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Abstract

In a series of experiments the effects of deprivation of food or water on nondiscriminated avoidance responding and of irrelevant auditory stimulation upon avoidance responding and responding for water were investigated. Ss were 16 male, Long-Evans rats. Deprivation of food for periods of up to 48 hr. was not found to influence rate of responding in the avoidance situation. Deprivation of water up to 36 hr. similarly had no effect. Presentation of an irrelevant auditory stimulus during portions of the test session produced significant elevation in response rate when the responding was maintained by shock avoidance, but had no effect when the response was reinforced by presentation of water. It was concluded that drive must be divided into at least two categories.

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Increased Rate of Avoidance Responding Associated with Non-Contingent Auditory Stimulus

Abstract

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