Callen Edward J
Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina Aiken, Aiken, SC 29801, USA.
Behav Processes. 2004 Apr 30;66(1):35-42. doi: 10.1016/j.beproc.2003.12.002.
According to the effective reinforcement theory of avoidance learning, there is a positive relationship between the level of context fear and the effectiveness of feedback stimuli. The present research used different preexposure treatments to manipulate context fear and to evaluate the effects of feedback stimuli in two-way avoidance learning. Rat subjects received nonreinforced preexposure either to the nonvisual context cues (avoidance apparatus with the houselights extinguished), to the visual context cues (avoidance apparatus with the houselights on but with a Plexiglas floor covering the grids), or to a neutral box. During subsequent avoidance training conditioned stimulus termination was delayed for 5s after an instrumental response and either a flashing light or darkness was presented as a feedback stimulus. Without preexposure, darkness produced better avoidance performance than did the flashing light. Preexposure to the visual context cues decreased the effectiveness of darkness as a feedback stimulus. However, preexposure to either the visual or to the nonvisual context cues facilitated avoidance performance when a flashing light was used as a feedback stimulus. The results suggest that the effects of a feedback stimulus may be dependent upon the amount and source of context fear.
根据回避学习的有效强化理论，情境恐惧水平与反馈刺激的有效性之间存在正相关关系。本研究采用不同的预暴露处理来操纵情境恐惧，并评估双向回避学习中反馈刺激的效果。大鼠被试接受非强化预暴露，分别暴露于非视觉情境线索（熄灯的回避装置）、视觉情境线索（亮灯但有有机玻璃地板覆盖网格的回避装置）或中性箱中。在随后的回避训练中，工具性反应后条件刺激终止延迟5秒，并呈现闪烁光或黑暗作为反馈刺激。无预暴露时，黑暗作为反馈刺激比闪烁光产生更好的回避表现。视觉情境线索的预暴露降低了黑暗作为反馈刺激的有效性。然而，当闪烁光作为反馈刺激时，视觉或非视觉情境线索的预暴露都促进了回避表现。结果表明，反馈刺激的效果可能取决于情境恐惧的量和来源。
