Conditioned inhibition and conditioned excitation in transfer of discrimination.

Abstract

Two discrimination situations were set up in such a way that there could be transfer from one to the other and this transfer could be mediated by a conditioned inhibitor or conditioned excitor. Four groups of 10 rats each were given training in the 2 discriminations, the cues for discrimination being presence or absence of a buzzer. In conditioned inhibition the buzzer was the negative cue, while in conditioned excitation it was the positive cue. Learning to run down an alley and to inhibit running and learning to press a bar and to inhibit pressing were the corresponding tasks required. Positive transfer effects were demonstrated, but it was shown that the conditioned inhibitor and conditioned excitor could not be assumed to mediate the transfer. An interpretation of the results in terms of the generalization of "not-responding" suggests a need for re-evaluating the concepts of conditioned inhibition and conditioned excitation so as to bring them into accord with other learning principles. Thus, it is concluded that any stimulus which has been associated with non-reinforcement will have the same inhibitory effect on the response to other stimuli as a conditioned inhibitor. Similarly, any stimulus whose learned response interacts with the response to another stimulus in such a way as to facilitate it, may be called a conditioned excitor.