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A Social-Fighting Test of the Crosby-Cahoon Superstitious Responding Hypothesis in Shock-Elicited Aggression

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Abstract

Crosby and Cahoon ( 1973) have proposed that the typical use of constant duration shock in shock-elicited social fighting between mature male rats may account for the general increase in fighting normally observed over sessions. In a test of their hypothesis, a variable duration shock group was compared with 2 constant duration shock groups. All groups demonstrated a significant increase in fighting over sessions. The results are discussed in reference to superstitious learning and alternative explanations of the “sessions effect” in shock-elicited fighting of rodents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Department, E. R. Johnstone Training and Research Center, Bordentown, New Jersey, 08505, USA

    William B. Ghiselli, Donald H. Thor & Thomas B. Ward

Authors
  1. William B. Ghiselli
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  2. Donald H. Thor
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  3. Thomas B. Ward
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Supported by NIMH Research Grant MH 21577-01.

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Ghiselli, W.B., Thor, D.H. & Ward, T.B. A Social-Fighting Test of the Crosby-Cahoon Superstitious Responding Hypothesis in Shock-Elicited Aggression. Psychol Rec 24, 47–52 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394213

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394213

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