Habit reversal after electroshock convulsions as a function of the difficulty of the tasks.

Abstract

When rats are trained to the same criterion in two simple habits learned sequentially, 12 days of electroshock convulsions fail to produce significant habit reversal in the experimental group. When animals are trained first in a simple habit and then in a complex habit, electroshock produced significant habit reversal. If the order was reversed, so that the complex habit was learned first electroshock produced no habit reversal. "It is concluded that a series of 12 electroshock convulsions can disorganize a recently acquired habit and reinstate a previously learned habit only when the recent habit is relatively more difficult." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)