Avoidance Learning in Fish as a Function of Prior Fear Conditioning

Abstract

90 goldfish, Carassius auratus, were given 0, 5, 10, 20 or 40 fear conditioning trials prior to 40 standard avoidance learning trials in an aquatic shuttlebox. Results indicated that avoidance learning was inversely related to the number of fear conditioning trials and were discussed in terms of the development of superstitious behavior during fear conditioning which was incompatible with the shuttle response required during subsequent avoidance training.