Human Aggressive and Escape Responding: Effects of Provocation Frequency

Abstract

The effect of point loss frequency on aggressive and escape responding was investigated in two experiments. Subjects could respond on levers marked “A,” “B,” or “C” available as nonreversible options. Subjects were instructed that “A” responses earned points exchangeable for money, “B” responses subtracted points from a second subject, and “Cm responses protected their counter from point loss for a period of time. These options were defined as nonaggressive (A), aggressive (B), and escape (C) responses, respectively. A variable time schedule of point loss engendered aggressive and escape responding. The preexperimental instructions attributed point losses to the subject’s fictitious partner. Levers B and C responding escaped point loss by initiating an interval free of provocation (PFI). In Experiment 1 systematically decreasing PFI increased the frequency of point loss and increased aggressive responding for three of the four subjects. In Experiment 2 Pfi durations were systematically alternated between 500 seconds and 125 seconds in an Abab or Baba design. Escape responding increased as a function of increased provocation frequency for all subjects. Order of exposure affected frequency of aggressive and escape responses.