Effect of prior Pavlovian discrimination training upon learning an operant discrimination |
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| Authors: | Gordon Bower and Theodore Grusec |
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| Abstract: | The effect of Pavlovian discrimination training with two stimuli upon subsequent learning of an operant discrimination involving those stimuli was studied. After preliminary lever press training, the lever was removed and thirsty rats received noncontingent pairings between S1 (a tone or a clicker) and water reinforcements, whereas S2 (a clicker or a tone) occurred always without reinforcement. This procedure presumably established S1 as a positive CS for respondent behavior, whereas S2 was established as an inhibitory CS. Following this training, the lever was reintroduced and the rats were trained on an operant (lever pressing) discrimination involving S1 and S2. For the Consistent Ss, S1 was the SD and S2 the SΔ in the operant discrimination; for the Reversed Ss, S2 served as SD and S1 as SΔ. The Consistent Ss learned the operant discrimination significantly faster than did the Reversed Ss. The result emphasizes the importance of respondents, conditioned to SD and SΔ, which modulate operant performance to these stimuli. |
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