A Transitory Mechanism in Free-Operant Discrimination Learning

1975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony A. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Learning ◽  
Operant Discrimination ◽  
Free Operant

Operant Discrimination Learning in Human Infants

1964 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 737
Author(s):  
Mae Williamson Simmons
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Learning ◽  
Human Infants ◽  
Operant Discrimination

Facilitation of repeated free operant discrimination reversals

1969 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 492-513
Author(s):  
Richard P. Toister ◽  
J.S. Birnbrauer
Keyword(s):  
Operant Discrimination ◽  
Free Operant

Factor Analysis of Active Avoidance and Operant Discrimination Learning in Mice

1978 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Jensen ◽  
John C. Schmitt ◽  
C. James Scheirer ◽  
Therese L. Cochrane
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Discrimination Learning ◽  
Active Avoidance ◽  
Operant Discrimination

Overtraining Effects on Reversal and Nonreversal Discrimination Shifts with a Continuously Reinforced Free Operant

1967 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles N. Uhl ◽  
B. Kent Parker ◽  
Philip B. Wooton
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Learning ◽  
Irrelevant Stimulus ◽  
Stimulus Dimension ◽  
Single Stimulus ◽  
Reversal Shift ◽  
Nonreversal Shift ◽  
Continuous Reinforcement ◽  
Free Operant ◽  
Discrimination Criterion ◽  
Free Operant Situation

Rats were trained on a single-stimulus, successive discrimination in a free operant situation with continuous reinforcement of responding to S+. Ss were given 0, 4, or 8 days of overtraining (OT) after reaching the discrimination criterion. Half of the Ss were given a reversal shift (RS) and half a nonreversal shift (NRS). An irrelevant stimulus dimension was present at all times in Exp. 1, and it was absent in Exp. 2. OT did not affect RS or NRS learning in either experiment. NRS learning was faster than RS learning. These results were contrasted with other studies which have reported that OT facilitated RS learning and impeded NRS learning. Certain theoretical interpretations of discrimination learning, particularly Sutherland's treatment of centrally mediated attentional mechanisms, were critically discussed in light of the present findings.

Disruption of Free-Operant Successive Discriminations by Septal Damage in Rats

1972 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 524-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Dickinson
Keyword(s):  
Correction Procedure ◽  
Discriminative Performance ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Operant Discrimination ◽  
Extended Training ◽  
Active Mechanism ◽  
Septal Damage ◽  
Free Operant ◽  
Primary Reactions

In Experiment I rats were trained preoperatively on a successive, free-operant discrimination with fixed component durations until S— responding had been minimized. Septal damage resulted in a transitory loss of discriminative performance due to an elevation of S— responding. Experiment II showed a comparable septal deficit following training which employed a “correction” procedure that penalized S— responding. It is concluded that, even after extended training, the maintenance of a low level of S— responding by rats in these types of discriminations requires the operation of an active mechanism which can be disrupted by septal damage. The possibility that this disruption results from a lesion-induced change either in the primary reactions to frustrative non-reward or in associated processes is discussed.

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