Sensory Deprivation and Sensory Reinforcement with Shock

Abstract

Groups of rats were raised from weaning under normal animal colony conditions and conditions of reduced sensory stimulation. In a shuttle box groups of 5, 2, and 2 showed acquisition for mild shock proportional to degree of deprivation ( P < .02). In a second experiment 16 deprived animals preferred shock more than did 14 nondeprived animals ( P < .01). Nondeprived rats preferred shock to no shock ( P < .01). The results are interpreted as effects of arousal and satiation.