THE TWO-AROUSAL HYPOTHESIS: RETICULAR FORMATION AND LIMBIC SYSTEM

POSTULATES THAT THERE ARE 2 MAJOR SYSTEMS IN THE BRAIN THAT MAINTAIN THE ONGOING BEHAVIOR OF THE VERTEBRATE ORGANISM. AROUSAL SYSTEM I IS RELATED TO THE RETICULAR ACTIVATING SYSTEM. IT MAINTAINS THE AROUSAL OF THE ORGANISM, AND PROVIDES THE ORGANIZATION FOR RESPONSES. AROUSAL SYSTEM II IS RELATED TO THE LIMBIC SYSTEM, AND PROVIDES CONTROL OF RESPONSES THROUGH INCENTIVE RELATED STIMULI. THE ORGANIZATION OF THESE 2 MECHANISMS IS POSTULATED TO BE MUTUALLY INHIBITORY. IT IS SHOWN HOW SUCH AN ORGANIZATION IS OF VALUE IN UNDERSTANDING REINFORCEMENT AS PART OF A RECIPROCAL RELATION BETWEEN DRIVE (I) AND INCENTIVE (II). MEMORY IS VIEWED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THIS RECIPROCITY. (6 P. REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).