Abstract
A procedure involving the use of free-operant discriminated avoidance in monkeys was replicated with white rats. Each rat was exposed to a series of avoidance schedules, in which the safestimulus duration was held constant and the warning-stimulus duration was systematically varied. Of the 6 rats in the study, 3 were exposed to the warning-stimulus durations in ascending order (shortest duration first), and 3 in descending order (longest duration first). The rats generally showed higher shock rates and lower response rates than the monkeys.
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This research was supported by a Summer Stipend and other funds from the University of New Haven. The author wishes to thank John Gianutsos, Michael York, and Thomas Mentzer for their critical reading of the manuscript. Technical assistance was rendered by Andrew Kaplan, Sherry Lantz, Steven Jex, and Ellen Kulak. The secretarial assistance of Beverly Blanchard is gratefully acknowledged.
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Hyman, A. Free-operant discriminated avoidance in the rat. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 27, 149–152 (1989). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329925
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329925