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PUNISHMENT SHOCK INTENSITY AND BASAL SKIN RESISTANCE 1
Author(s) -
Kaufman Arnold
Publication year - 1965
Publication title -
journal of the experimental analysis of behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.75
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1938-3711
pISSN - 0022-5002
DOI - 10.1901/jeab.1965.8-389
Subject(s) - session (web analytics) , punishment (psychology) , shock (circulatory) , psychology , audiology , basal (medicine) , skin conductance , developmental psychology , medicine , computer science , world wide web , insulin , biomedical engineering
The relationship between punishment shock intensity and basal skin resistance (BSR) was investigated in two sessions with human females selected for their ability to maintain a fairly substantial operant rate under a wide range of shock intensities. In both sessions each button‐pressing response was reinforced with a counter tally. Subjects were paid one cent for each 20 counts. In session 1, punishment followed each response during alternate 4‐min periods; in session 2 punishment was programmed in all 4‐min periods. Shock intensities were presented randomly among the 4‐min shock periods, with the restriction that the first three presentations occurred in ascending order. Operant responding showed some suppression at higher shock intensities in session 1, with substantial recovery in most subjects during session 2. Respondent behavior was characterized by greater activity at successively higher intensities, with recovery at all shock levels, especially the lowest levels, apparent during the second session.