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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2025

A Procedure to Study Stress-Induced Relapse of Heroin Seeking after Punishment-Imposed Abstinence

A Procedure to Study Stress-Induced Relapse of Heroin Seeking after Punishment-Imposed Abstinence

Published on: March 23, 2022

Punishment-induced resurgence.

Ryan Redner¹, Kathryn M Kestner², Amin Lotfizadeh³

¹School of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA.

Behavioural Processes

|June 4, 2024

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Punishment-induced resurgence, where a previously suppressed behavior returns after punishment, was observed in rats even when punishment did not decrease reinforcement rates. This study provides evidence for punishment-induced resurgence.

Keywords:

Behavioral history Punishment Rats Response recovery Resurgence

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Area of Science:

Behavioral psychology
Animal behavior research

Background:

Extinction-induced resurgence is a known phenomenon.
Experimental evidence for punishment-induced resurgence is limited.
Punishment-induced resurgence can be tested by applying shocks after an alternative response.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if low-intensity shocks, not affecting reinforcement rates, cause resurgence.
To evaluate if abrupt high-intensity shocks induce resurgence.
To provide further evidence for punishment-induced resurgence.

Main Methods:

Two experiments were conducted with rats.
Rats were exposed to conditions involving lever pressing, nose poking for reinforcement, and extinction.
Punishment was introduced via contingent shocks of varying intensities and abruptness.

Main Results:

Resurgence was observed in all subjects across both experiments.
Punishment-induced resurgence occurred even when shock did not decrease the rate of reinforcement.
Behavioral resurgence was noted in situations where only the rate of responding decreased, not reinforcement rate.

Conclusions:

The study provides additional evidence supporting the phenomenon of punishment-induced resurgence.
Future research is needed to explore the conditions under which punishment elicits resurgence.
The role of decreased reinforcement rates in punishment-induced resurgence requires further investigation.