CONCEPTUAL ISSUES IN THE STUDY OF ACQUISITION AND EXTINCTION OF AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOR
Abstract
The processes of acquisition and extinction of avoidance
behavbr in rats were studied in two experiments. In Experiment I eight
rats were exposed to a free-operant avoidance procedure. Hours of
training varied from three to 102. In the second experimental condition, the
schedule was changed to unavoidable shocks every 30 sec, on the
average (variable-time or VT 30-sec). Results indicate acquisition of
bar-press responses for all rats during training, and persistence of
responding for five animals even when responses did not avoid shocks
(extinction procedure). In Experiment II 6 subjects were exposed to four experimental conditions: 1) Baseline - no scheduled shock; 2) VT 30-sec
of unavoidable shocks; 3) Avoidance; 4) Unavoidable shocks (VT 30-
sec). Ten other rats were exposed just to phases 1 and 2. Results show
that responding developed under the first exposure to unavoidable shocks
and increased in rate under the avoidance schedule. During the extinction
procedure (phase 4) response rates decreased to the levels observed in
phase 2. Results indicate the possibility of accidental reinforcement of
responding under unavoidable shocks.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Azrin, N. H., & Holz, W. (1966). Punishment Em W. K. Honig (Org.). Operant
behavior: areas of research and application. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice Hall.
Bersh, P. J., & Alloy, L. B. (1978). Avoidance based on shock intensity reduction with
no change in shock probability. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior,
30, 293-300.
de Villiers, P. A. (1974). The law of effect and avoidance: a quantitative relationship
between response rate and shock-frequency reduction. Journal of the Experimental
Analysis of Behavior, 21, 223-235.
Domjan, M. P. (1969). Superstitious escape in the albino rat. Psychological Record,
19, 53-58.
Domjan, M. P., & Rowell, J. W. (1969). The effects of escape conditioning and shock
intensity on responding during inescapable shock. Journal of the Experimental
Analysis of Behavior, 12, 1045-1048.
Gardner, E. Т., & Lewis, P. (1976). Negative reinforcement with shock-frequency
increase. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 25, 3-14.
Goodman, E. D., Dyal, J. A., Zinser, O., & Golub, A. (1966). UCR Morphology and
shock intensity. Phychonomic Science, 5, 431-432.
Gorayeb, R., & Todorov, J. C. (1977). Key-pecking maintained by negative
reinforcement multiple schedules. Revista Mexicana de Analisis de la Conducta, 3,
161-168.
Herrnstein, R. J., & Hineline, P. N. (1966). Negative reinforcement as shock-frequency
reduction. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 9, 421-430.
Higgins, S. T„ & Morris, E. K. (1984). Generality of free-operant avoidance
conditioning to human behavior. Phychological Bulletin, 96, 247-272.
Hineline, P. N. (1970). Negative reinforcement without shock-frequency reduction.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavor, 14, 259-268.
Hineline, P. N. (1977). Negative reinforcement and avoidance. Em W. K. Honig, & J. E.
R. Staddon (Orgs.). Handbook of operant behavior. Erglewood Cliffs, N. J.:
Prentice-Hall.
Hineline, P. N. (1981). The several roles of stimuli in negative reinforcement. Em P.
Harzem, & M. D. Zeiler (Orgs.). Advances in analysis of behavior (vol. 2):
Predictability, correlation and contiguity. New York: Wiley.
Hineline, P. N. (1984). Aversive control: A separate domain? Journal of the
Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 42, 495-509.
Kelleher, R. Т., & Morse, W. H. (1968). Schedules using noxious stimuli III.
Responding maintained with response-produced electric shocks. Journal of the
Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 11, 819-838.
Lambert, J. V., Bersh, P. J., Hineline, P. N., & Smith, G. D. (1973). Avoidance
conditioning with shock contingent upon the avoidance response. Journal of the
Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 19, 361-367.
