Abstract
Rats were runway trained on each of two, three-trial series consisting of different varieties of reward (X, Y, and Z) and nonreward (N) serving as trial outcomes. The two series are represented as XNY and ZNN. Distinguishing the two series were different brightness and texture cues on the runway floor. Transfer tests, conducted after the rats had developed faster running for rewarded trials than for nonrewarded trials and slower running on Trial 2 of ZNN than on Trial 2 of XNY, provided evidence that trial position, rather than item memories, was controlling the discriminations. In Experiment 1, reversing the floor cues completely reversed the discriminations. In Experiment 2, transfer to NNN did not change the routine patterns of approach that had been established.
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This research was supported by a Grants and Research Funding grant from Southeast Missouri State University. The authors thank H. D. Kimmel for his valued counsel on earlier versions of this manuscript.
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Burns, R.A., Dunkman, J.A. & Detloff, S.L. Ordinal position in the serial learning of rats. Animal Learning & Behavior 27, 272–279 (1999). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03199725
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03199725