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Intertrial interval as a contextual stimulus in discriminated operant learning.

Emery W Harlan1, Eric A Thrailkill1, John T Green1

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Intertrial interval (ITI) duration can control operant responding, similar to Pavlovian conditioning. This temporal context control can transfer to new environments under specific learning conditions.

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral neuroscience
  • Learning and memory
  • Animal behavior

Background:

  • Intertrial interval (ITI) duration in Pavlovian conditioning can act as a contextual stimulus.
  • Prior research indicates ITI duration modulates conditioned responding.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if ITI duration can modulate operant responding.
  • To determine if temporal context control transfers across physical environments.

Main Methods:

  • Four experiments using rats and operant conditioning.
  • Manipulated ITI durations (1-min vs. 4-min) preceding a discriminative stimulus (SD).
  • Tested transfer of temporal control across different operant chambers.

Main Results:

  • Rats acquired discriminative control when longer ITIs signaled reinforcement (4+/1-), but not vice versa (1+/4-).
  • Temporal context control failed to transfer to novel physical contexts.
  • Transfer occurred when a second, non-temporal discrimination was learned in the new context.

Conclusions:

  • ITI duration can acquire conditional control over discriminated operants.
  • Temporal context control is similar to Pavlovian conditioned responses.
  • Contextual control by time can transfer across physical settings under certain conditions.