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POSITIVE CONDITIONED SUPPRESSION: CONDITIONED SUPPRESSION USING POSITIVE REINFORCERS AS THE UNCONDITIONED STIMULI 1
Author(s) -
Azrin N. H.,
Hake D. F.
Publication year - 1969
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.1969.12-167
Subject(s) - reinforcement , psychology , stimulus (psychology) , aversive stimulus , measures of conditioned emotional response , unconditioned stimulus , classical conditioning , audiology , stimulation , developmental psychology , conditioning , conditioned response , neuroscience , cognitive psychology , social psychology , medicine , statistics , mathematics
Research has revealed the phenomenon of conditioned suppression in which the rate of responding is reduced during a stimulus that is paired with noncontingent shock. The present study replicated this procedure, but used noncontingent positive reinforcers instead of the aversive shock. The lever‐pressing responses of rats were reinforced with food or water. While the rats were responding, a stimulus was occasionally presented and paired with the delivery of a noncontingent positive reinforcer, which was either food, water, or brain stimulation for different rats. The result was a reduction in the rate of responding during the conditioned stimulus. This finding shows that conditioned suppression occurs during a signal for reinforcing as well as aversive stimuli.