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Operant Procedures for Assessing Behavioral Flexibility in Rats
Published on: February 15, 2015
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Delaying reinforcement in an autoshaping task generates adjunctive and superstitious behaviors
R B Messing1, M S Kleven, S B Sparber
1Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.
Behavioural Processes
|June 14, 2014
Summary
Introducing reinforcement delays slowed lever-touch learning in rats. However, rats previously trained with immediate rewards maintained performance when delays were later introduced, indicating behavioral flexibility.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Animal learning and behavior
Background:
- Autoshaping is a fundamental learning paradigm where animals learn to interact with stimuli associated with rewards.
- Understanding factors influencing learning acquisition and maintenance is crucial for behavioral science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of reinforcement delays on the acquisition of an autoshaped lever-touch response in rats.
- To examine the role of behavioral history in modulating the effects of reinforcement delays.
Main Methods:
- Rats were trained using autoshaping to touch an inserted lever for food rewards on a random time schedule.
- Reinforcement delays (2, 4, or 8 seconds) were introduced after lever retraction or touch response.
- Nose-poking at the retracted lever and exploratory rearing were monitored as measures of behavior.
Main Results:
- Introducing reinforcement delays progressively slowed the acquisition of the lever-touch response.
- Rats with prior immediate reinforcement experience maintained their autoshaped responding when delays were later imposed.
- Nose-poking behavior varied with reinforcement delay and prior training, suggesting it reflects learning processes.
Conclusions:
- Reinforcement delay significantly impairs new learning in autoshaping paradigms.
- Established behaviors are more resistant to the disruptive effects of delayed reinforcement.
- Interval behaviors, such as nose-poking, offer sensitive measures of learning and behavioral history.
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