Abstract
Two experiments were performed using rats in a conditioned suppression procedure to test two different methods for extinguishing Pavlovian conditioned inhibition. In both experiments, a target stimulus, X, was made inhibitory by giving discrimination training of the form A+ AX−. Then, in Experiment 1, an attempt was made to extinguish the inhibition conditioned to X by presenting nonreinforced occurrences of X, of AX, and of A. Testing for conditioned inhibition took the form B+ BX−. It was found that the extinction procedure did not weaken the inhibitory properties of X. Experiment 2 attempted to extinguish the inhibition conditioned to X by presenting X randomly and independently of the reinforcer, electric grid shock. This procedure appeared to weaken inhibition quickly and permanently.
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This paper is based upon a doctoral dissertation submitted by E. S. Witcher to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 1978, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the PhD degree. The research was supported in part by Grant MH 28226-01 from the National Institute of Mental Health.
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Witcher, E.S., Ayres, J.J.B. A test of two methods for extinguishing Pavlovian conditioned inhibition. Animal Learning & Behavior 12, 149–156 (1984). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03213134
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03213134