Effect of Alcohol on the Acquisition and Resistance-To-Extinction of Avoidance Responses in Rats

1970 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 759-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morrie Baum
Keyword(s):  
Avoidance Response ◽  
Factorial Design ◽  
Avoidance Learning ◽  
Avoidance Behavior ◽  
Escape Trial ◽  
Resistance To Extinction ◽  
Alcohol Alcohol ◽  
Avoidance Responses

Two experiments were conducted to explore the effects of alcohol on avoidance behavior in rats. In Exp. I, the effect of alcohol on the acquisition of an avoidance response was examined in a 2 × 4 factorial design. Groups of rats were trained to avoid in one of two simple avoidance tasks following the administration of one of four doses of alcohol. Alcohol significantly affected the latency of the first escape trial but did not significantly influence any of the measures of avoidance learning. In Exp. II, a 2 × 3 factorial design was employed to study the effect of alcohol on the resistance-to-extinction of a previously learned avoidance response. Rats were trained to avoid in one of the two tasks and then were given one of three doses of alcohol prior to extinction. Alcohol significantly influenced resistance-to-extinction, with the appropriate dose increasing the persistence of the response. The results of these experiments were taken to indicate that (a) alcohol does not really reduce fear in rats or (b) alcohol reduces fear, but the level of fear does not determine the acquisition or extinction of simple avoidance responses.

Effect of an Adrenal Demedullation on Signaled, One-Way, Active Avoidance Learning

1978 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 631-637
Author(s):  
John J. Clancy ◽  
Donald F. Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
Avoidance Response ◽  
Adrenal Medulla ◽  
Avoidance Learning ◽  
Avoidance Behavior ◽  
Active Avoidance ◽  
Escape Latency ◽  
Behavioral Measures ◽  
Active Avoidance Response ◽  
Relevant Variables

The effect of an adrenal demedullation on the acquisition of a signaled, one-way active avoidance response was examined in the rat. No significant differences in acquisition related to the adrenal demedullation were found on the four behavioral measures of response, avoidance and escape latency, and the number of avoidance responses. It was concluded that the catecholamines, epinephrine and norepinephrine, produced by the adrenal medulla are not necessary for the acquisition of a signaled, one-way, active avoidance response. The results indicate that response criteria and cue functioning in one-way acquisition are not relevant variables in resolving discrepancies in the adrenal demedullation literature. The findings suggest that unsignaled, two-way acquisition should be investigated for further clarification of the role of the adrenal medulla in avoidance behavior.

Discontinuous Shock and Discriminated-Avoidance Learning by Tadpoles (Rana Pipiens)

1973 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J. Hoyer
Keyword(s):  
Avoidance Response ◽  
Factorial Design ◽  
Conditional Stimulus ◽  
Avoidance Learning ◽  
Rana Pipiens ◽  
Unconditional Stimulus ◽  
Leopard Frogs ◽  
Avoidance Situation ◽  
Discontinuous Shock

20 larval leopard frogs ( Rana pipiens) were given 40 trials per day for 5 consecutive days in a discriminated-avoidance situation. Light was used as the conditional stimulus (CS), and the unconditional stimulus (US) consisted of scrambled electric current. Ss were matched for size and assigned to 4 cells of a 2 by 2 factorial design. The factors were US intensity (0.4 ma vs 0.8 ma) and type of US (discontinuous vs continuous). Over sessions there was an increase in the number of avoidance responses ( p < .005) and a corresponding decrease in the number of no-response trials ( p < .05). Discontinuous shock, which facilitates discriminated-avoidance learning in tats, did not affect the level of avoidance responding in tadpoles but did significantly reduce the number of no-response trials ( p < .01). This finding suggested that the role of the discontinuous shock in discriminated-avoidance learning may be adventitiously to eliminate responses (e.g., freezing) which are incompatible with the avoidance response.

Effect of Electroconvulsive Shock on Passive Avoidance Learning with High and Low Intensity Footshock

1965 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis J. Delprato ◽  
Richard W. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Passive Avoidance ◽  
Avoidance Response ◽  
Factorial Design ◽  
Electroconvulsive Shock ◽  
Avoidance Learning ◽  
Passive Avoidance Learning ◽  
Passive Avoidance Response ◽  
Differential Effects ◽  
Low Intensity

A 2 × 2 factorial design was used to investigate the effects of electroconvulsive shock (ECS) and pseudo-ECS (PECS) on a passive avoidance response learned under 2 intensities of footshock (FS). There were no differential effects during acquisition, however, ECS and 0.3-ma. groups extinguished faster than PECS and 2.0-ma. groups.

Effect of Escapable versus Inescapable Shock on Avoidance Behavior in the Goldfish (Carassius Auratus)

1985 ◽  
Vol 57 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1027-1030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary E. Brown ◽  
Paul J. Smith ◽  
R. Brian Peters
Keyword(s):  
Avoidance Response ◽  
Inescapable Shock ◽  
Learned Helplessness ◽  
Avoidance Behavior ◽  
Carassius Auratus ◽  
Avoidance Task ◽  
Goldfish Carassius Auratus ◽  
Task Differences ◽  
Avoidance Responses

Following exposure to either escapable, inescapable, or no shock, goldfish were tested on an avoidance task. Differences in latency consistent with the hypothesis that helplessness is learned were present only on the first block of five trials. While reliable differences in the number of trials to the first avoidance response supported an interpretation as learned helplessness, differences in the total number of avoidance responses did not.

