity of the blurred object and to estimate how confident they were of each guess. The S’s task in Experiment 2 was merely to view the blurred slides while S’s EEG waves were being recorded. After being exposed to a blurred slide for a certain duration, in Experiment 3, Ss were required, by means of a key press, to choose to view either a clear version of the blurred slide or an unrelated clear picture. Uncertainty/second, EEG desynchronization/’second, and related choices were all found to be a negatively sloped function of viewing duration.