The effect of electric shock as punishment for errors in human maze-learning.

Abstract

It was not thought necessary to present the directions here. They were similar to the directions ordinarily employed in maze experiments with human adults..

A Comparison of the Elimination of Shock-Right and Shock-Wrong Blinds in a Finger Maze

“…The subjects were, no doubt, highly motivated by the experimental situation, and the shock may have added but little to this already-pre sent desire to do well. However, the addition of a shock to a maze-learning situation does increase the speed of learning (4,5,8,9,10,11). We may, then, extend our discussion as follows.…”

“…Table 1 gives the complete error scores for all S's of the U. C. L. A. experiment, and Table 2 shows the same data for the Alabama Group. It will be recalled from Figure 1 that Group I in each experiment was shocked in true Paths 1,2,4,8,and 9,and in Blinds 3,5,6,7,and 10. For Group II this situation was exactly reversed.…”

“…Studies have been made of the effect of shock for errors (1,3,4,5,6,7,8,11,IS,17,18,19,21) , and for correct choices (12,18,20). In addition, a non-informative or unpredictable shock has been used (2,9,10).…”

The effects of punishment for errors on the maze learning of rats.

“…On the'' ordinary curves" (figs. 3,5,6,7,8,9), each point plotted represents the average daily score in errors or time per trial. In the case of error curves, this average was found by dividing the total daily error score by the total number of rats in the group.…”

“…In human learning of a stylus maze, Bunch (5) found that electric shock given for errors decreased the number of errors. Rexroad (6) got somewhat ambiguous results in a human multiple choice reaction experiment in which electric shock was admin-Lstered for errors.…”