The first study of this series demonstrated that when shock is given for correct responses learning is accelerated as if it were given for wrong responses. It was concluded that the function of shock after the point of choice is "to make the animal respond more readily to the significant cues in the learning situation." (l,p.276) In this first experiment a rat of the shock-wrong group received about one-fifth of the amount of shock received by a rat in the shock-right group. And yet, the acceleration produced by shock for wrong responses was slightly in excess of that produced by shock for right responses. At that time we commented that "only further analysis can reveal whether or not this difference has any meaning." (1, p. 273) In view of these relations Professor H. A. Carr, in a personal communication to the senior author, 1 suggested that there might be two alternative explanations for shock-right effect. To quote Professor Carr:(a) "Shock exerts its effect upon the total reaction of the animal and the kind and degree of effect does not vary with the location at which the shock is given." This was essentially the position taken by us, except that we should add the restriction that such a statement referred only to shock after the point of 1 We are greatly indebted to Professor H. A. Carr for his critical comments on the experiments in this series and especially for his suggestions which led to the present experiment.
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