RESISTANCE TO EXTINCTION FOLLOWING LEARNING WITH PUNISHMENT OF REINFORCED AND NONREINFORCED LICKING

TRAINED 4 GROUPS OF 16 MALE RATS TO PRESS A LEVER FOR A DILUTE SACCHARIN SOLUTION ON A 50% REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULE. GROUP R WAS SHOCKED AFTER LICKING EACH PRESENTATION OF A WET CUP (REINFORCED OCCASIONS), GROUP N AFTER LICKING EACH PRESENTATION OF A DRY CUP (NONREINFORCED OCCASIONS), AND GROUP H AFTER 1/2 OF THE REINFORCED AND 1/2 OF THE NONREINFORCED OCCASIONS. GROUP C WAS NOT SHOCKED. DURING REGULAR EXTINCTION, SS FROM GROUP H SHOWED HIGH RESISTANCE. DURING EXTINCTION WITH 50% PUNISHMENT, SS FROM GROUP N AND GROUP H SHOWED HIGH RESISTANCE. WHEN PUNISHMENT WAS PAIRED WITH NONREINFORCEMENT DURING ACQUISITION, THE RESULTS WERE BASICALLY CONSISTENT WITH AN ASSUMPTION THAT IMPORTANT FUNCTIONAL SIMILARITIES EXIST BETWEEN AVERSIVE EMOTIONAL RESPONSE ELICITED BY PUNISHMENT AND BY NONREINFORCEMENT. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1968 American Psychological Association.