| Abstract: | A total of 20 female Long-Evans rats trained to press a retractable lever for food in a discrete trials situation were subsequently punished for responding. After suppression of responding, response-independent shocks were presented, with intensity increased on successive daily sessions. Shock induced responding, and number of responses, increased and response latencies decreased with increasing shock intensity. Control Ss initially given uncorrelated lever-food presentations responded significantly less to response-independent shock, and their responding was not systematically related to shock intensity. Results are consistent with the view that shock induces or disinhibits prepotent responses and inconsistent with the view that, to be effective in suppressing behavior, punishment must induce responses incompatible with the punished response. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
