Discrimination based on differential nonshock confinement in a shuttle box.

Abstract

Responses from 1 chamber of a shuttle box to the other (S1 [forward arrow] S2) had a consequence different from that of responses in the opposite direction (S2 [forward arrow] S1). In 3 experiments, intertrial intervals (ITI) associated with S1 and S2 were varied independently over a wide range: 10-390 sec. Speed of acquisition of avoidance to a given chamber was directly related to length of ITI associated with that chamber (nonshock confinement). Moreover, relative avoidance (avoidances to S1 was a proportion of total avoidances) was linearly related to relative duration of nonshock confinement. An analogy between these results and those with multiple schedules of food reinforcement was suggested.