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Autoshaping Using Visual Stimuli in the Rat

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Abstract

The effects of presenting a brief visual stimulus followed by response-independent delivery of food to rats were studied in four experiments. Both sign tracking, operation of a response key (Experiment 1) or a lever (Experiments 2, 3, and 4), and goal tracking, operation of a food tray flap, were obtained. Lower rates of both types of response occurred when the visual stimulus was unrelated to food delivery.

Possible influences of similarity between the visual stimulus and events accompanying food delivery were investigated by varying the visual stimulus and tray light conditions. Such an influence was detected only in a control condition when the stimulus was uncorrelated with food delivery. Various omission contingencies produced marked reductions in the target behavior.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, The New University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, BT52 ISA

    Julian C. Leslie, Robert A. Boakes, José Linaza & Andrew Ridgers

  2. University of Sussex, UK

    Julian C. Leslie, Robert A. Boakes, José Linaza & Andrew Ridgers

  3. University of Oxford, UK

    Julian C. Leslie, Robert A. Boakes, José Linaza & Andrew Ridgers

Authors
  1. Julian C. Leslie
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  2. Robert A. Boakes
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  3. José Linaza
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  4. Andrew Ridgers
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Additional information

This research was conducted while the first and fourth authors were holders of UK Medical Research Council Research Studentships. Experiments 1 and 2 were included in a doctoral dissertation submitted to the University of Oxford by the first author.

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Leslie, J.C., Boakes, R.A., Linaza, J. et al. Autoshaping Using Visual Stimuli in the Rat. Psychol Rec 29, 523–546 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394641

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