| Abstract: | In Exp I, using 20 female hooded Lister rats, the habituation of the orienting response (OR) shown by Ss to a discrete visual stimulus (a 10-sec light) in a given training context (A) was monitored. Dishabituation occurred, in that the OR returned to its initial level, when the light was presented in a different and novel context (B). In Exp II, 24 female rats received 2 sessions/day, one in each of the 2 contexts. For experimental Ss, the light was presented in Context A until the OR habituated. In the test phase, the light was presented in Context B, but the OR was not restored, suggesting that the dishabituation seen in Exp I depended on the absolute novelty of Context B. In Exp III, Ss from Exp II were required to form a light–food association in both contexts. Slow learning was observed in Ss trained with the familiar light in Context A, but learning proceeded normally with the familiar light in Context B. Thus, a context change that failed to produce dishabituation was enough to prevent the occurrence of a latent inhibition effect. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
