Effect of Signalization and Temporal Predictability Upon Electrical Brain Stimulation Preference in the Rat.

A vast body of data indicates that both animal and human subjects receiving unavoidable aversive stimulation prefer that these aversive events be predictable. Knapp, Kause, and Perkins (1959) originally demonstrated this preference for predictable over unpredictable unavoidable shock using rats in a T-maze. They found that the subjects developed strong preferences for a signal-shock sequence over shock-signal. The generality of this phenomenon has been shown by studies which used different apparatus (Perkins, Levis, and Seymann, 1963), varied the immediacy of shock (Knapp, Kause, and Perkins, 1959), varied signal duration and shock duration (Perkins, Seymann, Levis, and Spencer, 1966), and controlled for the modifiability of shock (Lockard, 1963; Perkins, Seymann, Levis, and Spencer, 1966). Of particular interest is the finding that there is no preference for signals when extremely brief shocks were used (Perkins et. al., 1966), and that subjects will tolerate more intense, longer, or more frequent shocks in order to receive warning signals (Badia, Culbertson, and Harsh, 1973; Badia, Coker, and Harsh, 1973).

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Year

1976

Author dc:creator

• Whitney, Lynda M

• Human subjects
• Unavoidable shock
• Signal-shock sequence
• Warning signals
• Shock duration

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/7080

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.library.uab.edu:etd-collection-8072