This experiment investigated whether non-contingent (uncontrollable) appetitive stimuli can produce interference on subsequent escape learning (learned helplessness). Rats were divided into three groups (n = 8): contingent (C), non-contingent (NC) or naive (I). In the first phase (treatment), the C animals were exposed to positive reinforcement under CRF, FR5 and FR20 schedules. Each reinforcement to the C animal produced a non-contingent water drop (uncontrollable stimulus) to the yoked NC animal. Animals from the I group received no treatment. In the next phase (test), all rats received electrical shocks which could be removed contingently to a jump response in a shuttlebox. All animals equally learned the escape response, regardless of the previous treatment. These results suggested that learned helplessness was not produced by uncontrollable appetitive stimuli. The generalization of the learned helplessness effect among aversive and appetitive contexts is discussed.
learned helplessness; escape learning; uncontrollability; appetitive control; aversive control
