Persistence of a response in the apparent absence of motivation.

Abstract

The persistence of a lever-pressing response in the absence of apparent motivation was demonstrated. The Ss were 80 rats, in four experimental and three control groups. Ss first learned a primary response, running to the opposite compartment of an automatic shuttle box, to avoid the UCS (just subtetanizing shock), and then a secondary response, lever pressing, to avoid the CSs (light, buzzer) with shock absent. After full extinction of the running response, the lever pressing continued unabated. Some spontaneous recovery of the running response occurred, but lever pressing continued at a substantial strength after running was again extinguished.