title: Effects of delay of reinforcement with reduction of confinement in the goal-box and elimination of handling immediately following runway traversal.
abstract: 24 male rats were randomly assigned into one of three groups. The first group was immediately reinforced with food pellets upon entering a wide goal-box area after running down a straight alley. The second group was reinforced with food pellets 10 sec. after they placed their noses above the goal cup. A third group was reinforced 30 sec. after they placed their noses above the goal cup. All animals were given a total of 72 trials (four trials per day). The results indicated that rats given immediate reinforcement ran faster than those with a 10-sec. delay which were faster than those with a 30-sec. delay. These findings suggest that the results of the previous studies were due to delay of reinforcement effects and not confinement in the goal-box or handling following a run.
authors.affiliation: West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannan 26201, USA.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Calef
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Choban
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Glenney
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Calef
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bass
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rivers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001070:Appetitive Behavior; D001143:Arousal; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D009042:Motivation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011930:Reaction Time; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012931:Social Environment