Frustration and Stereotyped Behaviour in Human Subjects

Abstract

The investigation was designed to show the effects upon behaviour of three different durations of frustration, and two degrees of motivation during the frustrating period. Frustration was induced in 144 subjects by setting them the task of “learning” an insoluble temporal maze; they had to record their responses by pressing on one or other of two morse-type keys. Its effect was measured in terms of: (1) The time taken to learn a soluble maze introduced, without the subjects' knowing it, by changing the system of “rewarding” responses from one based on chance to one based on the constant repetition of a pattern requiring the responses: Left—Right—Right, for its solution. (2) The tendency for the subjects to show stereotypy of behaviour by responding on the same key for a number of trials in succession without reaching a solution. (3) The pressure exerted on the response keys, which was taken to be a measure of vacillation. Predictions that the time taken to learn the soluble task, and the stereotypy, would increase in direct relation to the duration of the frustrating period and the degree of motivation were tested. It was found that, while there was an immediate increase in both the time taken to learn the soluble task and the stereotypy after a short period of frustration, a point was reached under conditions of prolonged frustration after which no further increase occurred and some adjustment to the situation was shown. Some confirmation of the effect of increase in motivation in the direction predicted was obtained in all cases, but the differences were not statistically significant. The rankings of the subjects according to the time taken to learn the soluble task and the degree of stereotypy were found to be closely correlated. A definite tendency towards increased vacillation of response was seen in many of the records during the period when frustration might have been expected to have been at its peak. These findings are discussed in relation to Maier's theory of frustration and to Selye's concept of a “general adaptation syndrome.” The latter theory is more suitable for the interpretation of the results of the present investigation.