Abstract
Four controls and four amygdalectomized rats were trained to leverpress on a mixed schedule of reinforcement in which 5 min of variable-interval reinforcement alternated with 5 min of extinction. Control animals increased responding in the variable-interval component over baseline rates (i.e., behavioral contrast), whereas amygdalectomized animals did not. No significant differences between groups were found during extinction. The lack of contrast effects in amygdaloid animals was attributed to a reduction in extinction-induced frustration.
Article PDF
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
AMSEE, A., & ROUSSEL, J. Motivational properties of frustration: I. Effect on a running response of the addition of frustration to the motivational complex. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1952, 43, 363–368.
DAVENPORT, J. W., FLAHERTY, C. F., & DRYUD, J. P. Temporal persistence of frustration effects in monkeys and rats. Psychonomie Science, 1966, 6, 411–412.
GODDARD, G. V. Functions of the amygdala. Psychological Bulletin, 1964, 62, 89–109.
HENKE, P. G., ALLEN, J. D., & DAVISON, C. Effect of lesions in the amygdala on behavioral contrast. Physiology & Behavior, 1972, 8, 173–176.
HENKE, P. G., & BUNNELL, B. N. Reinforcement and extinction interactions after limbic lesions in rats. Communications in Behavioral Biology, 1971, 6, 329–333.
PEAR, J. J., & WILKIE, D. M. Behavioral contrast in mixed schedules of reinforcement. Psychonomie Science, 1970, 20, 167–168.
Reynolds, G. S. Behavioral contrast. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1961, 4, 57–71.
SCULL, J., DAVIS, K., & AMSEL, A. Behavioral contrast and frustration effect in multiple and mixed fixed-interval schedules in the rat. Journal of Comparative & Physiological Psychology, 1970, 71, 478–83.
SIEGEL, S. Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1956.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Henke, P.G. Amygdalectomy and mixed reinforcement schedule contrast effects. Psychon Sci 28, 301–302 (1972). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03328748
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03328748