Timing during inhibitory conditioning.
Analyses of second-by-second conditioned responding into a food receptacle by hungry rats (Rattus norvegicus) found that inhibition varies across the duration of a conditioned stimulus (CS) in a manner consistent with initial training. Variations in the arrival time of the unconditioned stimulus (US) supported temporally specific suppression of responding (Experiment 1). Summation and retardation tests (Experiments 2 and 3, respectively) revealed that points of greatest inhibition coincided with US omission at the time normally specified by the excitor. Our data provide a clear demonstration of fine-grained changes in the time course of inhibitory conditioning for the first time.
Williams
Douglas A
DA
Psychology Department, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. d.williams@uwinnipeg.ca
Johns
Kenneth W
KW
Brindas
Mirna
M
D000818:Animals; D001070:Appetitive Behavior; D001245:Association Learning; D003214:Conditioning, Classical; D005108:Extinction, Psychological; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D013997:Time Factors