Abstract
Prior research with terrestrial toads (Rhinella arenarum) in a water-reinforced instrumental situation indicated a direct relationship between acquisition rate and reward magnitude. However, a reward downshift produced a gradual adjustment of instrumental performance and a rapid adjustment of consummatory performance, rather than the abrupt and transient deterioration of behavior typical of a successive negative contrast effect. In Experiment 1, using a two-chamber box, a downshift from deionized water (which supports maximal rehydration) to 250-mM sodium chloride solution (which supports a lower rehydration), also yielded a gradual adjustment of instrumental behavior. In this experiment, animals received one trial per day and were allowed 300 s of access to the reward in the goal box. Experiment 2 used the same procedure, except that animals were allowed access to the solution in the goal box for 600 s. Under these conditions, reward downshift led to longer latencies (instrumental) and lower rehydration levels (consummatory) than those of unshifted controls, providing evidence for successive negative contrast. Unlike in similar experiments with mammals, the effect was not transient, but persisted relatively unmodified over twelve daily postshift trials. In this case, the possibility of adaptation of the peripheral mechanisms for water uptake is considered. The comparative relevance of these results is discussed in terms of habit formation versus expectancy-guided behavior in vertebrate learning.
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Funding
This research was funded in part by Grant PICT 4300 (FONCYT), by Grant PIP 0893 (CONICET), and by Grant UBACYT P0068BA (Universidad de Buenos Aires), Argentina, all to RNM. Animal procedures were authorized under Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocol 035/2016 IBYME-CONICET, Argentina.
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Muzio, R.N., Yohena, A. & Papini, M.R. Evidence of successive negative contrast in terrestrial toads (Rhinella arenarum): central or peripheral effect?. Anim Cogn 25, 1453–1460 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-022-01626-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-022-01626-4