STIMULUS GENERALIZATION ALONG A LIGHT FLICKER RATE CONTINUUM AFTER DISCRIMINATION TRAINING WITH SEVERAL S—'s

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Abstract
Four pigeons were trained with VI reinforcement to peck a key which was briefly illuminated by a flickering light. Generalization gradients were then obtained with nine different rates of flicker, four faster than S+ and four slower. Two birds were then trained to discriminate between S+ and the fastest stimulus (S—). These birds were then trained to discriminate between S+ and the two fastest stimuli, alternated as S—'s. This procedure was continued, adding one new S— at a time, until all four stimuli faster than S+ were S—'s. The remaining two birds were trained on this latter discrimination without intervening training. In a final stage, using the first two birds, the slowest stimulus was added as a fifth S—. Generalization gradients in extinction were obtained from each bird after each stage of training. As more stimuli from one end of the continuum served as S—'s, responding increased in the presence of stimuli from the other end of the continuum, and the gradient tended to become flattened at this end.

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