Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Recording Single Neurons' Action Potentials from Freely Moving Pigeons Across Three Stages of Learning
Published on: June 2, 2014
Response patterning in goldfish: single alternation in a Pavlovian aversive paradigm
Abstract:
Single alternation behavior was studied in a Pavlovian aversive shuttle-response situation using goldfish. Independent groups of fish were given either a fixed interval between alternating reinforced (R) and nonreinforced (N) trials or were given differential temporal information between trials. Although all groups exhibited higher response probabilities on reinforced than on nonreinforced trials, goldfish receiving a short interval (10 s) following R trials and a long interval (60 s) following N trials (R10N60) demonstrated significantly superior alternation performance compared with subjects receiving a fixed intertrial interval (R35N35) or a long interval following R trials and a short interval following N trials (R60N10). The alternation performance exhibited by the R10N60 group was shown to be equivalent to that of subjects receiving standard color discrimination training. However, the alternation performance in group R35N35 showed a great deal of within-subject variability and raises questions concerning the elusive nature of alternation using Pavlovian conditioning procedures.
Related Concept Videos
Fixed Action Patterns
Classical Conditioning
Ivan Pavlov observed that dogs salivated...
Principles of Classical Conditioning
During the...
Classical Conditioning in Daily Life
John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner famously demonstrated the development of fear through classical conditioning in their experiment with Little Albert. They paired the...

