Extinction of conditioned sexual responses in male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica): role of species-typical cues.
The authors examined how a conditioned stimulus (CS) that included species-typical cues affected the acquisition and extinction of conditioned sexual responses in male quail (Coturnix japonica). Some subjects were conditioned with a CS that supported sexual responses and included a taxidermic head of a female quail. Others were conditioned with a similar CS that lacked species-typical cues. Pairing the CSs with access to live females increased CS-directed behavior, with the head CS eliciting significantly more responding than the no-head CS. Responding to the head CS persisted during the 42-day, 126-trial extinction phase; responses to the no-head CS extinguished. Responding declined when the cues were removed or the subjects were sexually satiated. Possible functions and mechanisms of these effects are discussed.
Krause
Mark A
MA
Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, USA.
Cusato
Brian
B
Domjan
Michael
M
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003214:Conditioning, Classical; D003307:Copulation / Q000502:physiology; D003370:Coturnix; D003463:Cues; D005108:Extinction, Psychological; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors