CONCEPTUAL ISSUES IN THE STUDY OF ACQUISITION AND EXTINCTION OF AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOR

• Autor(a) principal: Todorov, João Cláudio
• Data de Publicação: 2012
• Outros Autores: Cameschi, Carlos Eduardo
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Psicologia (Universidade de Brasília. Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.unb.br/index.php/revistaptp/article/view/17095

The processes of acquisition and extinction of avoidancebehavbr in rats were studied in two experiments. In Experiment I eightrats were exposed to a free-operant avoidance procedure. Hours oftraining varied from three to 102. In the second experimental condition, theschedule was changed to unavoidable shocks every 30 sec, on theaverage (variable-time or VT 30-sec). Results indicate acquisition ofbar-press responses for all rats during training, and persistence ofresponding for five animals even when responses did not avoid shocks(extinction procedure). In Experiment II 6 subjects were exposed to four experimental conditions: 1) Baseline - no scheduled shock; 2) VT 30-secof unavoidable shocks; 3) Avoidance; 4) Unavoidable shocks (VT 30-sec). Ten other rats were exposed just to phases 1 and 2. Results showthat responding developed under the first exposure to unavoidable shocksand increased in rate under the avoidance schedule. During the extinctionprocedure (phase 4) response rates decreased to the levels observed inphase 2. Results indicate the possibility of accidental reinforcement ofresponding under unavoidable shocks.