Warm-up effects in free-operant avoidance in a shuttlebox

Abstract

In a study of free-operant avoidance in rats with a shuttle response, Riess and Farrar (1972) obtained rapid acquisition and proficient performance showing no warm-up effects. This latter result is of interest because warm-up effects are ubiquitous in rats’ performances on other free-operant avoidance procedures. As part of an attempt to isolate variables that control the warm-up, two replications of Riess and Farrar’s procedure were undertaken. While rapid acquisition of avoidance was obtained, warm-up effects were evident in nearly all rats. Hence, warm-up in avoidance is not specific to the leverpress and wheel-turn responses, which are more commonly used for study of free-operant avoidance. © 1978, The Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.