Abstract
Temporal form (continuous vs. pulsating) and shock source (alternating current vs. direct current) were factorially combined to produce four shock treatments. The effects of inescapable presentations of these stimuli on subsequent avoidance response acquisition were measured in dogs (Experiment 1) and in rats (Experiment 2) and revealed an interaction of shock variables. Initially, all groups that received ac shock showed impaired performance for the pulsating and continuous shock conditions; groups that received dc continuous shock were also impaired, while those that received dc pulsating shock were not. While this pattern of interference persisted for dogs, it was transient in rats, with only the ac continuous-shock group continuing to be impaired. Mean avoidance performance were positively related to mean activity levels during inescapable shocks for the dc shock groups but not for the ac shock groups.
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Anderson, D.C., Lupo, V., Cunningham. C & Madden, J.Variations in pretreatments as determinants of shuttlebox behavior and pain elicued aggression. Paper presented in the 15th Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Boston, 1974.
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This research was supported by the following grants: MH-13,588 to J. Bruce Overmier, HD-1554 to D. C. Anderson, HD-01136 and BNS-75-03816 to the Center for Research in Human Learning, and grants from the Graduate School of the University of Minnesota to the Center for Research in Human Learning and to J. B. Overmier.
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Lawry, J.A., Lupo, V., Overmier, J.J. et al. Interference with avoidance behavior as a function of qualitative properties of inescapable shocks. Animal Learning & Behavior 6, 147–154 (1978). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209593
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209593