Reduced generalization following preexposure: latent inhibition of common elements or a difference in familiarity?
Rats injected with lithium chloride after drinking a saline-lemon solution also reduced their consumption of saline-lemon and sucrose-lemon, but a single prior exposure to sucrose-lemon decreased the generalized aversion. Experiment 1 showed that this decrease in the aversion to sucrose-lemon could not be explained by a decrease either in the aversion conditioned to saline-lemon or in neophobia to sucrose-lemon. Experiment 2 ruled out the possibility that generalization between saline-lemon and sucrose-lemon was based on shared novelty. Experiment 3 showed that generalization between the two solutions was related to the strength of the aversion to the lemon flavor they shared in common and that prior exposure to sucrose-lemon reduced generalization by causing latent inhibition of this common element.
Bennett
C H
CH
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, England.
Wills
S J
SJ
Wells
J O
JO
Mackintosh
N J
NJ
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D018021:Lithium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects
D018021:Lithium Chloride