Oneofthemostcommonwaysofexperimentinginthefield
ofpsychologyistoapplyelectricshockstoanimals.Thismay
be done withthe aimof findingouthow animalsreact to
variouskindsof punishmentortotrainanimalsto perform
different tasks.Inthefirst editionofthis bookI described
experimentsconductedinthelateSixtiesandearlySeventies
inwhichexperimentersgaveelectricshockstoanimals.Here
is just one example from that period:
O. S. Ray and R. J. Barrett, working in the psychology
research unit of the Veterans Administration Hospital,
Pittsburgh, gaveelectric shocks to thefeet of 1,042mice.
Theythencausedconvulsionsbygivingmoreintenseshocks
throughcup-shapedelectrodesappliedtotheanimals’eyesor
through clips attached to their ears. They reported that
unfortunately some of the mice
who“successfullycompletedDayOne trainingwere found
sick or dead prior to testing on Day Two.”^29
Now,nearlytwentyyearslater,asIwritethesecondedition
ofthisbook,experimentersarestilldreaminguptriflingnew
variations to try out on animals: W. A.Hillex and M. R.
DennyoftheUniversityofCaliforniaatSanDiegoplaced
rats in a mazeand gavethem electric shocksif, afterone
incorrect choice, on their next trial they failed to choose
whichwaytogowithinthreeseconds.Theyconcludedthat
the “results are clearly reminiscent of the early work on
fixationandregressionintherat,inwhichtheanimalswere
typicallyshockedinthestemoftheT-mazejustprecedingthe
choice point....” (In other words, giving the rats electric
shocksatthepointinthemazeatwhichtheyhadtochoose,
rather than before that point—the novel feature of this
particularexperiment—madenosignificantdifference.)The