Abstract
Previous work with a shuttlebox avoidance task has found that when serial CS procedures (e.g., tone followed by lights) are compared to nonserial CS procedures (e.g., tone), the serial procedures result in a longer mean avoidance response latency, with most of the avoidance responses occurring to the last stimulus introduced into the sequence (S2). The present study was an attempt to determine whether this serial CS delayed-responding effect could be altered by manipulating the shock intensity. Two serial CS procedures (S1 /S2, S1 /S1 S2) were tested at three shock levels (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mA). Shock level was not found to have a reliable effect on any of the avoidance response indices analyzed. An important difference, however, did emerge between the two serial CS procedures tested. The theoretical implications of the finding were discussed.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dubin, W. J., & Levis, D. J. Influence of similarity of components of a serial CS on conditioned fear in the rat. Journal of Comparative & Physiological Psychology, in press.
Kimble, G. Shock intensity and avoidance learning. Journal of Comparative & Physiological Psychology, 1955, 48, 281–284.
Levine, S. UCS intensity and avoidance learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1966, 71, 163–164.
Levis, D. J. Serial CS presentation and shuttlebox avoidance conditioning: A further look at the tendency to delay responding. Psychonomic Science, 1970, 20, 145–147.
Levis, D. J., & Dubin, W. J. Some parameters affecting shuttlebox avoidance responding with rats receiving serially presented conditioned stimuli. Journal of Comparative & Physiological Psychology, in press.
Levis, D. J., & Stampfl, T. G. Effects of serial CS presentation on shuttlebox avoidance responding. Learning & Motivation, 1972, 3, 73–90.
Pavlov, I. P. Conditioned reflexes. London: Oxford University Press, 1927.
Theios, J., Lynch, A. D., & Lowe, W. F., Jr. Differential effects of shock intensity on one-way and shuttle avoidance conditioning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1966, 72, 294–299.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The testing of Ss was carried out while the authors were associated with the University of Iowa. This research was supported, in part, by Grant MH 16584 from the National Institute of Health.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Levis, D.J., Boyd, T.L. Effects of shock intensity on avoidance responding in a shuttlebox to serial CS procedures. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 1, 304–306 (1973). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334352
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03334352