Abstract
In each of two experiments, rats were trained in a runway with either an alternating or an irregular schedule of partial reward. One-third of the animals within each schedule were trained with a small, medium, or large reward. In Experiment 1, the irregular schedule was constructed in such a way that the probability of an R trial following an N trial was.75 and the probability of an N trial following an R trial was also.75. Of course, in an alternating schedule the probabilities are 1.0. The rats learned to run rapidly following N trials and slowly following R trials when trained under either schedule. This effect, however, was greater in the alternating condition and was facilitated by larger rewards. In Experiment 2, the irregular schedule was constructed so that the occurrence of R or N trials was not a reliable predictor of the following trial. Under these conditions, differential running speeds did not develop in the irregular schedule, but the rats in the alternating schedule performed as in Experiment 1. The data are discussed within the context of probability learning and are related to methodological issues of importance to sequential trial experiments.
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Campbell, P.E., Campbell, W.B., Kruger, B.M. et al. Rats can learn a probability discrimination based on previous trial outcomes in partial reward schedules. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 16, 337–340 (1980). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329559
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329559