Gantt, W. H., Newton, J. E. O., Royer, F. L. et al. 1966. Effect of person. Conditional Reflex 1, 18-35.

The procedures which we have used in testing the Effect of Person are as follows:1. The Person enters the room, stands in the doorway for 10 sec., then approaches the animal, and after 30 sec. pets the animal by rubbing behind the ears for 30 sec. ... During petting there is in most dogs a marked decrease in HR beginning within 1 or 2 seconds after the onset of the tactile stimulation. This effect could not be demonstrated in a rabbit. The initial increase in HR could not be extinguised by petting. In a cat, the HR was always in creased while a person was present. .. Surprisingly, the petting also caused a consitent increase in HR. .. A man who was able to handle a generally obstreperous female Rhesus monkey performed the petting experiment on two different days. On both days significant decreases were found in HR during petting. The drop was quite marked in the early phase but the HR tended to accelerate as petting continued on the given day. .. A guinea pig showed a significant decrease in HR during petting by 2 different person.