Classical salivary conditioning in the dog: Effects of three US intensities.

Abstract

100 classical salivary conditioning trials were administered to 3 groups of 5 mongrel dogs with 1 of 3 concentrations (.3%, 1.5%, 7.5%) of acetic acid solution as US for each group. Rate of parotid salivary gland secretion was measured during the 10-sec. conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus [CS-US] interval, the 15-sec. period before the interval, and 45 sec after the interval. UR strength increased approximately linearly with US intensity. The effects of acid concentration upon CR strength were apparent in the temporal distribution of response in the CS-US interval where secretion rate, corrected for base-line rate, increased more rapidly for 1.5% Ss than for 7.5% Ss, and increased most slowly for .3% Ss.