Temporal specificity in cross-modal transfer of the rabbit nictitating membrane response.
Two experiments examine cross-modal transfer of response features specific to the interstimulus interval (ISI) between a conditioned stimulus (CS) and an unconditioned stimulus. Rabbits were given initial training with a stimulus (CSA) in one modality (e.g., tone) at a designated ISI (e.g., 600 ms). Training was then shifted to a new stimulus (CSB) in another modality (e.g., light) at a new ISI (e.g., 400 ms). The timing of early conditioned responses (CRs) to CSB reflected the ISI of CSA. Ultimately, CRs to CSB shifted to a temporal location conforming to the ISI of CSB. When the ISI of CSB was shorter than that of CSA, CRs to CSA also shifted to a locus conforming to the ISI of CSB. The present results confirmed previous findings that training in one CS modality accelerates CR acquisition to a CS in another modality. The findings are compared with the transfer of response patterns in instrumental learning sets and are discussed regarding their implications for theories of cross-modal transfer.
Kehoe
E J
EJ
University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia.
Napier
R M
RM
D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning; D001288:Attention; D001307:Auditory Perception; D003215:Conditioning, Eyelid; D005260:Female; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011939:Mental Recall; D011817:Rabbits; D014163:Transfer, Psychology; D014796:Visual Perception