Patterning effect of the non-reinforcement-reinforcement sequence involving a single nonreinforced trial.

Abstract

Rats were trained in a black-white discrimination under conditions of (a) continuous reinforcement, (b) partial reinforcement with nonreinforcement termination or (c) partial reinforcement with reinforcement termination, all patterning sequences involving but a single nonreinforced trial. Original training was done with white positive, reversal training with black positive. There were no significant differences in acquisition, and the partial-reinforcement-with-reinforcement-termination group acquired the reversal habit at a significantly lower rate.