Acquisition of a passive avoidance response as determined by variations in prior aversive stimulation

Abstract

The effects of various forms of prior enforced sleep deprivation (SD) and of pre-shock (PS), as presumed traumatizing agents, were studied in rats 15 days following treatment using an approach-avoidance test procedure involving successive response to food, mild punishment, food, and weak punishment. PS Ss and Ss whose SD treatment involved prolonged walking on an abrasive surface exhibited greater avoidance of the food area to mild punishment than controls, while Ss whose SD treatment consisted of prolonged walking on a smooth surface or prolonged standing in deep water exhibited significantly less conflict. With 1 exception, similar results were obtained under the weak test punishment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)