Lewis, P., Gardner, E. Т., & Lopatto, D. (1980). Shock-duration reduction as negative
reinforcement. Psychological Record, 30, 219-228.
Migler, B. (1963). Experimental self-punishment and superstitious escape behavior.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 6, 371-385.
Morse, W. H., & Kelleher, R. T. (1966). Schedules using noxious stimuli I. Multiple
fixed-ratio and fixed-interval termination of schedules complexes. Journal of the
Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 9, 267-290.
Morse, W. H., Mead, R. N., & Kelleher, R. T. (1967). Modulation of elicited behavior by
a fixed-interval schedule of eletric shock presentation. Science, 157, 215-217.
Powell, R. W., & Peck, S. (1969). Persistent shock-elicited responding engendered by
a negative-reinforcement procedure. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of
Behavior, 12,1049-1062.
Seligman, M. E. P., Maier, S. F., & Solomon, R. L. (1971). Unpredictable and
uncontrolable aversive events. Em F. R. Brush (Org.). Aversive conditioning and
learning. New York: Academic Press.
Sidman, M. (1953a). Avoidance coditioning with brief shock and no exteroceptive
warning signal. Science, 118, 157-158.
Sidman, M. (1953b). Two temporal parameters in the maintenance of avoidance
behavior by the white rat. Journal, of Comparative and Physiological Psychology,
46, 253-261.
Sidman, M. (1955). On the persistence of avoidance behavior. Journal of Abnormal
and Social Psychology, 50, 217-220.
Sidman, M. (1962). Reduction of shock frequency as reinforcement for avoidance
behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 5,247-257.
Todorov, J. C. (1981). Aquisição e manutenção do comportamento em situações de
estimulação aversiva não contingente. Trabalho apresentado na XI Reunião Anual
de Psicologia. Ribeirão Preto: Sociedade de Psicologia de Ribeirão Preto.
Todorov, J. C, Ferrari, E. A. M., & Souza, D. G, (1974). Key pecking as a function of
response-shock and shock-shock intervals in unsignalled avoidance. Journal of
the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 22,215-218.
Todorov, J. C, Ferreira de Carvalho, L. С., & Menandro, P. R. M. (1977). The
standard Sidman avoidance procedure as a temporal differentation schedule.
Revista Mexicana de Analisis de la Conducta, 3,151-160.
Ulrich, R. E., & Azrin, N. H. (1962). Reflexive fighting in response to aversive
stimulation. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 5,511 -520.
behavior: areas of research and application. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice Hall.
Bersh, P. J., & Alloy, L. B. (1978). Avoidance based on shock intensity reduction with
no change in shock probability. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior,
30, 293-300.
de Villiers, P. A. (1974). The law of effect and avoidance: a quantitative relationship
between response rate and shock-frequency reduction. Journal of the Experimental
Analysis of Behavior, 21, 223-235.
Domjan, M. P. (1969). Superstitious escape in the albino rat. Psychological Record,
19, 53-58.
Domjan, M. P., & Rowell, J. W. (1969). The effects of escape conditioning and shock
intensity on responding during inescapable shock. Journal of the Experimental
Analysis of Behavior, 12, 1045-1048.
Gardner, E. Т., & Lewis, P. (1976). Negative reinforcement with shock-frequency
increase. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 25, 3-14.
Goodman, E. D., Dyal, J. A., Zinser, O., & Golub, A. (1966). UCR Morphology and
shock intensity. Phychonomic Science, 5, 431-432.
Gorayeb, R., & Todorov, J. C. (1977). Key-pecking maintained by negative
reinforcement multiple schedules. Revista Mexicana de Analisis de la Conducta, 3,
161-168.
Herrnstein, R. J., & Hineline, P. N. (1966). Negative reinforcement as shock-frequency
reduction. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 9, 421-430.
Higgins, S. T„ & Morris, E. K. (1984). Generality of free-operant avoidance
conditioning to human behavior. Phychological Bulletin, 96, 247-272.
