Discrimination learning as a function of varying pairs of sucrose rewards.
- 1 January 1965
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Psychological Association (APA) in Journal of Experimental Psychology
- Vol. 70 (5), 452-458
- https://doi.org/10.1037/h0022570
Abstract
Five groups of rats were trained in a Y maze using a combination of free-and forced-choice trials to equate number of Rs to each arm. Sucrose reward was present in both arms, but in different concentrations. In terms of the solutions received, the groups were: 2%-4%, 4%-8%, 8%-16%, 16%-32%, 32%-64%. Principal results were: discrimination occurred in both choice and starting-speed measures and the degree to which Ss discriminated in one measure correlated significantly with degree of discrimination in the other; running speed appeared to be a negatively accelerated, exponential function of sucrose concentration; optimal discrimination occurred for intermediate pairs of concentrations. These results were in accord with implications derived from Spence''s interpretation of incentive motivation.This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- A micromolar approach to behavior theory.Psychological Review, 1956
- Equal-reinforcement values for sucrose and glucose solutions compared with equal-sweetness values.Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1954
- Operant conditioning, extinction, and periodic reinforcement in relation to concentration of sucrose used as reinforcing agent.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1953