Abstract
It is the presumption, if not the dictum, of investigators concerned with “basic” psychological research that relatively focused or circumscribed study of a particular problem will often uncover a general principle of behavior. This chapter seeks to illuminate such an outgrowth from the history and current extension of research on “shock-right” facilitation, one of several seemingly paradoxical effects of punishment (see Fowler, 197lb). The phenomenon in question was first detected and theoretically elaborated by Karl Muenzinger (1934). He reported that rats were facilitated in learning a visual discrimination when electric shock was administered for the correct, food-reinforced (“right”) response, and virtually as well as when the same intensity of shock was administered to other animals for the incorrect, non-food-reinforced response (“shock wrong”). The generality of the shock-right facilitation effect did not go uncontested, however, and it is to George Wischner’s credit that the phenomenon was first empirically delimited (Wischner, 1947) and then subsequently elaborated in a systematic program of research that he and the author conducted (e.g., Fowler and Wischner, 1969).
The research reported in this chapter was supported. in part, by Grants G-14312 and GB24119 from the National Science Foundation, and by Grants MN-08482 and MH-24115 from the National Institute of Health. United States Public Health Service. Additional support was provided by National Science Foundation Grant G-11309 and National Institute of Health Grant FR-00250 to the Computer Center. University of Pittsburgh.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Ascher, L. M. The effects on shock-right discrimination training of various schedules of food and shock in a partial reinforcement situation. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, 1968.
Bitterman, M. E., and Elam, C. B. Discrimination following varying amounts of nondifferential reinforcement. American Journal of Psychology, 1954, 67, 133–137.
Brodigan, D. L., and Peterson, G. B. Two-choice conditional discrimination performance of pigeons as a function of reward expectancy, prechoice delay, and domesticity. Animal Learning and Behavior, 1976, 4, 121–124.
Brown, W. P. The Yerkes-Dodson law repealed. Psychological Reports, 1965, 17, 663–666.
Bunch, M. E. The effect of electric shock as punishment for errors in human maze-learning. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1928, 8, 343–359.
Campbell, B. A., and Bloom, J. M. Relative aversiveness of noise and shock. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1965, 60, 440–442.
Campbell, B. A., and Masterson, F. A. Psychophysics of punishment. In B. A. Campbell and R. M. Church (Eds.), Punishment and aversive behavior. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1969.
Campbell, B. A., and Teghtsoonian, R. Electrical and behavioral effects of different types of shock stimuli on the rat. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1958, 51, 185–192.
Crawford, F. T., Mayes, G. L., and Bitterman, M. E. A further study of differential afferent consequences in nondifferential reinforcement. American Journal of Psychology, 1954, 67, 717–719.
Crozier, W. J. On the law for minimal discrimination of intensities: IV. AI as a function of intensity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1940, 26, 382–389.
Dodson, J. D. Relative values of reward and punishment in habit formation. Psychobiology, 1917, 1, 231–276.
Domber, E. A., Fowler, H., and Wischner, G. J. Shock-right facilitation: Correction training with differential SD availability during an enforced delay following an error. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1971, 89, 329–334.
Drew, G. C. The function of punishment in learning. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 1938, 52, 257–267.
Eninger, M. V. Habit summation in a selective learning problem. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1952, 45, 604–608.
Fago, G. C. Shock-right facilitation in an easy problem, noncorrection context as effected by a delay of primary reinforcement. Unpublished master’s thesis, University of Pittsburgh, 1967.
Fago, G., and Fowler, H. Facilitated discrimination learning as effected by response-contingent neutral and aversive stimuli. Learning and Motivation, 1972, 3, 20–30.
Fairlie, C. W. The effect of shock at the “moment of choice” on the formation of a visual discrimination habit. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1937, 21, 662–669.
Fowler, H. Facilitation and inhibition of performance by punishment: The effects of shock intensity and distribution of trials. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1963, 56, 531–538.
Fowler, H. Implications of sensory reinforcement. In R. Glaser (Ed.), The nature of reinforcement. New York: Academic Press, 1971.
Fowler, H. Suppression and facilitation by response contingent shock. In E R. Brush (Ed.), Aversive conditioning and learning. New York: Academic Press, 1971.
Fowler, H., and Miller, N. E. Facilitation and inhibition of runway performance by hind-and forepaw shock of various intensities. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1963, 56, 801–805.
Fowler, H., and Wischner, G. J. Discrimination performance as affected by problem difficulty and shock for either the correct or incorrect response. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1965, 69, 413–418.
