Resistance to extinction in GSR conditioning following different numbers of postpeak acquisition trials.

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Abstract
4 groups of 12 undergraduates each received paired tone-shock classical conditioning trials. 1 group received 2 paired trials past the peak CR, 1 received 4 paired postpeak trials, 1 received 8 postpeak trials, and 1 received 16 postpeak trials. 4 control groups received unpaired tones and shocks matched in number to Ss in the paired groups. All Ss were then run in extinction until 2 nonresponses or 50 trials occurred. Results show that the paired groups' GSRs to the tone increased during acquisition, while those of the unpaired groups did not; i.e., conditioning occurred. In addition, paired groups required a greater number of extinction trials to reach nonresponding. The number of extinction trials required in the paired groups was inversely related to the number of postpeak paired acquisition trials. Unpaired groups did not display a similar relationship. It is concluded that postpeak paired acquisition trials produce learned inhibition which transfers to extinction and summates with extinctive inhibition to accelerate the rate of response diminution. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

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