Abstract
Twelve amygdaloid lesioned and 18 control rats received 200 5-sec shocks in either the black or white side of a two-compartment box. Ss spent an equal length of time without punishment in the opposite colored compartment The partition separating the two compartments was removed and the time Ss spent on each side in two 10-min test sessions was recorded. Control animals avoided the shock color by staying on the /ld;safe/rd; side approximately 80% of the time; in contrast, amygdaloid Ss spent scarcely half their time on the nonshock side, although they did display a highly significant preference for the black side regardless of whether or not they had been shocked there. The role of the amygdala in aversive conditioning situations was discussed.
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Gaston, M.G., Freed, L. Effect of amygdaloid lesions in a fear conditioning situation not involving instrumental learning. Psychon Sci 16, 55–56 (1969). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03331913
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03331913