Abstract
In the first experiment, a prolonged period of intermittent, unsignaled shocks preceded appetitive runway acquisition, under either continuous (CRF) or partial reinforcement (PRF) and extinction. In the second experiment, the shock treatment came between CRF or PRF acquisition and extinction; and in the third experiment, the shocks intervened between appetitive CRF acquisition and shock-punishment extinction. The main finding was that compared with an unshocked control, shock facilitated acquisition in Experiment 1, and led to increased resistance to extinction and/or punishment in all experiments. In Experiment 1, the shock effect in appetitive extinction was seen mainly in the CRF group; in Experiment 2, the effect was to increase persistence in both the CRF and PRF groups; and in Experiment 3, shock treatment produced stronger resistance to punished extinction. The discussion is in terms of habituation and a general theory of persistence, and the concept of helplessness.
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This work was supported by a grant (BMS74-19696) from the National Science Foundation.
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Chen, JS., Amsel, A. Prolonged, unsignaled, inescapable shocks increase persistence in subsequent appetitive instrumental learning. Animal Learning & Behavior 5, 377–385 (1977). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209583
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209583