Effects of infantile and adult shock-trauma upon learning in the adult white rat.

Fear-increasing effects of experience with shock

“…DISCUSSION The effect of experience with inescapable shock was to facilitate performance during shock-motivated escape learning, especially in regard to the stability of the escape response. Insofar as experience with shock had a facilitating effect on performance, our results parallel those of Baron et al (1957) and Miller (1960) and are at variance with those of Kurtz & Walters (1962). However, as far as fear is concerned, our findings support Kurtz and Walter's hypothesis that the effect of experience with shock is to increase the strength of the fear response in a fear-provoking situation.…”

“…While demonstrating that the rats differed in performance in the face of fear, Miller's data leave the question of whether or not the groups differed in level of fear as well. Empirically consistent with Miller's results are the findings of Baron, Brookshire, & Littman (1957), which demonstrated that rats given experience with shock subsequently had shorter latencies in both escape and avoidance tests than did inexperienced rats. The authors concluded that " ... the early acquaintance with shock mitigates its disruptive effects and permits more integrated behaviour."…”

“…However, the direction of the residual effect of shock experience on performance is in dispute. Effects facilitative (Miller, 1960;Baron, Brookshire, & Littman, 1957;Sawrey & Sawrey, 1960) and disruptive (Kurtz & Pearl, 1960;Kurtz & Walters, 1962) of performance have both been experimentally demonstrated.…”

The effects of early experience and paternal irradiation upon avoidance learning, weight gain, and open field behavior in swine

“…Studies of learning with electric shock as the early stimulus have also been done. Baron, Brookshire, and Littman (1957) used groups shocked at 20 and 35 days with shock levels of 0.25 and 1.25 ma. The shocked animals mastered escape learning faster than the controls at both shock levels, but the shocked animals learned avoidance faster only at the higher shock intensity.…”

The effects of early experience and paternal irradiation upon avoidance learning, weight gain, and open field behavior in swine

“…Baron, Brookshire, and Littman (1957) used groups shocked at 20 and 35 days with shock levels of 0.25 and 1.25 ma. The shocked animals mastered escape learning faster than the controls at both shock levels, but the shocked animals learned avoidance faster only at the higher shock intensity.…”