Self-Punishment for Responding by Monkeys during Extinction of Discriminated Avoidance: Effects of Previous Stimulus Change Reinforcement
Two groups of rhesus monkeys acquired a discriminated avoidance response (lever-pressing) under different training procedures. One group was trained using a conventional escape-avoidance procedure for 6 training sessions. The other group received one escape-avoidance session following 5 training sessions with stimulus-change reinforcement in which lever pressing momentarily terminated the light-tone combination later used as CS during avoidance training. Experience with stimulus change reinforcement facilitated acquisition of avoidance responding. Both groups showed self-punishment during extinction and did not differ significantly on this dimension.