THE EFFECT OF RESPONSE FORCE ON AVOIDANCE RATE 1

Abstract

In a Sidman‐avoidance schedule of counter losses for two human subjects, the loss‐to‐loss and response‐to‐loss intervals were 20 sec. The avoidance response was a vocal response that was louder than a minimum vocal requirement. This requirement was set at 80 db, 95 db, or 110 db. In addition to vocal responses meeting the minimum requirement, all responses exceeding a threshold of 75 db or louder were recorded. The rate of both above‐threshold and avoidance responses decreased as the response‐force requirement increased. Thus, high response‐force requirements produced an effect on avoidance responding similar to its effect on positively reinforced responding.