Abstract
In the present experiment, rats were trained to avoid shock by crossing to the adjacent compartment in a one-way avoidance box. Extinction of this response was then carried out in the presence of: (1) three active rats, the social facilitators (SF) which had been trained not to avoid the conditional stimuli; (2) three completely anesthetized rats, the anesthetized social facilitators (ASF); (3) three objects (O); and (4) alone (C). Groups SF and ASF extinguished significantly faster than Groups O and C; however, there were no significant differences observed between Groups O and C or between Groups SF and ASF. It was concluded that anesthetized rats were as effective as the active, nonanesthetized rats in facilitating extinction of the avoidance response. *We would like to thank Joseph Ternes for his comments and suggestions, for sponsoring and for taking editorial responsibility for this paper. This study was submitted by the first author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a degree of Master of Arts, Department of Psychology, University of Puerto Rico.
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We would like to thank Joseph Ternes for his comments and suggestions, for sponsoring and for taking editorial responsibility for this paper. This study was submitted by the first author ian partial fulfillment of the requirements for a degree of Master of Arts, Department of Psychology, University of Puerto Rico.
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Marina, J.F., Bauermeister, J.J. Socially facilitated extinction of a conditioned avoidance response. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 3, 161–163 (1974). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333427
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333427