Esquiva do jato de ar quente em rattus norvegicus

Abstract

The predominant use of electric shock as a stimulus in studies on aversive control raised questions about the generality of the phenomena investigated compared to other forms of stimulation. Seeking to overcome this limit, recent research has demonstrated the generality of escape, punishment, conditioned suppression and learned helplessness in arrangements in which hot air blast (HAB) was used in place of electric shock. No studies were identified, however, that have certificated the generality of avoidance in equivalent arrangements. The present study had as main objective to investigate the acquisition of avoidance behavior under a contingency of discrete attempts in which the HAB was used as an aversive stimulus. Additionally, was adapted the pre-training procedure with positive reinforcement presented in Giullian and Schmaltz (1973) and as analyzed the effect of HAB suspension on the maintenance of avoidance behavior. Were used four male rats (Rattus norvegicus) were exposed to the following phases: 1) Dipper training; 2) Acquisition and strengthening of bar pressing response; 3) Preconditioning training with positive reinforcement; 4) Preconditioning training with HAB; 5) Avoidance in discreet attempts and 6) Extinction. As a result, all subjects learned the avoidance response and showed a marked reduction in its frequency during HAB suspension. It was demonstrated, therefore, that HAB can be used as an alternative negative reinforcing stimulus to electric shock in avoidance contingency.