FACILITATION OF BAR-PRESS AVOIDANCE BY HANDLING DURING INTERTRIAL INTERVAL

EXP. I DEMONSTRATED THAT HANDLING RATS PRIOR TO THE START OF A TRIAL GREATLY FACILITATED BAR-PRESS AVOIDANCE LEARNING. ALTHOUGH SS WHICH WERE ALSO ALLOWED TO ESCAPE THE TRAINING CHAMBER FOLLOWING A BAR PRESS PERFORMED WELL, THEY WERE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN THOSE SS RECEIVING HANDLING ONLY. EXP. II, USING CONCOMITANT MEASURES OF FREEZING AND BAR HOLDING, INVESTIGATED THE EFFECT OF THE INTERVAL BETWEEN HANDLING AND THE START OF A TRIAL. THE RESULTING ANALYSIS PROVIDED EVIDENCE AGAINST BAR HOLDING AND CS DISCRIMINABILITY EXPLANATIONS OF POOR BAR-PRESS AVOIDANCE, WHILE SUPPORTING THE IDEA THAT CONDITIONED FREEZING RESPONSES INTERFERE WITH BAR PRESSING. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1968 American Psychological Association.