Shock Presentation

Punishment ordinarily suppresses concurrently reinforced behavior. The amount of suppression is related to intensity of punishment by the exponential equation, RI = Rne−0.10I. This equation describes the behavior of both rats and pigeons under very different methods of shock administration. Its generality may, however, be limited by (1) order of shock presentation and (2) amount of exposure to punishment. Recovery characteristically occurs immediately following withdrawal of punishment and, in some cases, even when the contingency is still in effect (mild punishment). At extremely high intensities, however, when concomitant emotional reactions may have been induced, response suppression may be permanent.

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EFFECTS OF RATIO CONTINGENCIES ON RESPONDING MAINTAINED BY SCHEDULES OF ELECTRIC-SHOCK PRESENTATION (RESPONSE-PRODUCED SHOCK)

Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior ◽

10.1901/jeab.1981.36-191 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 191-205 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Marc N. Branch ◽

Steven I. Dworkin

Keyword(s):

Electric Shock ◽

Shock Presentation

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Reinforcement and Punishment of Behavior by the Same Consequent Event

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1977.40.3.1015 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 40 (3) ◽

pp. 1015-1021 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

James E. Barrett ◽

John R. Glowa

Keyword(s):

Discriminative Stimulus ◽

Electric Shock ◽

Squirrel Monkeys ◽

Food Presentation ◽

Fixed Interval ◽

Interval Schedule ◽

Fixed Interval Schedule ◽

Environmental Stimulus ◽

Shock Presentation ◽

Lever Pressing

In daily sessions, lever-pressing by each of two squirrel monkeys was maintained under two different conditions. During one condition responding that had been maintained initially under a 5-min. fixed-interval schedule of food presentation was suppressed when every 30th response produced an electric shock. In the presence of a different discriminative stimulus responding that initially postponed electric shock (avoidance) was ultimately maintained when responding instead produced shock under a 5-min. fixed-interval schedule. Thus responding was suppressed by shock presentation during one condition (punishment) and was maintained by the presentation of an identical shock during a second condition (reinforcement). Whether an environmental stimulus exerts reinforcing or punishing effects on behavior can depend on characteristics other than the nature of the event.

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