Acquisition variables in human avoidance behavior

Abstract

Human Ss were given avoidance training employing a blast of pressurized air directly behind the ear as the aversive stimulus, a button depression as the avoidance response, and a light as the warning signal. The contents of four sets of instructions were varied with regard to the “information about the study.” Better avoidance performance was obtained for the more informed conditions. The use of an escape contingency was not critical to response acquisition. Resistance to extinction appeared quite strong, and the suddenness of conditioning resembled all-or-none learning.