Master's Theses

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Date of Award

Summer 1975

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Robert Adams

Abstract

A novel response differentiation discrimination was established for possible application in psychophysical scaling in animals. Three Long Evans hooded rats at 85% normal body weight were trained to differentially respond to two audio stimulus intensities with different excursions of the manipulandum. A variable topography manipulandum with 6 response areas was used. After 2 days of preliminary training, responses of 1-4 of travel were reinforced in the presence of a 50 dB tone. Manipulandum excursions of 13-16 were reinforced in the presence of a 70 dB tone. Subjects were trained for 17 days with sessions terminating after approximately 220 reinforcers. Stimulus control of responding was observed in all subjects. These results were discussed as indicative of the establishments of a novel response differentiation discrimination. One day of probe trials was conducted with a 60 dB probe stimulus. The presentation of the training stimuli was interspaced with 40 non-reinforced trials to the probe stimulus. Subjects responded to the probe stimulus as if it were a training stimulus, thus failing to demonstrate continuous repertoire responding.

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Rights

© 1975 Bernard Stephen Brull

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