Abstract
Four Ss (rats) were given 3000 trials under a discriminated avoidance training schedule in a lever pressing apparatus. The warning period was correlated with silence, and a 5 sec. intertrial interval was indicated by a buzzer. For three Ss the warning period was gradually increased over sessions from 1 sec. to 16 sec, and to 32 sec. for the fourth S. On a few sessions the distinction between the warning signal and inter-trial interval was eliminated and then reinstated; this tested for stimulus control. Measures of response latency to the warning stimulus and of response holding times were obtained. The results showed that percentage avoidance increased with the length of the warning period and was negatively correlated with the Ss’ lever holding behavior. Latencies of avoidance response fell at the mid-point of the warning periods investigated.
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The experiment was supported by a grant from the Medical Research Council, United Kingdom, and the preparation of this report was made possible by Grant GB-5379 from NSF.
The experiments were run during the summer of 1965 shortly before both authors transferred from Birkbeck College, London, to the University of Tennessee.
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Hurwitz, H.M.B., Dillow, P.V. Avoidance and Response Duration as a Function of the Length of the Warning Period. Psychol Rec 17, 517–524 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393727
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393727