Effect of Instructions and Internal-External Control of Reinforcement on a Conditioned Finger-Withdrawal Response

Abstract

The hypotheses that demand characteristics and personality affect the acquisition of a conditioned avoidance response were investigated. Ss were put into a buzzer-shock-finger withdrawal situation and then given Rotter's I-E scale. All Ss were told that they would receive a shock. Half of them were also instructed to avoid it. Significantly fewer of the uninstructed group learned the avoidance response. Of the instructed group, those Ss who acquired the response had higher I-E scores. External Ss made proportionately fewer CRs during acquisition and required more trials to extinction than the Internal Ss. The study suggests that human avoidance conditioning depends upon S's personality and the demand characteristics of the situation.