Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Semester of Degree Completion
1981
Thesis Director
John J. Rearden
Abstract
The relationship between inescapable shocks and subsequent escape/avoidance learning was first deomonstrated by Overmier and Seligman (1967). They found that dogs exposed to inescapable electric shock, while restrained in a harness, later failed to learn to escape shock in a two way shuttle box where escape was possible. Ninety goldfish were randomly assigned to one of five groups (N=18 per group). Ninety fish were tested in a Lafayette Aquatic Unit A-660 type shuttle tank. There are four independent variables in this study. The first independent variable is the presence of prior inescapable shock. The second independent variable is the level of shock intensity, 6V vs. 10V. The third independent variable is the amount of delay of subsequent conditioning, 1 hour vs. no delay. The fourth independent variable is the presence of interpolated shock. All subjects, except group 1 which did not receive prior inescapable electric shock, were treated with both prior and interpolated inescapable electric shock to assess the effects on subsequent escape/avoidance performance. Prior inescapable shock caused a significant reduction in all measures of performance. When inescapable shock immediately preceded conditioning measures based on both escapes and avoidances were significant. The level of shock intensity interacted with the amount of delay of subsequent conditioning. The presence of interpolated shock produced a significant decrement in performance for the 53 fish in the last phase of the study.
Recommended Citation
Kimbara, Toshiyuki, "Effects of Prior and Interpolated Shock Exposures on Subsequent Escape/Avoidance Conditioning with Goldfish" (1981). Masters Theses. 3014.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/3014
