6.10 - One factor vs. two-factory theories of avoidance

True Avoidance and Its Theories

  • True Avoidance: Previously discussed as a concept where an organism engages in behaviors to avoid aversive stimuli.
    • Mentioned types: Similar avoidance, non-discriminated avoidance.

Theories of Avoidance Behavior

  • One Factor Theory:

    • Proposes that the key factor in maintaining avoidance behavior is operant conditioning.
    • It focuses on the reduction of aversive events (e.g., shock).
    • Example:
    • A dog jumps over a barrier to avoid receiving a shock. The primary motivation is the reduction of the shock.
    • Time Factor:
    • The length of time provides a discriminative stimulus for avoidance response.
    • Time dictates when to jump to escape shock; the more time elapsed, the more chances of shock.

  • Two Factor Theory:

    • Suggests two necessary conditions for avoidance:
    1. Operant Factor: Similar to the one factor theory, focusing on reducing aversive events.
    2. Respondent Conditioning Factors: Involves classical conditioning where fear is paired with time.
    • Example:
    • Avoidance behavior is conditioned through fear associated with waiting for shock (e.g., increased heart rate, anxiety).
    • An analogy with taking medication: The discomfort experienced until the medication is taken exemplifies escape from fear, not just avoidance of outcomes.

Comparison of Theories

  • Experiment by Herrnstein and Heinlein (1966):
    • Examined rats pressing a lever for food while controlling the fear factor.
    • Conditions involved:
    • Pressing the lever lowers the probability of shock from 0.3 (30%) to 0.1 (10%).
    • Conclusion:
    • Despite fear, the key motivation for lever pressing is the reduction of shock, supporting the one factor theory.

Extrapolation to Human Behavior

  • Example of Moving from the East Coast:
    • Observations of increased hurricane frequency and severity driven by climate change.
    • People may express a desire to move away from hurricane-prone areas to avoid the events themselves.
    • Discussion of two motivations:
    • Reduction of Hurricane Exposure (One Factor Theory).
    • Escaping Fear Associated with Hurricanes (Two Factor Theory).

Escape vs. Avoidance Controversy

  • Ongoing debate exists regarding true avoidance versus escape behaviors:

    • One Factor Theorists argue behavior is solely to reduce aversive stimuli.
    • Two Factor Theorists propose that conditioned fear is essential, making behaviors more about escaping fear than avoiding outcomes.

  • Conclusion:

    • The exploration of whether avoidance is a true phenomenon or just a form of escape remains a topic of interest and discussion within psychology, highlighting the complexity of human motivations and behaviors.