Hineline, P. N. (1970). Negative reinforcement without shock-frequency reduction.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavor, 14, 259-268.
Hineline, P. N. (1977). Negative reinforcement and avoidance. Em W. K. Honig, & J. E.
R. Staddon (Orgs.). Handbook of operant behavior. Erglewood Cliffs, N. J.:
Prentice-Hall.
Hineline, P. N. (1981). The several roles of stimuli in negative reinforcement. Em P.
Harzem, & M. D. Zeiler (Orgs.). Advances in analysis of behavior (vol. 2):
Predictability, correlation and contiguity. New York: Wiley.
Hineline, P. N. (1984). Aversive control: A separate domain? Journal of the
Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 42, 495-509.
Kelleher, R. Т., & Morse, W. H. (1968). Schedules using noxious stimuli III.
Responding maintained with response-produced electric shocks. Journal of the
Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 11, 819-838.
Lambert, J. V., Bersh, P. J., Hineline, P. N., & Smith, G. D. (1973). Avoidance
conditioning with shock contingent upon the avoidance response. Journal of the
Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 19, 361-367.
Lewis, P., Gardner, E. Т., & Lopatto, D. (1980). Shock-duration reduction as negative
reinforcement. Psychological Record, 30, 219-228.
Migler, B. (1963). Experimental self-punishment and superstitious escape behavior.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 6, 371-385.
Morse, W. H., & Kelleher, R. T. (1966). Schedules using noxious stimuli I. Multiple
fixed-ratio and fixed-interval termination of schedules complexes. Journal of the
Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 9, 267-290.
Morse, W. H., Mead, R. N., & Kelleher, R. T. (1967). Modulation of elicited behavior by
a fixed-interval schedule of eletric shock presentation. Science, 157, 215-217.
Powell, R. W., & Peck, S. (1969). Persistent shock-elicited responding engendered by
a negative-reinforcement procedure. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of
Behavior, 12,1049-1062.
Seligman, M. E. P., Maier, S. F., & Solomon, R. L. (1971). Unpredictable and
uncontrolable aversive events. Em F. R. Brush (Org.). Aversive conditioning and
learning. New York: Academic Press.
Sidman, M. (1953a). Avoidance coditioning with brief shock and no exteroceptive
warning signal. Science, 118, 157-158.
Sidman, M. (1953b). Two temporal parameters in the maintenance of avoidance
behavior by the white rat. Journal, of Comparative and Physiological Psychology,
46, 253-261.
Sidman, M. (1955). On the persistence of avoidance behavior. Journal of Abnormal
and Social Psychology, 50, 217-220.
Sidman, M. (1962). Reduction of shock frequency as reinforcement for avoidance
behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 5,247-257.
Todorov, J. C. (1981). Aquisição e manutenção do comportamento em situações de
estimulação aversiva não contingente. Trabalho apresentado na XI Reunião Anual
de Psicologia. Ribeirão Preto: Sociedade de Psicologia de Ribeirão Preto.
Todorov, J. C, Ferrari, E. A. M., & Souza, D. G, (1974). Key pecking as a function of
response-shock and shock-shock intervals in unsignalled avoidance. Journal of
the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 22,215-218.
Todorov, J. C, Ferreira de Carvalho, L. С., & Menandro, P. R. M. (1977). The
standard Sidman avoidance procedure as a temporal differentation schedule.
Revista Mexicana de Analisis de la Conducta, 3,151-160.
Ulrich, R. E., & Azrin, N. H. (1962). Reflexive fighting in response to aversive
stimulation. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 5,511 -520.
Downloads
Published
2012-08-16
How to Cite
Todorov, J. C., & Cameschi, C. E. (2012). CONCEPTUAL ISSUES IN THE STUDY OF ACQUISITION AND EXTINCTION OF AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOR. Psicologia: Teoria E Pesquisa, 6(3), 215–231. Retrieved from https://periodicos.unb.br/index.php/revistaptp/article/view/17095
Issue
Section
Artigos
