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EFFECTS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION ON FREE‐OPERANT AVOIDANCE
Author(s) -
Kennedy Craig H.,
Meyer Kim A.,
Werts Margaret Gessler,
Cushing Lisa Sharon
Publication year - 2000
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.2000.73-333
Subject(s) - sleep deprivation , psychology , sleep (system call) , audiology , shock (circulatory) , developmental psychology , medicine , circadian rhythm , neuroscience , computer science , operating system
Two studies examined effects of sleep deprivation on free‐operant avoidance by rats. In Experiment 1, a 5‐s shock—shock (SS) interval and 20‐s response—shock (RS) interval produced baseline performances, which were reestablished after each experimental manipulation. Once baselines were established, animals were exposed to 24, 48, or 96 hr of sleep deprivation and equivalent periods of home cage and food restriction as a control condition. Compared to baseline, sleep deprivation increased response rates by increasing the proportion of brief interresponse times (IRTs); response rates changed little in the control conditions. Percentage of shocks avoided did not systematically change across conditions. In Experiment 2, the RS interval was manipulated (10, 20, and 40 s), while the SS interval (5 s) and level of sleep deprivation (48 hr) were held constant. Across RS intervals, sleep deprivation increased response rates via a shift toward brief IRTs. In addition, sleep deprivation increased the percentage of shocks avoided as an inverse function of RS intervals.