Abstract
The present study was designed to evaluate the associative consequences of US intensity on acquisition of a conditioned fear response in the rat. An equal number of high and low shock escape trials were presented to four groups. For one group (CSh) a CS was paired only with high shock trials, and, for the other (CSl), only with low shocks. The other two groups served as controls. The CSh group ran faster to the CS than the other groups on trials in which shock was omitted. The CSl group performance was indistinguishable from controls. Shock intensity was found to be a potent performance variable.
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1. This study was supported, in part, by Grant MH 11016 from the National Institute of Mental Health, United States Public Health Service, and was conducted at The Menniger Foundation, Topeka, Kansas. The author is grateful for the generous assistance and advice of Judson S. Brown. Gertrude McIver gave valuable assistance in analysis of the data.
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Anderson, D.C., Johnson, L. Conditioned fear as a function of US intensity under conditions of drive constancy. Psychon Sci 5, 443–444 (1966). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03331040
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03331040