Publication Date

1973

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Martin, Randall B.

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Legacy Department

Department of Psychology

LCSH

Schizophrenics; Reinforcement (Psychology); Conditioned response

Abstract

The possibility of a "negative conditioning" hypothesis to account for the phenomena of performance deficit in chronic schizophrenics was investigated. According to this hypothesis, certain classes of the diagnostic group "schizophrenic" will not modify their behavior in order to obtain positive reinforcement, but rather are motivated by the avoidance or escape from aversive stimulation. Specifically, the first portion of this study replicated the work of Hurwitz (1968), with certain modifications to allow for the use of optimal conditioning procedures and subject selection. The "negative conditioning" hypothesis was supported by the obtained data and the second phase of the study attempted to establish a classically conditioned positive secondary reinforcer based on the termination of noxious stimulation. A weak, yet significant (p4.05) treatment effect was obtained for the conditioned Reward group only. Certain methological difficulties to account for the weak conditioning effect were noted, and the ramification of this hypothesis for the development of treatment programs for chronic schizophrenics was discussed.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.||Includes illustrations.

Extent

87 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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