Spatially extended instrumental responses are organized in functional bouts

Area of Science:

• Behavioral neuroscience
• Animal behavior

Background:

• Instrumental behavior is often organized into bouts.
• Existing theories suggest spatial proximity to the operandum may explain this organization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the organization of spatially extended instrumental responses into bouts.
• To test if bout parameters are sensitive to critical manipulations.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments with rats were conducted, involving lever pressing under various reinforcement schedules and conditions.
• Manipulations included changing fixed-ratio (FR) requirements, reducing food restriction, and extinction.

Main Results:

• Responses were consistently organized into bouts regardless of the specific response topography.
• Increased FR requirements lengthened bouts, while response alternation reduced within-bout response rate.
• Bout initiation rates decreased with manipulations, reduced deprivation, and extinction.

Conclusions:

• The spatial proximity of operants does not solely explain the emergence of response bouts.
• Bout parameters are sensitive to reinforcement contingencies and motivational states, supporting distinct regulatory processes.