Effect of a Signal Contingent upon an Advoidance Response

This operant technique has been shown to produce faster learning than the classical procedure and is most effective when the response terminates the signal as well as avoids the shock.

Abstract

CONVENTIONAL shock-avoidance training usually takes the form signal-shock-response which becomes signal-response when the appropriate behaviour is learned. This operant technique has been shown to produce faster learning than the classical procedure in which the unconditioned stimulus (shock) inevitably follows the conditioned response1,2 and is most effective when the response terminates the signal as well as avoids the shock3,4.