Abstract
Contrary to the contention that generalized arousal is the common denominator of situations designed to enhance tonic immobility, the effect of food deprivation on immobility time and ease of eliciting the reaction was found to be negligible in an experiment using chickens. On the other hand, enforced suspension over a visual cliff, in a second experiment, was found to be an effective technique for prolonging immobility. The implications of these data for the fear hypothesis were discussed.
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Appreciation is expressed to Eric T. Swanson for collecting portions of the data reported in Experiment 1.
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Gallup, G.G., Williamson, G.T. Effect of food deprivation and a visual cliff on tonic immobility. Psychon Sci 29, 301–302 (1972). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329213
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329213