Skip to main content
Log in

Disruption of Dissociated Learning in a Discrimination paradigm by emotionally-important stimuli

  • Published:
Psychopharmacologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Dissociated Learning was demonstrated and disrupted in a modified T-maze escape learning task, using male hooded rats. The Dissociation group was trained each day to run in one direction while in the D state (Librium, 15mg/kg) and in the poposite direction when in the ND (sterile water) state. For the Transfer group, a 10 kHz tone was paired with foot shock during training in the D state, and 1 kHz tone was paired with foot shock in the ND state. Dissociated responding occurred in non-shock testing sessions for the Dissociation group. The tone-drug state pairings were reversed during testing for the Transfer group, and these Ss turned in the direction signalled by the tone as often as Dissociation Ss turned in the drug state direction (p<0.01). The tones acquired the aversive-motivational characteristics of foot shock and disrupted dissociated learning by mediating transfer between drug states.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bindra, D., Reichert, H.: Dissociation of movement initiation without dissociation of response choice. Psychonom. Sci. 4, 95–96 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, A., Feldman, R. S., Moore, J. W.: Conditional discrimination learning based upon chlordiazepoxide: Dissociation or cue? J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 66, 211–215 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, W. J., Massey, F. J.: Introduction to statistical analysis. New York: McGraw-Hill 1957.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, H. E., Jones, B. E., Bell, E. C.: State dependent control of discrimination by morphine and pentobarbital. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 22, 305–313 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  • Iawahara, S., Matsushita, K.: Effects of drug-state changes upon black-white discrimination learning in rats. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 19, 347–358 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  • Overton, D. A.: Discriminative control of behavior by drug states. In: Thompson and Pickens (eds.): Stimulus property of drugs. New York: Appleton-Century Crofts 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  • Overton, D. A.: State-dependent or “dissociated” learning produced with pentobarbital. J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 57, 3–12 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sachs, E., Weingarten, M., Klein, N. W., Jr.: Effects of chlordiazepoxide on the acquisition of avoidance learning and its transfer to the normal state and other drug conditions. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 9, 17–30 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  • Winer, B. J.: Statistical principles in experimental design. New York: McGraw-Hill 1962.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Connelly, J.F., Connelly, J.M. & Epps, J.O. Disruption of Dissociated Learning in a Discrimination paradigm by emotionally-important stimuli. Psychopharmacologia 30, 275–282 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422874

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422874

Key words

Navigation