Response-contingent stimuli and DRL performance after septal lesions in rats.
An experiment was conducted to assess the effectiveness of providing response-contingent stimuli in improving the performance of rats with septal lesions on a DRL schedule of reinforcement. Groups of operated and control animals were given no stimulus, a light flash, or footshock in conjunction with all noncriterion lever presses. Footshock, but not light, was found to substantially ameliorate the lesion-induced DRL deficit. Improved schedule efficiency appeared to result from the punishing aspects of the shock and not to a response-feedback function.
D000818:Animals; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012688:Septum Pellucidum / Q000502:physiology*