Maintenance of responding by fixed-interval schedule of electric shock presentation in squirrel monkeys.
After stabilization of response rates engendered by a free-operant avoidance contingency, the lever-pressing of two squirrel monkeys was maintained for several months by a fixed-interval schedule of electric shock presentation. Initially, response-contingent shocks produced substantial increases in response rates. Continued exposure to the schedule resulted in a reduced overall rate accompanied by a change in the temporal patterning of responses. There was a pause in responding after most shock deliveries; the rate of responding then increased during the interval to reach a terminal value preceding shock presentation. Omission of shocks for part of the daily session led to higher rates of responding; the reintroduction of response-contingent shocks produced a lower overall rate and reinstated the temporal patterning of responding characteristic of the fixed-interval schedule.
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D004597:Electroshock; D000882:Haplorhini; D008297:Male; D011678:Punishment; D011930:Reaction Time; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D013997:Time Factors