IMMUNIZATION AGAINST LEARNED HELPLESSNESS DUE TO PREVIOUS EXPOSURE TO POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT OF BEHAVIORAL VARIABILITY AND REPETITION

Authors

  • Maria Helena Leite Hunziker Universidade de São Paulo
  • Fernando Nunes Manfré Universidade de São Paulo
  • Marcos Takashi Yamada Universidade de São Paulo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18542/rebac.v2i1.802

Abstract

The present experiment examined whether the positive reinforcement of either a variable or a repetitive behavioral pattern immunizes against learned helplessness. Rats were divided into three groups, two of which were exposed to ten sessions of positive reinforcement (either for varying or for repeating response sequences); the third group was not exposed to positive reinforcement. Following this phase, each group was further divided into three subgroups exposed to one of the following procedures: controllable shocks, uncontrollable shocks or no shocks whatsoever. All animals were then tested in an escape contingency. The animals exposed only to uncontrollable shocks failed to escape (learned helplessness), whereas all other subgroups learned the required response. Those trained with positive reinforcement prior to the uncontrollable shocks equally learned to escape (immunization), regardless of which behavioral pattern was reinforced. These results suggest that positive reinforcement might immunize against learned helplessness, irrespective of which behavioral pattern (variability or repetition) the reinforcement is contingent upon.Key words: learned helplessness, immunization, operant variability, operant repetition

Published

2016-04-11

Issue

Section

Research Articles