Facilitation and inhibition of performance by punishment: The effects of shock intensity and distribution of trials.

Abstract

To assess the possible dynamogenic effect of punishment on performance, 10 groups of 10 hungry rats each were run in an alley to food and 1 of 5 different strengths of shock at the goal (0-110 v.) on each of 80 massed or distributed training trials. By the end of training, distribution of speeds for each shock condition was bimodal: aproximately ½ of the Ss of each group were slowed down by shock and ½ were speeded up, with these effects being generally greater the greater the shock intensity. The facilitation and inhibition of speeds were highly related to compatible and incompatible responses elicited by shock at the goal, a fact which fits well with S-R reinforcement theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)