Suppression of Rat Vocalizations to Shock by an Auditory CS

Abstract

Two studies are reported using rat vocalization to electric shock as the behavioral measure. Study 1 used a classical conditioning procedure with an auditory CS for one group while presenting only the UCS to a second group. The second study investigated the same phenomenon but used a within- instead of a between-groups design. In both studies, Ss given CS-UCS pairings vocalized significantly less to UCS than when the UCS was given alone. Both studies also produced gradual UCR curves but no detectable vocalizations to the CS occurred.