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One-trial conditioned suppression: effects of instructions on extinction
The American Journal of Psychology
|June 1, 1978
Summary
Human Pavlovian conditioning using a tone conditioned stimulus (CS) and shock unconditioned stimulus (UCS) showed that instructions influenced conditioned suppression. Participants instructed about no further shocks did not exhibit suppression.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Experimental Psychology
- Human Conditioning Studies
Background:
- Pavlovian conditioning is a fundamental learning process.
- Conditioned suppression is often used to measure fear conditioning in animals.
- Its applicability to human anxiety-motivated behavior requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate Pavlovian conditioning in humans using a button-pressing task.
- To examine the effect of explicit instructions on conditioned suppression.
- To assess conditioned suppression as a model for human anxiety.
Main Methods:
- Undergraduate volunteers underwent a single Pavlovian conditioning trial (tone CS paired with shock UCS).
- Experimental groups received either instructions about future shocks or no instructions.
- Button-pressing rates, maintained by slide reinforcement, were measured during a subsequent CS-alone presentation.
Main Results:
- A significant suppression of button-pressing was observed in the non-instructed experimental group.
- The instructed experimental group did not show conditioned suppression.
- Control groups (CS alone or UCS alone) also did not exhibit suppression.
Conclusions:
- Conditioned suppression is a sensitive index of Pavlovian conditioning in humans.
- Explicit instructions can attenuate conditioned suppression.
- Conditioned suppression may not be a fully adequate analog for clinically observed anxiety-motivated behavior.