Motivation in learning. VIII. Equivalent amounts of electric shock for right and wrong responses in a visual discrimination habit.

Abstract

A black-white discrimination was used in studying the mechanism underlying the facilitating effect of shock. Further evidence was obtained that shock on the right response facilitated learning, but the facilitation was less than when the shock was administered on the wrong response. Tht amt. of shock given on the right response was not an important factor. Evidence is presented to show that the facilitative effect of shock may be due to both a general and specific mechanisms. A general mechanism is inferred from the fact that the amt. of. vicarious trial and error increased in the initial phase of learning in both shock groups but remained relatively unchanged during learning in the no-shock group. Specific mechanisms are deduced from the fact that the shock-right group persisted in going to the end of the wrong alley, while the shock-wrong group quickly learned to turn back as soon as it entered the wrong alley.