Changes in SD and in S!D rates during the development of an operant discrimination.

Abstract

"An operant discrimination technique, designed to yield rate measures and to eliminate extraneous cues, is described. This procedure, which provides a wide range of durations of both the positive-stimulus (S-super(D)) periods and the negative-stimulus (S-super(Δ)) periods, with variable-interval reinforcements during the S-super(D) periods, was used in the establishment of a light-dark discrimination. Eight rats were used as Ss. During the course of the discrimination the S-super(D) rate increased to about 3.5 times its initial value, while the S-super(Δ) rate decreased to about 0.3 of its initial value. The coefficient of correlation relating S-super(D) and S-super(Δ) rates for the first 15 days of discrimination training was -0.81 . . . there was an increase in the total daily number of responses emitted during the development of the discrimination." From Psyc Abstracts 36:02:2EJ59H. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)