Differential conditioning and contrast effects in rats.

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Abstract
Considers previous research, using a differential conditioning procedure to examine contrast effects in the runway, inadequate due to the operation of a ceiling effect and/or a decision-time problem. A special procedure (delay of reward and massing trials) was used to solve these problems in an experiment with 40 male Holtzman albino rats. Results reveal reliable positive and negative contrast effects. Data support the conclusions, that (a) it is reasonable to seek a common explanation of behavioral contrast (operant) and incentive contrast (runway) data; (b) perceptual theories of contrast, predicting both positive and negative contrast, are to be preferred over theories designed to predict only negative contrast; and (c) the type of response, and extraneous variables which affect it, needs to be carefully considered in dealing with reward manipulations. (21 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

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