Effects of loss of control over food acquisition on subsequent disk-pull escape learning

Abstract

Examined whether or not a loss of control over food acquisition would interfere with disk-pulling, shock-escape learning in 40 male rats. The loss-of-control rats, which had experienced loss of control over food delivery, and the lack-of-control rats, which had received noncontingent food delivery without a prior history of control over food, were impaired on acquisition of the fixed ratio (FR) 2 disk-pull escape compared to the response-contingent, the continuous-reinforcement control, and the home-cage-control rats, which did not differ from each other. Thus, the learning of response-outcome noncontingency produces a subsequent helplessness phenomenon, in a proactive fashion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)