Effect of interpolated extinction on the reacquisition of partially and continuously rewarded responses.

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Abstract
[dagger]For 216 days, 4 groups of albino rats ran 1 trial a dayiin a straight alley. On the first 96 days, 2 groups were exposed to 100% (CRF) continuous reinforcement] and 2 groups to 50% reinforcement (PRF), On the next 80 days, 1 CRF group and 1 PRF [partial reinforcement] group were extinguished, while the other 2 groups remained on their original schedules. In a subsequent reacquisition phase, all groups were run 40 days to 100% reward. In acquisition, the PRF acquisition effect was observed, i.e., PRF speeds relative to CRF were lower in early acquisiton and higher in late acquisition in the initial response measures, and lower in the terminal response measure throughout. In extinction, the usual PRE was observed: PRF Ssfsubjects] were more resistant to extinction than CRF Ss. In reacquisition under CRF, all four groups reached the same terminal level of responding. The results were compared with recent findings which indicated an increase in terminal response level under CRF after a period of PRF or extinction, and were discussed in relation to current frustration theory.

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