Escape and avoidance of shock by pigeons pecking a key.

Researchers worked with three pigeons in a small chamber.

A key was lit on the wall. If the bird pecked it during a tone, the tone stopped and no shock came.

First the birds could stop an ongoing shock by pecking. Then the team slowly moved the shock earlier, so pecks had to come before shock.

The goal was to see if escape pecks could turn into true avoidance pecks.

Two of the three birds kept pecking even when shock was fully avoided.

The third bird quit once shocks stopped happening.

The escape-to-avoidance fade worked for most birds.

Kelly et al. (1970) swapped the key for a floor treadle. Pigeons learned even faster, showing the response form matters.

Edwards et al. (1970) added a warning light. Birds used the signal to time their pecks, proving signals sharpen avoidance.

Johnston et al. (1972) later mapped how soon the shock must follow a treadle press. Shorter gaps made birds press more, giving parametric flesh to the same paradigm.

You can build avoidance from escape by fading immediacy.

Try starting with an escape contingency your client already does, then delay the aversive event bit by bit.

Watch response topography; a switch from hand-flap to switch-press might speed acquisition, just like treadle beat key-peck in pigeons.