Fowler, H., and Wischner, G.J. On the “secondary reinforcing” effect of shock for the correct response in visual discrimination learning. Psychonomic Science, 1965, 3, 209–210.
Fowler, H., and Wischner, G. J. The varied functions of punishment in discrimination learning. In B. A. Campbell and R. M. Church (Eds.), Punishment and aversive behavior. New York: AppletonCentury-Crofts, 1969.
Fowler, H., Spelt, P. E, and Wischner, G. J. Discrimination performance as affected by training procedure, problem difficulty, and shock for the correct response. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1967, 75, 432–436.
Fowler, H., Goldman, L., and Wischner, G. J. Sodium amytal and the shock-right intensity function for visual discrimination learning. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1968, 65, 155–159.
Fowler, H., Fago, G. C., and Wischner, G. J. Shock-right facilitation in an easy, noncorrection problem as effected by delay of reward. Learning and Motivation, 1971, 2, 235–245.
Fowler, H., Hochhauser, M., and Wischner, G. J. Facilitating stimulus effects of reward and punishment in discrimination learning. Animal Learning and Behavior, 1981, 9, 16–20.
Freeburne, C. M., and Taylor, J. E. Discrimination learning with shock for right and wrong responses in the same subjects. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1952, 45, 264–268.
Goss, A. E. A stimulus-response analysis of the interaction of cue-producing and instrumental responses. Psychological Review, 1955, 62, 20–31.
Grice, G. R. The relation of secondary reinforcement to delayed reward in visual discrimination learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1948, 38, 1–16.
Hawkins, R. P. Effects of drive, incentive and problem difficulty on the facilitation of discrimination performance by punishment of correct responses. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, 1965.
Hendry, D. P. (Ed.). Conditioned reinforcement. Homewood, Ill.: Dorsey Press, 1969.
Hochhauser, M. The effect of shock for the correct response on performance in an easy visual discrimination task entailing differential reinforcement. Unpublished master’s thesis, University of Pittsburgh, 1970.
Hochhauser, M., and Fowler, H. Cue effects of drive and reward as a function of discrimination difficulty: Evidence against the Yerkes—Dodson law. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 1975, 104, 261–269.
Hoge, M. A., and Stocking, R. J. A note on the relative value of punishment and reward as motives. Journal of Animal Behavior, 1912, 2, 43–50.
Hull, C. L. Abehavior system. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1952.
Kalish, D. The non-correction method and the delayed response problem of Blodgett and McCutchan. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1946, 39, 91–107.
Lawrence, D. H. The applicability of generalization gradients to the transfer of a discrimination along a continuum. Journal of General Psychology, 1955, 52, 37–48.
Logan, E A. Transfer of discrimination. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1966, 71, 616–618.
Lovejoy, E. Attention in discrimination learning. San Francisco: Holden-Day, 1968.
Mackintosh, N. J. An analysis of overshadowing and blocking. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology,1971, 23, 118–125.
Mackintosh, N. J. The psychology of animal learning. London: Academic Press, 1974.
Miles, C. G., and Jenkins, H. M. Overshadowing in operant conditioning as a function of discriminability. Learning and Motivation, 1973, 4, 11–27.
Miller, N. E. Some recent studies of conflict behavior and drugs. American Psychologist, 1961, 16, 12–24.
Moskowitz, M. J. Running-wheel activity in the white rat as a function of combined food and water deprivation. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1959, 52, 621–625.
Mowrer, O. H. Learning theory and personality dynamics. New York: Ronald Press, 1950. Muenzinger, K. E. Motivation in learning: I. Electric shock for correct responses in the visual discrimination habit. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1934, 17, 267–277.
Muenzinger, K. E Concerning the effect of shock for right responses in visual discrimination learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1948, 38, 201–203.
Muenzinger, K. E, and Baxter, L. F. The effects of training to approach vs. to escape from electric shock upon subsequent discrimination learning. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1957, 50, 252–257.
Muenzinger, K. E., and Fletcher, F. M. Motivation in learning: VII. The effect of an enforced delay at the point of choice in the visual discrimination habit. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1937, 23, 383–392.
Muenzinger, K. E, and Newcomb, H. Motivation in learning: V. The relative effectiveness of jumping a gap and crossing an electric grid in a visual discrimination habit. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1936, 21, 95–104.
