"The role of reinforcement symmetry and stimulus modality in successive delayed matching to sample in the rat": Correction.

Reports an error in "The role of reinforcement symmetry and stimulus modality in successive delayed matching to sample in the rat" by J. S. Cohen, M. Escott and P. Ricciardi (Canadian Journal of Psychology Revue Canadienne de Psychologie, 1984[Mar], Vol 38[1], 63-79). The last six words of the legend for Figure 1 should read "in the replication of Experiment 1." (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 1985-05863-001.) 20 male Wister albino rats were trained and tested in asymmetrically and symmetrically reinforced successive delayed matching to sample (DMTS) tasks. The only difference between these discrimination problems was that correct omission of a leverpress to the test stimulus (S?), differing from the sample stimulus (S?), was reinforced in the symmetrically reinforced DMTS. Response biases during tests for retention of S? were reduced in the symmetrically reinforced DMTS. Greater losses in retention occurred to the visual than to the auditory S?. For the auditory S?, reduced response biases in the symmetrically reinforced DMTS led to reduced losses in S? retention scores over increased retention intervals. Methodological and theoretical implications are discussed in terms of the theory of signal detection. (French abstract) (28 ref). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential effects of forward or simultaneous conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus intervals on the defensive behavior system of the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus).

To test several predictions derived from a behavior-systems approach, the authors assessed Pavlovian fear conditioning in rats after 30 trials of forward, simultaneous, or unpaired training. Direct evidence of conditioned fear was collected through observation of flight and freezing reactions during presentations of the conditioned stimulus (CS) alone. The authors also tested the CS's potential to reinforce an instrumental escape response in an escape-from-fear paradigm. On the one hand, rats that received forward training showed conditioned freezing, but no conditioned flight was observed. On the other hand, rats that received simultaneous training showed conditioned flight, but no conditioned freezing was observed. Rats that received either forward or simultaneous pairings showed instrumental learning of the escape-from-fear response. Implications for several theories of Pavlovian conditioning are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"The Discriminative Stimulus Effects of Cocaine in a Pavlovian Sexual Approach Paradigm in Male Japanese Quail": Correction to Troisi and Akins (2004).

Reports an error in the original article by J. R. Troisi, II and Chana Akins (Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 2004, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 237-242). The first sentence of the abstract, "Two groups of male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) to discriminate cocaine from saline in a conditioned approach procedure maintained by sexual reinforcement," was incomplete. The correct wording is "Two groups of male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) were trained to discriminate cocaine from saline in a conditioned approach procedure maintained by sexual reinforcement." (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 2004-20800-003.) Two groups of male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) to discriminate cocaine from saline in a conditioned approach procedure maintained by sexual reinforcement. For 1 group, cocaine (10 mg/kg ip) was administered prior to a conditioned stimulus (CS) that predicted copulation; saline followed by a CS predicted no copulation. A second group underwent the opposite training regimen. Results revealed apparent between-group differences in the rates of acquisition of the discrimination; however, during extinction trials, both groups responded more under the drug condition that predicted the female than to the condition that predicted no female. The results suggested that a drug discrimination may be maintained by sexual reinforcement. The findings are discussed with regard to interactions of cocaine and sexual reward, as well as to Pavlovian conditional stimulus control (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stimulus control of predatory behavior by the Iberian wall lizard (Podarcis hispanica, Sauria, Lacertidae): Effects of familiarity with prey.

The authors examine the relative roles of vision and chemoreception and the influence of previous experience with prey on the predatory behavior of Iberian wall lizards (Podarcis hispanica). Experiment 1 compared the responses to visual, chemical, and a combination of visual and chemical cues of a familiar prey by 2 groups of lizards that had been kept in captivity for either 3 months or 21 days. Experiment 2 assessed the responses of lizards kept in the laboratory for more than 3 months to a novel prey species. The results reveal that feeding on a prey species affects the lizards' responses to chemical stimuli from that prey. The response to chemical cues of a novel prey requires a 1st-feeding experience with that prey. Lizards that have been fed the same prey species for several months cease responding to the chemical stimuli of that particular prey. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)