Effects of Instructions on Human Free-Operant Avoidance Conditioning with White Noise

Abstract

Female Ss in a free-operant avoidance procedure had a 100-db white noise of either .5, 3 or 6 sec. duration as a stimulus to be avoided. The noise-noise interval was 7.5 sec., and the response-noise interval was 22.5 sec. Ss were given either minimal or more detailed instructions concerning the key-pressing response to be made. Ss getting the more detailed instructions avoided more of the programmed noises. One effect of receiving only minimal instructions was that such Ss made a number of “odd” non-key-pressing responses such as attempting to or actually breaking the apparatus.