Abstract
Inescapable electric shock disrupts escape-avoidance learning in another apparatus. This study demonstrates a deficit in a nonlearning task in which no aversive stimulus occurs. In Experiment 1, inescapable shock lowered rats’ dominance in a food-competition situation relative to restrained controls. In Experiment 2, inescapable shock lowered rats dominance in the same food-competition situation relative to a group that received the equivalent amount of escapable shock, demonstrating that the inescapability of the shock caused at least part of the decrement observed in Experiment 1. Experiment 3 does not find that inescapable shock caused a significant difference in food consumed or running time when the rats were tested alone, showing it unlikely that the dominance effects were caused by decreased hunger or reduced running following inescapable shock.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altenor, A., Kay, E., &Richter, M. The generality of learned helplessness in the rat.Learning and Motivation, 1977,8, 54–62.
Anisman, H., &Waller, T. G. Effects of inescapable shock on subsequent avoidance performance: Role of response repertoire changes.Behavioral Biology, 1973,80, 286–303.
Baenninger, L. P. Social dominance orders in the rat: “Spontaneous,” food, and water competition.Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1970,71, 202–209.
Bracewell, R. J., &Black, A. H. The effects of restraint and noncontingent pre-shock on subsequent escape learning in the rat.Learning and Motivation, 1974,5, 53–69.
Crook, J. H. Social organization and the environment: Aspects of contemporary social ethology.Animal Behaviour, 1970,18, 197–209.
Drews, D. R., &Dickey, C. L. Observational and competitive measures of dominance in rats.Psychological Record, 1977,27, 331–338.
Drews, D. R., &Wulczyn, F. H. Measuring dominance in rats.Psychological Record, 1975,25, 573–581.
Gartlan, J. S. Structure and function in primate society.Folia Primatologica, 1968,8, 89–120.
Glazer, H. I., &Weiss, J. M. Long-term and transitory interference effects.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 1976,2, 191–201. (a)
Glazer, H. I., &Weiss, I. M. Long-term interference effect: An alternative to “learned helplessness.”Journal of Experimental Psychology Animal Behavior Processes, 1976,2, 202–213. (b)
Lindzey, G., Manosevitz, M., &Winston, H. Social dominance in the mouse.Psychonomic Science, 1966,5, 451–452.
Maier, S. F., Albin, R. W., &Testa, T. J. Failure to learn to escape in rats previously exposed to inescapable shock depends on nature of escape response.Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1973,85, 581–592.
Maier, S. F., Anderson, C, &Lieberman, D. A. Influences of control of shock on subsequent shock-elicited aggression.Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1972,81, 94–100.
Maier, S. F., &Seligman, M. E. P. Learned helplessness: Theory and evidence.Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 1976,105, 3–46.
Maier, S. F., Seligman, M. E. P., &Solomon, R. L. Pavlovian fear conditioning and learned helplessness. In B. A. Campbell & R. M. Church (Eds.),Punishment. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1969.
Rosellini, R., &Seligman, M. E. P. Learned helplessness and escape from frustration.Journal of Experimental Pschology: Animal Behavior Processes, 1975,1, 149–158.
Ruskin, R. S., &Corman, C. D. A multivariate study of competition in a free-operant situation.Psychonomic Science, 1971,23, 251–252.
Seligman, M. E. P. Helplessness. On depression, development and death. San Francisco: Freeman, 1975.
Seligman, M. E. P., &Maier, S. F. Failure to escape traumatic shock.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1967,74, 1–9.
Seligman, M. E. P., Maier, S. F., &Solomon, R. L. Unpredictable and uncontrollable aversive events. In F. R. Brush (Ed.),Aversive conditioning and learning. New York: Academic Press, 1971.
Stewart, J., &Palfai, T. Castration, androgens, and dominance status in the rat.Psychonomic Science, 1967,7, 1–2.
Van Krevland, D. A selective review of dominance-subordination relations in animals.Genetic Psychology Monographs, 1970,81, 143–173.
Weiss, J. M. Effects of coping responses on stress.Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1968,65, 251–260.
Weiss, J. M., Glazer, H. I., &Pohorecky, L. A. Coping behavior and neurochemical changes: An alternative explanation for the original “learned helplessness” experiments. InRelevance of the psychopathological animal model to the human. New York: Plenum Press, 1975.
Williams, J. L., &Maier, S. F. Transituational immunization and therapy of learned helplessness in the rat.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 1977,3, 240–253.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported by Grant MH 26827 to Steven F. Maier from the National Institute of Mental Health
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rapaport, P.M., Maier, S.F. Inescapable shock and food-competition dominance in rats. Animal Learning & Behavior 6, 160–165 (1978). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209595
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209595