An assessment of adjunctive behavior in a safety-signal paradigm.
Three groups of rats were exposed to 0.4 mA shock presentations on a VT 30-sec schedule. Behavior was monitored during 35-sec shock-free periods inserted randomly after 15 of the 60 shocks per session. In the no-signal and random-signal control groups the behavior patterns which developed were similar to defense or fear reactions. In the safety-signal group, in which a tone signalled the 35-sec no-shock periods, a pattern of adjunctive and facultative behaviors developed including marked increases in grooming and rearing behaviors. No evidence of adjunctive drinking was found in any of the three groups.
D000818:Animals; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology*; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D004597:Electroshock; D005260:Female; D006120:Grooming / Q000502:physiology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule