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Reversal and Nonreversal Shifts in a Goldfish (Carassiusa Ura Tus) Classical Conditioning Situation

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Abstract

Goldfish were trained in reversal, nonreversal, and irrelevant shift situations with 60 or 100 preshift trials. The relevant dimensions were click and light. The attributes on the click dimension were high versus low intensity click. The attributes on the light dimension were high versus low intensity light. If the relevant stimulus was in the compound, the fish experienced the unconditioned stimulus (shock) at the end of the compound stimulus presentation. The unconditioned response and the conditioned response were the decrease in breathing that was initiated by the shock. The fish took longer to learn the irrelevant shift than the reversal or nonreversal shift. Fish, unlike other lower animals, did not learn nonreversal shifts faster than reversal shifts. No evidence was obtained for an overtraining reversal effect.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois, 60616, USA

    William Zella & Allen H. Wolach

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  1. William Zella
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  2. Allen H. Wolach
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Zella, W., Wolach, A.H. Reversal and Nonreversal Shifts in a Goldfish (Carassiusa Ura Tus) Classical Conditioning Situation. Psychol Rec 30, 25–37 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394652

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394652

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