The intercalated reinforcement technique: Learning without differential total reinforcement between groups

An intercalated reinforcement technique is described. The method equates number of trials, response topography, sensory exposure, and frequency of reinforcement between reversal Ss overtrained on a discrimination and then trained on reversals and nonreversal Ss similarly overtrained but continued on the same discrimination. In extending previous successful work in the rat, monkeys were trained on spatial discrimination and reversal tasks in the WGTA at 50%, 75%, and 100% reinforcement in order to test the efficacy of learning by this procedure, and to compare the method with learning obtained by a more classical procedure. Learning rates were the same by both procedures. This technique, therefore, appears useful for investigating neurochemical (or other) correlates of learning unconfounded by performance or sensory effects.