Response latency as a function of amount of reinforcement.
Food-deprived rats were trained to press and hold down a telegraph key in the presence of a light. Subsequent release of the key during a tone was followed by 0.15 ml of a 20-percent sucrose solution as reinforcement. The Ss were subsequently shifted to a 0-percent and to a 5-percent solution from the 20-percent base line. The median RT and the variability of RT increased markedly as a result of the shift to the lower sucrose concentrations. For all Ss, the change in median and variability was greater for the shift to the 0-percent solution than for the shift to the 5-percent solution. It is probable that median RT and variability of RT are inversely related to amount of reinforcement.
D000818:Animals; D005508:Food Deprivation; D007858:Learning; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D013395:Sucrose
D013395:Sucrose
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