PERCEPTUAL DEFENSE AND VIGILANCE TO PERINATAL STIMULI

The presentation times (milliseconds on a computer screen followed by a masking grid) required for the correct identification of tachistosco pically presented perinatal stimuli were compared for 30 pregnant wome n and 25 perimenopausal women. Analysis indicated a differential facil itation or inhibition of perception in logical relation to subjects' c loseness to pregnancy or menopause: pregnant women are quicker to iden tify stimuli related to pregnancy or babies but slower to recognize pi ctures of a pregnant woman with her father or mother. This supports th e validity of measurements based on the theory of perceptual defense o r vigilance.