An integrative progress report on informational control in humans: Some laboratory findings and methodological claims

Abstract

When noxious unavoidable events (e.g., shocks) are signalled (e.g., by a 5-sec. tone), it is widely believed that there is informational control (IC) in the sense that signalling reduces perceived event noxiousness; the IC mechanism arises through signal-elicited preparatory anticipatory responses which reduce event noxiousness; there is a prefere,nce for signalled over unsignalled events (preference for signalling). Since these beliefs, though related, are different, the relevant evidence from the Toronto laboratory is presented separately for each b e k f . That evidence, comprising studies published from 1970-1974 and some additional unpublished experiments, indicates: (a) no support for an IC mechanism in the electrodermal, plethysmographic, and cardiac response systems; (b) no support for IC itself with shocks and loud noises as noxious events; (c) no general preference-for-signalling (PFS) phsnomenon (assertion based on total of over 570 Ss); but (d) a recent but consistently emerging specific PFS which appears based on Ss' (false) beliefs in the benefits of signalling. There follow some methodological claims which partially integrate the Toronto studies with apparently conflicting evidence from other laboratories. Complete integration involving a statement of the conditions under which signalling has beneficial, detrimental and no effects is not yet possible because of the empirical complexity of the problem, a complexity which requires an investigative rather than a demonstrational experimental approach. To illustrate the apparent strength of the latter approach, some examples are given of the current strong but unjustifiable Zeitgeist in favour of such beliefs as the generality of the PFS phenomenon in humans. as the other participants to whom I am indebted for comments on that conference version which was prepared with the aid of C. X.Poulos. The evidence and ideas presented both in the conference version and in the present paper were developed in collaboration with the following colleagues and Manuscript Psychology, 1968, 20, 85-91. 66, 402-41 1. interval. SCkfZCe, 1962, 137, 665and time estimation in ratings chology, 1972, 96, 407-415.

The preference-for-signaled-shock phenomenon: Fifty days with scrambled shock in the shuttlebox

“…Both Furedy andDoob (1971, p. 263) andMiller et al (1974, p. 273) have drawn attention to notions of "conditioned fear" and "conditioned aversion to the signal," respectively, notions which stem from the recognition that the signal may not have only beneficial effects and that there may, therefore, be factors which work against rmding a PSS phenomenon. The conditioned fear notion would suggest that fear, as a secondary drive, increases the impact or aversiveness of signaled shock, and thereby makes unsignaled shock preferred.…”

Evaluation of informational control and preparatory response factors in classical aversive conditioning

“…Moreover, a series of chi-square tests indicated that the proportions of subjects preferring signaled vs. unsignaled ues presentations did not differ significantly at any of the five intensity levels for either the airpuff or shock DeS. In view of the strength of belief in the PFS phenomenon documented by Furedy (1975), the present results are of interest in providing yet another failure to demonstrate this phenomenon even under conditions where ues modification is possible (i.e., in the airpuff subjects).…”

“…A review of evidence on IC in humans from the Toronto laboratory has indicated that the limits on IC are quite severe (Furedy, 1975). In brief summary, there was no evidence in these studies to support the occurrence of a PAR mechanism in such signal~licited anticipatory responses as the GSR, digital vasomotor response, and cardiac rate (Furedy, 1975, pp.…”

“…In addition, Suboski did not assess the PFS phenomenon separately, which, as illustrated in detail elsewhere (Furedy, 1975), can often tum out to be independent of the conceptually related IC phenomenon. Accordingly, the present study examined IC and related PAR and PFS phenomena in a classical eyelid conditioning situation, wherein the anticipatory eyelid CR was directly observed, both in terms of the commonly used CR frequency measure and in terms of both peak anticipatory CR magnitude and eyelid position at UCS onset.…”

“…93-94). The general notion that the effects of signaling under such conditions are beneficial can be summarized in terms of the concept of "informational control" (Furedy, 1975), provided it is recognized that informational control (IC) is reserved for those situations where no obvious source of external modification (e.g., escape or avoidance) exists for the noxious event in question. The classical aversive conditioning paradigm is assumed to exemplify this type of situation, since the noxious DCS is presented on all trials independently of the subject's behavior.…”