Muenzinger, K. E., and Powloski, R. E Motivation in learning: X. Comparison of electric shock for correct turns in a corrective and non-corrective situation. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1951, 42, 118–124.
Muenzinger, K. E, and Wood, A. Motivation in learning: IV. The function of punishment as determined by its temporal relation to the act of choice in the visual discrimination habit. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1935, 20, 95–106.
Muenzinger, K. E, Bernstone, A. H., and Richards, L. Motivation in learning: VIII. Equivalent amounts of electric shock for right and wrong responses in a visual discrimination habit. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1938, 26, 177–186.
Muenzinger, K. E, Brown, W. O., Crow, W. J., and Powloski, R. E Motivation in learning: XI. An analysis of electric shock for correct responses into its avoidance and accelerating components. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1952, 43, 115–119.
Pavlov, I. P. Conditioned reflexes (translation by G. V. Anrep). London and New York: Oxford University Press, 1927.
Perkins, C. C., Jr. The relation of secondary reward to gradients of reinforcement. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1947, 37, 377–392.
Peterson, G. B., Wheeler, R. L., and Armstrong, G. D. Expectancies as mediators in the differential-reward conditional discrimination performance of pigeons. Animal Learning and Behavior, 1978, 6, 279–285.
Prince, A. L., Jr. Effect of punishment on visual discrimination learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1956, 52, 381–385.
Rescorla, R. A., and Wagner, A. R. A theory of Pavlovian conditioning: Variations in the effectiveness of reinforcement and nonreinforcement. In A. H. Black and W. E Prokasy (Eds.), Classical conditioning: II. Current research and theory. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1972.
Seward, J. P. An experimental analysis of maze discrimination. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1943, 35, 17–27.
Spelt, P. E Effect of shock-right discrimination training using a correction procedure with an enforced delay following an incorrect choice. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, 1967.
Spelt, P. E, and Fowler, H. Shock-right discrimination training: The effect of correction training with an enforced delay following an incorrect choice. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1969, 79, 504–508.
Spence, K. W. The nature of discrimination learning in animals. Psychological Review, 1936, 43, 427–449.
Sutherland, N. S., and Holgate, V. Two cue discrimination learning in rats. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1966, 61, 198–207.
Sutherland, N. S., and Mackintosh, N. J. Mechanisms of animal discrimination learning. New York: Academic Press, 1971.
Thorndike, E. L. Animal intelligence. New York: Macmillan, 1911.
Trapold, M. A. Are expectancies based upon different positive reinforcing events discriminably different? Learning and Motivation, 1970, 1, 129–140.
Warden, C. J., and Aylesworth, M. The relative value of reward and punishment in the formation of a visual discrimination habit in the white rat. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1927, 7, 117–127.
Warren, J. M. Additivity of cues in visual pattern discriminations by monkeys. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1953, 46, 484–486.
Wischner, G. J. The effect of punishment on discrimination learning in a noncorrection situation. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1947, 37, 271–284.
Wischner, G. J. A reply to Dr. Muenzinger on the effect of punishment on discrimination learning in a non-correction situation. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1948, 38, 203–204.
Wischner, G. J., and Fowler, H. Discrimination performance as affected by duration of shock for either the correct or incorrect response. Psychonomic Science, 1964, 1, 239–240.
Wischner, G. J., Fowler, H., and Kushnick, S. A. Effect of strength of punishment for “correct” or “incorrect” responses on visual discrimination performance. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1963, 65, 131–138.
Wolfe, J. B. The effect of delayed reward upon learning in the white rat. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1934, 17, 1–21.
Wolfe, J. B., and Kaplan, M. D. Effect of amount of reward and consummative activity on learning in chickens. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1941, 31, 353–361.
Yerkes, R. M., and Dodson, J. D. The relation of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit formation. Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology, 1908, 18, 459–482.
Zanich, M. L., and Fowler, H. Primary and secondary reinforcers as distinctive cues which acquire information value in partial-reinforcement discrimination training. Learning and Motivation, 1975, 6, 299–313
Zeaman, D., and House, B. J. The role of attention in retardate discrimination learning. In N. R. Ellis (Ed.), Handbook of mental deficiency: Psychological theory and research. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1963.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1982 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Fowler, H. (1982). Facilitating Stimulus Effects of Reward and Punishment. In: Routh, D.K. (eds) Learning, Speech, and the Complex Effects of Punishment. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4196-3_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4196-3_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-4198-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-4196-3
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive