A comparison of two methods of producing experimental extinction.
- 1 January 1953
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Psychological Association (APA) in Journal of Experimental Psychology
- Vol. 45 (2) , 87-90
- https://doi.org/10.1037/h0059143
Abstract
Two groups of male albino rats were trained in a wheel-turning situation to avoid a shock; the response was then extinguished by either of 2 different procedures. One group was subjected to extinction by a toleration method in which the conditioned stimulus is introduced gradually; the other was put through the conventional procedure of presenting the conditioned stimulus at full intensity without the shock. Mean numbers of responses in the extinction series were 6.5 for the toleration group, and 14.4 for the other group (p = .01). This result confirms 1 of Guthrie''s theoretical ideas and necessitates a reformulation of Hull''s theory of extinction. Based on the idea that the toleration procedure extinguishes a mediating fear reaction, such a reformulation was attempted.Keywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- Response strength and conditioned stimulus intensity.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1953