Abstract
Four rats were trained to press a lever to escape from high-intensity (.5 mA) and low-intensity (.25-mA) electric shock, and then the intensity of the shock was alternated in blocks of 30 trials within sessions. The animals escaped more rapidly from the high-intensity shock than from the low-intensity shock. Performance adjustments following an increase in shock intensity were rapid, while performance adjustments following an intensity decrease were more gradual. The asymptotic performance at constant shock intensity and the asymmetrical adjustment speeds following a shift in intensity were interpreted to be a result of a conflict between effort and reinforcement.
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This article is based on a thesis submitted by R. H. Gracely to Brown University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MS degree. The research was supported by research grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (MH-19704) and by the National Science Foundation (GB 43208).
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Gracely, R.H., Church, R.M. Adjustment of speed in repeated shifts of a negative reinforcer. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 7, 455–457 (1976). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337245
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337245