This study was designed to investigate whether there is a relationship between recipients' subjective perceptions of the punishment situation and the effect a punishing stimulus will have on their observed behaviour. The independet variables were the recipients' perceptions of (a) the severity of the punishing stimulus, (b) their locus of control and (c) their control of the punishing stimulus.The results showed that internally oriented men and women took longer to cease responding to a criterion than did those who were externally oriented. Also, the punishing stimulus was rated less severely following its use as a punishment when the recipients could control the onset and offsett of the punishing stimulus than when it was under the control of the experimenter. Furhter, the relationship between the receipients' subjective ratings of the severity of the punishing stimulus and their responding in a punishment situation is not a direct one. It appears to be modified, in part, by the recipients' perceived locus of control, suggesting that person variables, as well as situation variables, should be considered in research dealing with response aversive stimulation.