• 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 204  (1) , 118-129
Abstract
The effects of perphenazine, cocaine, diethylpropion and d-amphetamine on responding maintained by both food delivery and electric shock avoidance were determined using a multiple schedule of reinforcement in rhesus monkeys. This schedule had 3 components, each separated by a timeout: a fixed-ratio schedule of food delivery, a schedule of spaced responding (differntial reinforcement of low rates) maintained by food delivery and a fixed-ratio schedule of shock avoidance. Control rates of responding on both ratio schedules were similar and were high relative to the low rates generated by the schedule of spaced responding. Perphenazine decreased rates on all 3 schedules in a dose-dependent fashion. All 3 psychomotor stimulants decreased food-maintained ratio responding at doses which had little effect on or increased rates of shock avoidance. Except for diethylpropion and d-amphetamine in 1 animal in which rates were increased, low rates of spaced responding were also decreased.