This study experimentally investigated the determinants of avoidance behavior when participants are forewarned of aversive outcomes. The effects of 3 variables on avoidance behavior were examined: point‐loss amount (5 levels, from 20 to 100 points), duration of timeout from positive reinforcement (5 levels, 20 to 100 s), and 3 predictive accuracy levels (100%, 50%, and 0%) of warning stimuli. Twelve participants completed 3 sessions, each comprising 25 discrete trials, that differed in predictive accuracy level. Throughout a session, a participant engaged in button press responses that were reinforced by points under a conjunctive fixed‐ratio fixed‐interval schedule. During each trial, a warning stimulus that indicated a loss amount and a timeout duration was presented. If the participant pressed the avoidance button, then the timeout started, otherwise the loss occurred. The trial ended with termination of timeout or an occurrence of the loss. Results showed that avoidance responses increased when the loss amount increased and decreased when the timeout duration increased. The frequency of avoidance responses was lowest when the predictive accuracy of warning stimuli was 0%. These findings demonstrated that this experimental procedure could be useful for investigating human avoidance behavior outside the laboratory.

中文翻译：

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警告损失幅度和超时持续时间对人类回避行为的影响

本研究通过实验调查了当参与者预先警告厌恶结果时回避行为的决定因素。检查了 3 个变量对回避行为的影响：点损失量（5 个级别，从 20 到 100 分）、正强化超时持续时间（5 个级别，20 到 100 秒）和 3 个预测准确度级别（100% 、50% 和 0%) 的警告刺激。12 名参与者完成了 3 个会话，每个会话包含 25 个离散试验，这些试验的预测准确度水平不同。在整个会议期间，参与者进行按​​钮按下响应，这些响应通过联合固定比率固定间隔时间表下的点数得到加强。在每次试验期间，都会出现指示损失金额和超时持续时间的警告刺激。如果参与者按下回避按钮，则超时开始，否则就会发生损失。审判以终止超时或发生损失而结束。结果表明，当损失量增加时回避反应增加，而超时持续时间增加时回避反应减少。当警告刺激的预测准确率为0%时，回避反应的频率最低。这些发现表明，该实验程序可用于研究实验室外的人类回避行为。