The effects of escape conditioning and shock intensity on responding during inescapable shock

Abstract

Eight albino rats, conditioned to press a lever to escape shock, continued to lever press during short inescapable shocks presented subsequently. The rate of this behavior was found to be higher for higher shock intensities regardless of the order in which shock values were presented. Relative to the immediately preceding escape rate, responding during inescapable shock was higher following conditioning at higher fixed-ratio escape requirements. Four subjects not conditioned to escape shock pressed the lever very infrequently during inescapable shock and showed little change with changes in shock intensity. The escape conditioning effects suggest that responding during inescapable shock is superstitious escape behavior. The effects of shock intensity on this behavior appear to be similar to reported effects of shock intensity on escape behavior.