Abstract
This experiment assessed the role of the number of forced-choice trials on spontaneous alternation in the goldfish. Goldfish were forced to the preferred reinforced arm of a T-maze for 1, 5, 7, 10, or 15 trials. Following these forced-choice trials, the direction of turn on a free-choice trial was recorded. The likelihood of alternation was found to be a function of the number of previous forced-choice trials. The similarity of the functional relationship found in this experiment was related to that found in similar experiments using other species as Ss.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Aderman, M., & Dawson, J. N. Comparison of forced-choice alternation in goldfish and planaria. Journal of Comparative & Physiological Psychology, 1970, 71, 29–30.
Dember, W. N., & Fowler, H. Spontaneous alternation behavior. Psychological Bulletin, 1958, 55, 412–428.
Denny, M. R. Learning through stimulus satiation. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1957, 54, 62–64.
Denny, M. R., & Leckart, B. T. Alternation behavior: Learning and extinction one trial per day. Journal of Comparative & Physiological Psychology, 1965, 60, 229–232.
Douglas, R. J. Cues for spontaneous alternation. Journal of Comparative & Physiological Psychology, 1966, 62, 171–183.
Farris, H. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Michigan State University, 1964.
Grosslight, J. H., & Ticknor, W. Variability and reactive inhibition in the meal worm as a function of determined turning sequences. Journal of Comparative & Physiological Psychology, 1953, 46, 35–38.
Hayes, W. N., & Warren, J. M. Failure to find spontaneous alternation in chicks. Journal of Comparative & Physiological Psychology, 1963, 56, 575–577.
Lepely, W. M., & Rice, G. E. Behavior variability in paramecia as a function of guided act responses. Journal of Comparative & Physiological Psychology, 1952, 45, 283–286.
Thompson, M. E., Estell, E., & Loomis, L. Response variability in the quail. Psychonomic Science, 1963, 3, 519–520.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fidura, F.G., Leberer, M.R. Spontaneous alternation as a function of number of forced-choice responses in the goldfish (Carassius auratus). Bull. Psychon. Soc. 3, 181–182 (1974). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333436
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333436