Effects of Ionized Air on Early Acquisition of Sidman Avoidance Behavior by Rats

1977 ◽  
Vol 41 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1071-1074 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Falkenberg ◽  
Roger E. Kirk
Keyword(s):  
Avoidance Response ◽  
Avoidance Behavior ◽  
Avoidance Performance ◽  
Albino Rats ◽  
Sidman Avoidance ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Air Ions ◽  
Air Ionization ◽  
Early Acquisition ◽  
Ionized Air

This research investigated the effects of positive and negative air ionization on the early acquisition of a Sidman (1953) avoidance response. The subjects were 20 male albino rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain. They were randomly assigned to ionization conditions and given 4 2-hr. acquisition sessions. The temporal parameters of the task were a response-shock interval of 20 sec. and a shock-shock interval of 5 sec. Shocks were delivered as 1-ma. pulses of 1 sec. duration. The results indicated that at the end of 4 2-hr. sessions the avoidance performance of rats trained in the presence of negative air ions was superior to that of rats trained in the presence of positive air ions.

Threat sensitivity in the San Marcos salamander: effects of predator diet and prey experience

Behaviour ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 150 (6) ◽  
pp. 617-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen J. Epp
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Avoidance Response ◽  
Predator Avoidance ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Threat Sensitivity ◽  
Graded Responses ◽  
San Marcos ◽  
Adaptive Forgetting ◽  
Eurycea Nana ◽  
Avoidance Responses

Prey must constantly balance foraging and predator avoidance demands. Avoidance response efficiency may be improved when prey match the intensity of their avoidance behaviours to a perceived level of predatory threat (threat sensitivity). Additionally, experience with predators may influence the intensity of avoidance responses. I examined the possibility that experience with predators in the natural habitat would influence threat sensitive avoidance behaviours of an aquatic salamander, Eurycea nana, by comparing the intensity of avoidance responses to predators that had been fed a neutral diet (low-risk) or a diet of conspecifics (high-risk) between laboratory-reared and recently-collected adult salamanders. I found that laboratory-reared salamanders exhibited graded responses to low- and high-risk predators consistent with threat-sensitive predator avoidance. Predator-experienced salamanders (recently-collected), however, responded less intensely to all predators and their responses showed little evidence of threat sensitivity. These less intense responses observed in experienced salamanders may result from mechanisms of adaptive forgetting, which allow prey to respond to environmental variation. I discuss implications of these results for E. nana and other prey as well as highlighting the need for researchers to consider the longer-term experiences of prey used in studies of predation risk.

Retention of Massed vs Distributed Response-Prevention Treatments in Rats and a Revised Training Procedure

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula J. Martasian ◽  
Nelson F. Smith ◽  
Stephen A. Neill ◽  
Thomas S. Rieg
Keyword(s):  
Passive Avoidance ◽  
Avoidance Learning ◽  
Avoidance Behavior ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Response Prevention ◽  
Escape Training ◽  
Training Procedure ◽  
Shuttle Box ◽  
Avoidance Paradigm ◽  
Avoidance Apparatus

Two experiments were conducted to estimate the retention of response-prevention effects using massed vs distributed treatments in a model of animal avoidance-learning. In Exp. I, 120 rats were trained to avoid shock in a one-way platform avoidance apparatus. Groups received response-prevention treatment or nontreatment in a 36-min. massed session or in several sessions distributed over a four-day period. In Exp. II, 160 rats were given two trials of escape training in a one-way shuttle box. Groups received response-prevention treatment or nontreatment in a 24-min. session of massed or distributed treatments delivered in one day. Subjects in both studies were tested using a passive-avoidance paradigm immediately following treatment, 24 hours later, and 30 days later. Analysis showed that response-prevention treatments were effective in reducing avoidance behavior and there were no significant differences in retention of avoidance associated with massed vs distributed response-prevention treatments. Implications for animals and humans are discussed, and researchers are encouraged to change from a criterion training procedure to an escape procedure since the latter is a closer analogue to the human condition.

Effect of Prior Runway Experience on Avoidance Learning

1963 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 575-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman D. Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Avoidance Learning ◽  
Avoidance Behavior ◽  
Prior Experience ◽  
Early Experience ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Critical Periods ◽  
Or Practice ◽  
Practice Trials ◽  
Better Than

Mice were given 30 practice trials or 30 arbitrary shocks in a runway at 17, 23, 40, or 55 days of age. Performance was directly related to age, with adult Ss showing the greatest improvement during the 30 trials. At 85 days of age, Ss were run to criterion in the same runway. Results indicated that (1) groups receiving prior shock or practice in the runway were significantly better than controls with no prior runway experience; (2) Ss receiving prior practice were not significantly different from Ss receiving equal amounts of shock without practice; (3) animals receiving prior experience at 23 days of age were superior to other groups on the adult avoidance learning task. Critical periods for learning and implications of a multi-factor theory to account for the effects of early experience on avoidance behavior are discussed.

Collision Avoidance Response Stereotypes in Pilots and Nonpilots

1978 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 529-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis B. Beringer
Keyword(s):  
Avoidance Response ◽  
Collision Avoidance ◽  
Response Bias ◽  
Response Selection ◽  
The Other ◽  
Left Turn ◽  
Optimal Response ◽  
Avoidance Responses

A two-part study was conducted to investigate the effects of target variables upon pilot and nonpilot collision avoidance responses to simulated approaches which were head-on or nearly so. Part I investigated the effect of bearing and found that nonpilots preferred to turn left in a head-on approach. Although pilots generally turned right under the same conditions, 25% exhibited the nonpilot left-turn response. The nonpilot response bias seemed related to the type of control used for aircraft pilotage. Part II examined the effects of bearing and collision index (a geometric construct representing an index for optimal response selection) upon the responses of 24 pilots. Two subgroups were identified, one apparently attending primarily to bearing while the other attended to aspect. Only one subject appeared to use the optimal collision-index construct for response selection.

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