| Variation of bar-press duration: where do new responses come from? | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 16621334 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Instrumental learning involves both variation and selection: variation of what the animal does, and selection by reward from among the variation. Four experiments with rats suggested a rule about how variation is controlled by recent events. Experiment 1 used the peak procedure. Measurements of bar-press durations showed a sharp increase in mean duration after the time that food was sometimes given. The increase was triggered by the omission of expected food. Our first explanation of the increase was that it was a frustration effect. Experiment 2 tested this explanation with a procedure in which the first response of a trial usually produced food, ending the trial. In Experiment 2, unlike Experiment 1, omission of expected food did not produce a large increase in bar-press duration, which cast doubt on the frustration explanation. Experiments 3 and 4 tested an alternative explanation: a decrease in expectation of reward increases variation. Both used two signals associated with different probabilities of reward. Bar presses were more variable in duration during the signal with the lower probability of reward, supporting this alternative. These experiments show how variation can be studied with ordinary equipment and responses. |
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Authors:
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Seth Roberts; Afshin Gharib |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article Date: 2006-03-08 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Behavioural processes Volume: 72 ISSN: 0376-6357 ISO Abbreviation: Behav. Processes Publication Date: 2006 Jun |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2006-05-02 Completed Date: 2006-07-28 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 7703854 Medline TA: Behav Processes Country: Netherlands |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 215-23 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94708, USA. twoutopias@gmail.com |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Animals Behavior, Animal / physiology* Conditioning, Operant / physiology* Probability Learning* Psychomotor Performance / physiology* Rats Reproducibility of Results Reward Set (Psychology)* |
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