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Biomedical subjects

M SIDMAN

Publications and source records attributed to M SIDMAN.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1962

Reduction of shock frequency as reinforcement for avoidance behavior.

An avoidance technique was used in which rats had two levers available, with independent shock schedules associated with each. Behavioral patterns in initial conditioning and in the maintenance of the responses with various response-shock intervals led to the suggestion that reduction of shock density be considered an important variable in avoidance behavior.

Animals↗
PubMed1962

An adjusting avoidance schedule.

A shock-avoidance schedule is described in which the animal accumulated 5 sec of safe time whenever it pressed a lever. With this schedule, the animal was not differentially reinforced for long pauses between responses; and, consistent with this property of the schedule, the probability that the animal would press the lever was not related in any regular way to the amount of time that had elapsed since its preceding lever press. Other features of the performance are also described. If the animal was given a warning stimulus whenever it came within 5 sec of a shock, it tended to spend more time in the close temporal vicinity of the shock and less time at the maximum temporal distance from shock.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1962

Time out from avoidance as a reinforcer: a study of response interaction.

Monkeys could either postpone shock by pressing a lever or pull a chain to produce a period of time out from the avoidance procedure. The period of time out proved to be an effective positive reinforcer. Certain features of the animals' behavior were attributed to interactions between the two responses.

Animals↗
PubMed1962

Classical avoidance without a warning stimulus.

White rats were scheduled to be shocked every 15 sec; but they were given a limited time interval between shocks when they could prevent the next scheduled shock from occurring if they pressed a lever. The duration of this limited avoidance period was varied, as was its location within the interval between scheduled shocks. Response rate, shock frequency, and the temporal distribution of lever presses were examined. Conditions were generated in which the formation of a temporal discrimination prevented the animals from maintaining successful avoidance behavior.

Animals↗