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Full-Text Articles in Psychology

The Punitive Effect Of Electric Shock In Rats In Relation To The Rate Of Food Reinforcement, Vincent A. Bello Jan 2018

The Punitive Effect Of Electric Shock In Rats In Relation To The Rate Of Food Reinforcement, Vincent A. Bello

Capstones and Honors Theses

The purpose of the present experiment was to examine effects of the rate of reinforcement on the punitive function of shock for 4 rats. In baseline conditions, rats’ lever presses were reinforced with food according to a VI schedule. During punishment conditions, a VR-5 schedule of shock punishment was superimposed on the VI schedule. Across pairs of baseline and punishment conditions, the rate of reinforcement ranged from 0.5 to 6 food deliveries per min. Response rates during the baseline and punishment conditions generally increased as the reinforcement rate was raised for two out of four rats. For three rats, suppression …


Effects Of Reinforcement Rate On The Aversive Function Of Timeout From Positive Reinforcement, Cory Whirtley Jan 2018

Effects Of Reinforcement Rate On The Aversive Function Of Timeout From Positive Reinforcement, Cory Whirtley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Although the use of timeout from positive reinforcement is widespread and has been shown to be an effective punisher in clinical settings, the factors responsible for its effectiveness are not fully understood. The present experiment was designed to evaluate one of these factors, the reinforcement rate underway during periods of time-in. Rats’ lever pressing was maintained on variable-interval schedules of food reinforcement in a multiple schedule with two components. In one component, no timeouts were delivered. In the other component, when a variable-ratio schedule was met, lever presses were followed by a 30-s timeout during which a tone sounded, the …


Delay Discounting And Cannabinoid Enzyme Inhibitors, Devin Andrew Galdieri Jan 2018

Delay Discounting And Cannabinoid Enzyme Inhibitors, Devin Andrew Galdieri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Delay discounting is a measure of impulsive choice that is correlated with maladaptive behavior and psychological disorders. Disruptions to serotonin and dopamine pathways can cause changes in delay discounting, as can lesions to the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. The endocannabinoid system modulates other neurotransmitter systems, including dopamine and serotonin pathways. Cannabinoid receptors type 1 are found in relatively high concentrations in the nucleus accumbens and the prefrontal cortex. These receptors are activated by endogenous cannabinoids, which are synthesized on demand and broken down by catabolic enzymes. The action of these enzymes can be inhibited by a class of drugs …


Effects Of Delay And Signals On Choice Between Delayed Food Alone And Immediate Food With Delayed Shock, Forrest James Toegel Jan 2018

Effects Of Delay And Signals On Choice Between Delayed Food Alone And Immediate Food With Delayed Shock, Forrest James Toegel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Much of the research in the area of self-control has examined choice between small immediate reinforcers and large delayed reinforcers, but many problems result from situations in which a single choice produces consequences of conflicting valence: Those in which the immediate outcome is reinforcing and the delayed outcome is aversive. Recent research has evaluated how preference for a large reinforcer which is followed by a delayed shock changes as a function of the delay to shock and how the intensity and duration of delayed shock affects the value of a large reinforcer. The present set of experiments investigated how the …