Abstract
Instrumental learning guides behavior toward resources. When such resources are no longer available, approach to previously reinforced locations is reduced, a process called extinction. The present experiments are concerned with factors affecting the extinction of acquired behaviors in toads. In previous experiments, total reward magnitude in acquisition and duration of extinction trials were confounded. The present experiments were designed to test the effects of these factors in factorial designs. Experiment 1 varied reward magnitude (900, 300, or 100 s of water access per trial) and amount of acquisition training (5 or 15 daily trials). With total amount of water access equated in acquisition, extinction with large rewards was faster (longer latencies in 900/5 than 300/15), but with total amount of training equated, extinction with small rewards was faster (longer latencies in 100/15 than 300/15). Experiment 2 varied reward magnitude (1200 or 120 s of water access per trial) while holding constant the number of acquisition trials (5 daily trials) and the duration of extinction trials (300 s). Extinction performance was lower with small, rather than large reward magnitude (longer latencies in 120/300 than in 1200/300). Thus, instrumental extinction depends upon the amount of time toads are exposed to the empty goal compartment during extinction trials.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amsel A (1992) Frustration theory. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Christensen CU (1974) Adaptations in the water economy of some anuran amphibia. Comp Biochem Phys A 47(3):1035–1049. https://doi.org/10.1016/0300-9629(74)90477-0
Daneri MF, Papini MR, Muzio RN (2007) Common toads (Bufo arenarum) learn to anticípate and avoid hypertonic saline solutions. J Comp Psychol 121(4):416–427
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (2017) The IUCN Red list of threatened species. Version 2017-2. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 22 October 2017
Ishida M, Papini MR (1997) Massed-trial overtraining effects on extinction and reversal performance in turtles (Geoclemys reevesii). Q J Exp Psychol B 50(1):1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/713932642
Muzio RN (1995) Estudio del aprendizaje asociativo en el anfibio Bufo arenarum. Aspectos comparados. Tesis doctoral. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires
Muzio RN, Segura ET, Papini MR (1992) Effects of schedule and magnitude of reinforcement on instrumental acquisition and extinction in the toad, Bufo arenarum. Learn Motiv 23:406–429. https://doi.org/10.1016/0023-9690(92)90004-6
Muzio RN, Ruetti E, Papini MR (2006) Determinants of instrumental extinction in terrestrial toads (Bufo arenarum). Learn Motiv 37(4):346–356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lmot.2005.12.003
Muzio RN, Pistone Creydt VP, Iurman M, Rinaldi MA, Sirani B, Papini MR (2011) Incentive or habit learning in amphibians? PLoS ONE 6(11):e25798. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0025798
North AJ, Stimmel DT (1960) Extinction of an instrumental response following a large number of reinforcements. Psychol Rep 6:227–234. https://doi.org/10.2466/PR0.6.2.227-234
Papini MR (2002) Pattern and process in the evolution of learning. Psychol Rev 109(1):186–201. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.109.1.186
Papini MR (2003) Comparative psychology of surprising nonreward. Brain Behav Evolut 62(2):83–95. https://doi.org/10.1159/000072439
Papini MR (2006) Role of surprising nonreward in associative learning. Jpn J Anim Psychol 56(1):35–54. https://doi.org/10.2502/janip.56.35
Papini MR (2014) Diversity of adjustments to reward downshifts in vertebrates. Int J Comp Psychol 27(3):420–445. https://doi.org/10.1037/e615782013-001
Papini MR, Muzio RN, Segura ET (1995) Instrumental learning in toads (Bufo arenarum): reinforcer magnitude and the medial pallium. Brain Behav Evolut 46:61–71. https://doi.org/10.1159/000113259
Papini MR, Ludvigson HW, Huneycutt D, Boughner RL (2001) Apparent incentive contrast effects in autoshaping with rats. Learn Motiv 32(4):434–456. https://doi.org/10.1006/lmot.2001.1088
Papini MR, Fuchs PN, Torres C (2015) Behavioral neuroscience of psychological pain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 48:53–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.11.012
Puddington MM, Papini MR, Muzio RN (2013) Vulnerability of long-term memory to temporal delays in amphibians. Behav Process 99:7–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2013.05.010
Puddington MM, Daneri MF, Papini MR, Muzio RN (2016) Telencephalic neural activation following passive avoidance learning in a terrestrial toad. Behav Brain Res 315:75–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2016.08.003
Reichelt AC, Lee JL (2013) Memory reconsolidation in aversive and appetitive settings. Front Behav Neurosci 7:118. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00118
Ruibal R (1962) The adaptive value of bladder water in the toad, Bufo cognatus. Physiol Zool 35:218–223. https://doi.org/10.1086/physzool.35.3.30152806
Schmajuk NA, Segura ET, Ruidíaz AC (1981) Reward downshift in the toad. Behav Neural Biol 33:519–523. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0163-1047(81)91959-2
Senkowski PC (1978) Variables affecting the overtraining extinction effect in discrete-trial lever pressing. J Exp Psychol Anim B 4(2):131–143. https://doi.org/10.1037/0097-7403.4.2.131
Shibasaki M, Ishida M (2012) Effects of overtraining on extinction in newts (Cynops pyrrhogaster). J Comp Psychol 126(4):368–371. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0027775
Suzuki A, Josselyn SA, Frankland PW, Masushige S, Silva AJ, Kida S (2004) Memory reconsolidation and extinction have distinct temporal and biochemical signatures. J Neurosci 24(20):4787–4795. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5491-03.2004
Todd TP, Vurbic D, Bouton ME (2014) Behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms of extinction in Pavlovian and instrumental learning. Neurobiol Learn Mem 108:52–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2013.08.012
Wagner AR (1961) Effects of amount and percentage of reinforcement and number of acquisition trials on conditioning and extinction. J Exp Psychol 62:234–242. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0042251
Acknowledgements
This research was funded in part by Grant PICT 2243 (Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica del Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva), by Grant PIP 0893 (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), and by Grant UBACYT P0293BA (Universidad de Buenos Aires), Argentina, all to RNM.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Puddington, M.M., Papini, M.R. & Muzio, R.N. Duration of extinction trials as a determinant of instrumental extinction in terrestrial toads (Rhinella arenarum). Anim Cogn 21, 165–174 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-017-1149-8
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-017-1149-8