Effects of coping behavior in different warning signal conditions on stress pathology in rats.

Abstract

Studied the effect of an electric shock that was preceded by either a warning signal, a series of signals forming an "external clock," or no signal at all on 180 male albino sprague-dawley rats. In all conditions, ss which could avoid and/or escape shock developed less ulceration than did yoked "helpless" ss which received exactly the same shock (through fixed electrodes wired in series) but had no control over shock. Presence or absence of a warning signal did, however, have an effect: a discrete warning signal reduced the ulceration of both ss having control over shock and of yoked helpless ss. A theory is proposed to explain how psychological factors determine the development of gastric ulceration in stress situations. (15 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)