THE ELIMINATION OF INTERFERING RESPONSE PATTERNS IN LEVER‐PRESS AVOIDANCE SITUATIONS 1

Abstract

Lever holding into shock and short‐latency responses to shock onset are two response patterns that interfere with avoidance acquisition in free‐operant and discriminated avoidance situations. In an attempt to eliminate these patterns, an additional timer disabled the lever for a period slightly longer than shock duration. A free‐operant avoidance schedule with a warning stimulus, but without the additional timer, constituted the control condition. The lever‐disabling timer was turned on by different events in two experimental conditions: (a) release of the lever at the onset of shock, (b) shock onset. Interfering responses diminished most rapidly, and efficient avoidance behavior appeared earliest, when the lever‐disabling timer was turned on by shock onset.