THE RELATIVE AVERSIVENESS OF WARNING SIGNAL AND SHOCK TN AN AVOIDANCE SITUATION.

The article discusses the study which demonstrates an experimental arrangement that permits objective measurement of the subject's preference for a noxious event of an anticipatory situation prior to the event in the framework of a modified avoidance conditioning procedure. In the classical avoidance experiment, the avoidance response has prevented a shock and terminated the anticipatory warning signal. However, in the modified classical technique, the subject can behave in either two alternative fashions. These two responses include the postponement of the shock while at the same time maintaining the warning signal and taking the shock while simultaneously terminating the warning signal.