Abstract
Rats with extremely low response rates in a free-operant avoidance paradigm were subjected to altered experimental conditions involving either increased intensity or increased duration of shock relative to previous baseline conditions. Both changes resulted in a gradual increase in response rate. It is suggested that duration of shock be further investigated as a manipulatable variable contributing to the total stimulus complex of the freeoperant avoidance paradigm.
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The authors’ research was supported by NICHD Grants HD-43, 7310, and Public Health Grant PL 88-164.
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Hayes, W.A., MacKinnon, R.C. Two methods of increasing response rate in free-operant avoidance conditioning. Psychon Sci 13, 275–276 (1968). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03342521
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03342521