Six rats with bipolar electrodes chronically implanted were trained to press a lever to deliver a brief electric shock via the electrodes to the hypothalamus. The rats were subsequently allowed to maintain the current “on” for as long as the lever was depressed. Under this condition, mean response duration was found to be a decreasing, negatively accelerated function of frequency (pps). These results were discussed in the light of recent findings by Stein of a similar relationship with respect to stimulus intensity.
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