TY - JOUR
AU - Mowrer, O. H.
AB - The purpose of the study was to compare the relative effectiveness of non-reward, physical barriers, and punishment on the progression of behavior from one habit to another, and on subsequent tendencies to regress to the original habit. The factor of effort in the acquisition of the second habit was also studied. The apparatus was an elevated maze with alternate pathways of various lengths. Nine groups of five albino rats each were used in the various combination of short, intermediate, and long alternate pathways, with non-reward, barrier, and punishment as interference with the original habit. Results indicated preference for the shorter of two paths, as a function of the magnitude in difference in length of the paths. Habit progression from the shorter to the longer of the two paths was inversely related to the difference in length of the two, and was also a function of the method of interfering with the original habit. Punishment, barrier, and non-reward were effective in that order. All animals showed a tendency to persist in variable behavior. Forced regression to the original habit was least effective with the punishment group. The experimental procedure is thought to parallel roughly some of the stages in the progression of the human life history. An appendix discusses the factorial design of the experiment and applies further tests of the significance of the difference observed.
TI - Habit progression and regression––a laboratory study of some factors relevant to human socialization
JF - Journal of Comparative Psychology
DO - 10.1037/h0061713
DA - 1943-12-01
UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/american-psychological-association/habit-progression-and-regression-a-laboratory-study-of-some-factors-7gHecoUYbS
SP - 229
EP - 253
VL - 36
IS - 3
DP - DeepDyve
ER -