MALE, SPRAGUE-DAWLEY, 90-DAY-OLD ALBINO RATS WHICH COULD PERFORM A COPING RESPONSE TO AVOID OR ESCAPE ELECTRIC SHOCK DEVELOPED LESS SEVERE PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF STRESS THAN YOKED SS WHICH RECEIVED THE SAME SHOCKS BUT COULD NOT PERFORM SUCH A COPING RESPONSE. YOKED SS SHOWED A GREATER DECREASE IN BODY WEIGHT AND MORE EXTENSIVE GASTRIC LESIONS THAN AVOIDANCE AND NONSHOCK SS. SINCE AVOIDANCE AND YOKED SS RECEIVED THE SAME AMOUNT OF SHOCK THROUGH FIXED TAIL ELECTRODES WIRED IN SERIES, DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS PRODUCED BECAUSE 1 S COULD "COPE WITH" THE STRESS SITUATION WHEREAS THE OTHER S COULD NOT. (20 REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)