title: Response-Outcome versus Outcome-Response Associations in Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer: Effects of Instrumental Training Context.
abstract: One experiment with rats used Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) tests to explore potential competitive interactions between Pavlovian and instrumental processes during instrumental learning. Two instrumental response-outcome relations (e.g., left lever - grain pellets, right lever - sucrose pellets) were first trained in distinct contexts for one group of rats (Group Differential) or in each of two contexts for a second group (Group Non-Differential). Both of these groups then received training with two Pavlovian stimulus-outcome relations in a third experimental context. Selective PIT tests conducted in both the Pavlovian and instrumental contexts revealed greater selective PIT in Group Non-Differential than in Group Differential subjects. This result is discussed in terms of the roles played by context-outcome, response-outcome, and outcome-response associations during instrumental learning. The results further help us understand the nature of Pavlovian-instrumental interactions in specific PIT tasks.
authors.affiliation: Brooklyn College - CUNY, USA.
authors.forename: Kerry E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Gilroy
authors.affiliation: Brooklyn College - CUNY, USA.
authors.forename: Ebony M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Everett
authors.affiliation: Brooklyn College - CUNY, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Delamater