Exposure to context may contribute to within-session changes in responding

• Published in: Behavioural processes 1998-06, Vol.43 (3), p.315-328
• Main Authors: McSweeney, Frances K, Swindell, Samantha, Weatherly, Jeffrey N
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal; Biological and medical sciences; Conditioning; Context; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Learning. Memory; Multiple schedule; Pigeon; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Rat; Variable interval schedule; Within-session response patterns
• ISSN: 0376-6357; 1872-8308
• DOI: 10.1016/S0376-6357(98)00026-6

Rats and pigeons responded on multiple variable interval 30-s variable interval 30-s and multiple variable interval 60-s variable interval 60-s schedules. The 60-min sessions began 0, 5, 10, 15 or 30 min after the subject was placed in the experimental enclosure, determined randomly. Early-session response rates were usually higher, and the early-session increases in responding were usually smaller, when the beginning of the session was delayed than when it was immediate. These results show that factors related to reinforcement (e.g. satiation, sensitization-habituation to the reinforcers) do not provide a complete explanation for within-session changes in operant responding. Instead, an additional factor, possibly arousal or sensitization to the experimental context, also contributes. The results suggest an explanation for the spontaneous recovery of extinguished behavior.