O jato de ar quente como estímulo aversivo: delineamento de sujeito único e sensibilização

Abstract

Previous studies which tested the Hot Air Blast (HAB) as an alternative stimulus to electric shock only used between-groups designs although the single-subject designs also are appropriate to examine behavioral measures. One of this studies proposed that the presence of light during the experimental session would affect the aversive function of the HAB, making it more effective in suppressing operant bar-pressing response. The aim of this study was (a) evaluate the aversive function of JAQ on a single subject design and (b) to test the hypothesis about the increase of the suppressive function of HAB in the presence of light. To test this, 16 albino rats were divided into two groups and exposed to three experimental phases. In Pre-Punishment phase lasted a multiple schedule in which two components (light/dark) succeeded randomly every two minutes, both on a VI 30sec contingency. In Punishment phase, the same experimental conditions were maintained, but the aversive contingency (in FR1) was superimposed on the VI 30sec. during the light component, for group Punishment light (PL), and the dark component, for group Punishment Dark (PD). In the Post-Punishment phase, aversive contingency was suspended for both groups. The results showed that subjects emitted high rates of bar-pressure responses during the Pre-Punishment and Post-Punishment, but this behavior was suppressed during the punishment components in Punishment phase. The results also showed no differences in the suppression of operant bar-pressing response when the HAB was presented in the presence or absence of light (Punishment phase). Therefore, once again the HAB was effective as a punisher stimulus for operant responses and the presence or absence of light, under the manipulated conditions, did not change the aversive function of the HAB.