A behavior systems view of the organization of multiple responses during a partially or continuously reinforced interfood clock

Abstract

We examined how a 50% Pavlovian partial reinforcement (PRF) schedule, versus a 100% continuous reinforcement (CRF) schedule, altered the asymptotic amount and distribution of focal and general search behavior in rats during 48-sec trials with and without a four-segment interfood clock (S1-S2-S3-S4-US). Under CRF, but not PRF, average asymptotic focal search (nosing in the feeder) increased across the last two clock segments (S3 and S4), and more for the clock group than the no-clock group. Locomotor general search peaked in the second clock segment (S2) for the CRF-clock and CRF-no-clock groups and in S3 for the PRF-clock groups. Furthermore, the ratio of general search to maximum focal search was higher for the PRF-clock group than for the CRF-clock group. This pattern of results supports the view that predictable reward presentations temporally organize search states and related responses between food presentations. The relative expression of these responses varies with the predictability and proximity of reward and is more sharply defined in the presence of a clock.

Acquisition of “Start” and “Stop” response thresholds in peak-interval timing is differentially sensitive to protein synthesis inhibition in the dorsal and ventral striatum

“…Following sufficient training with probe trials, the mean response rate for an individual subject averaged across all probe trials within a session resembles a Gaussian-shaped distribution—the peak function —whose mode is centered on the temporal criterion (Meck and Church, 1984; Church et al, 1994; Rakitin et al, 1998). In such cases, a balance is often struck between starting the sequence of reinforced behavior in anticipation of the reward, but also giving up responding when the opportunity for reward is thought to have passed (Brunner et al, 1992, 1996, 1997; Bateson, 2003; Silva and Timberlake, 2005). …”

Do rats learn conditional independence?

“…Both groups showed experience-dependent responding to the lever, but the form of the CR was different, with sign-tracking greater in group 75%+ subjects, and goal-tracking greater in group 25%+ (cf. [24]). Thus, it is not necessarily accurate to say that experience-dependent responding was greater in group 75%+.…”

“…both CS2 and CS1, in the present case) as having direct relevance with the unconditioned [24]. However, by such views, the unconditioned is not a discrete event or stimulus, as association strength-based and graphical model-based views have tended to approach it, but a motivational system.…”

Simple but temporally unpredictable puzzles are cognitive enrichment

“…In other species, anticipation of scheduled feedings manifests as increased activity prior to the known feeding time (Anderson, Yngvesson, Boissy, Uvnas-Moberg, & Lidfors, 2015;Dantas-Ferreira et al, 2015;Davidson, Tataroglu, & Menaker, 2005;Folkedal et al, 2012). Increased activity levels prior to feeding may also be accompanied by an increase in 'searching' behaviors, such as looking or sniffing, and a spatial focus of activity near the location of the expected feeding (Baerends, 1976;Hinde, 1953;Innis, Simmelhag-Grant, & Staddon, 1983;Krebs, Torres, Moon, Chesney, & Watters, in press;Silva & Timberlake, 2005). The rhino's behavior late in the day thus seems consistent with appetitive behavioral patterns preceding a scheduled feeding.…”