Date of Defense

1974

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Intertrial interval responses were punished, during a discrete trial avoidance procedure, using a stimulus which had acquired a high degree of stimulus control over the response topography. Only one response was required to avoid shock during the entire avoidance component. Measures were recorded of the percentage of shocks avoided and escaped, the latency of avoidance, and durations of avoidance, escape, and intertrial interval responses. The procedure resulted in an increase in the level of discrimination between schedule components, shorter latencies for avoidance, and variable response durations. Results are discussed in terms of multiple measures of performance better reflecting response probabilities, the relation to punishment contrast, and the discriminative control of shock over responding.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Campus Only

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