Using a timeout-from-avoidance procedure to explore resurgence of negatively reinforced behavior with rats

This experiment aimed to extend the use of the timeout-from-avoidance procedure used by Velasquez et al. (2025) to study resurgence of negatively reinforced behavior with rats. In Phase 1, responses on the target timeout lever produced 2 min timeouts from a free-operant avoidance schedule wherein shocks could be postponed by pressing an avoidance lever. In Phase 2, target timeout responding was extinguished, while responses on the alternative timeout lever produced the 2 min timeouts and the avoidance response continued to postpone shocks. Finally, in Phase 3, alternative timeout responding was extinguished while the avoidance schedule remained unchanged. Results showed evidence of resurgence in two of four rats. Although the robust finding of resurgence of negatively reinforced behavior typically reported with humans was not consistently replicated, the present results provide a first approximation in this line of research, highlighting the complexity of translating and implementing negative reinforcement paradigms analogous to their positive reinforcement counterparts.