Abstract
The ability of laboratory rats to differentiate the peak force of operant response was assessed for two distinct response topographies. One group of 8 rats was trained to reach through an aperture in the front panel of an operant chamber and exert downward vertical pressure on a force-sensing circular disk. A second group of 9 animals was similarly shaped to grasp and pull a wire bail attached to a force transducer located outside a second chamber. Following measurement of initial force levels during continuous reinforcement (CRF) for all responses, various force-band requirements were imposed on both groups. Only responses whose peak force amplitude fell within the band requirement (both lower and upper peak force criteria) were reinforced. Evidence for force differentiation was observed in varying degrees for both response topographies, even though the pull topography initially produced forces much higher than those emitted by the press response. The results are discussed in terms of both qualitative and quantitative changes in response characteristics, which occurred across force requirements and topographies.
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This research was supported in part by HHS Grant MH43429.
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Kirkpatrick, M.A., Fowler, S.C. Operant force-band differentiation by rats using two different response topographies. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 27, 52–54 (1989). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329895
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329895