1990 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
An Experimental Analysis of Autoshaping Using Biting Lever as CS
| Project/Area Number |
62510073
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Psychology
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| Research Institution | Waseda University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
1987 – 1989
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| Keywords | Autoshaping / CS-tracking / Biting lever / Classical conditioning / Pavlovian conditioning / Conditioned stimulus / Unconditioned stimulus |
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| Research Abstract |
Three experiments on autoshaping are conducted in white rats at 85% free-feeding weight. A biting lever was used as conditioned stimulus (CS) in each experiment. Solid food pellets were used in the first experiment, and 20% succrose solution in the second experiment as unconditioned stimulus (US). In the third experiment, subjects were switched their motivational state correspondently to the stage of ABA design. Subjects were given 25 trils a day.
In the first experiment, the experimental variable was the distance between CS and US fixed in a place. 3 groups were given 50 sessions of trials. As results, shorter distance produced steeper grade of learning curve of 'contact' response to CS, and numbers of types of CS-tracking response increased with repetition of trials. Numbers of sessions were relative to the order of appearance of responses. In the second experiment, the same procedure as the first was adopted except US type. The group which was trained under the longest distance between two stimuli showed few contact responses to CS. On the other 2 groups, the number of responses were gradually increasing. It could be that the asymptotic level of conditioning was resulted from US type. In the third experiment, 1 stage consisted of 15 sessions. By switching motivational state by 1 stage, the progressing process of response type and relations between response and motivation were investigated. The motivational states were hunger or hunger & thirst, through 2 ABA designs with each type of US. It was observed that there was a slight relation between drive state and response variation. The relation between CS and responses was considered from the ecological viewpoint.
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Research Products
(2 results)
