| Abstract: | Two experiments were reported in which it was observed that a weak shock became more aversive as a result of appropriate pairing of that stimulus with a stronger shock. The enhanced aversiveness of the weak shock was reflected in Experiment 1 by an apparent increase in the reinforcement provided by response-contingent termination of that shock. In Experiment 2, the weak shock was observed to be more suppressive of a consummatory-response baseline following appropriate pairings of the weak and strong shocks. The results of these studies were discussed in terms of their implications for certain aversive-conditioning situations in which shocks may serve, in part, as conditioned stimuli. |
