Effects of instruction on extinction of the conditioned GSR.

Abstract

4 experimental groups received 10 tone-shock pairings at a 500-msec, interstimulus interval, and 2 control groups received corresponding unpaired tones and shocks. Two experimental groups received strong and 2 others weak shocks with the tone, the converse shock being interspersed between pairings. Before extinction was begun, half of these groups were told that no further shocks would be given and their corresponding group was not so informed. The data during extinction indicate that: (a) Both controls were inferior to their corresponding experimentals indicating the presence of an association factor. (b) The 2 controls differ in response magnitude suggesting that 1 effect of instructions is to lower drive. (c) Instructions do not immediately eliminate responses to the CS in the experimentals, but rather result in a faster rate of extinction. (d) No clear evidence for an effect of UCS strength upon conditioning was found.