THE ROLE OF THE INSTRUMENTAL RESPONSE IN SERIAL PATTERN LEARNING: S-R AND S-S EFFECTS (GOAL BOX PLACEMENTS, CONFIGURAL CONDITIONING)

DONNA RENE VERRY, Purdue University

Abstract

A basic issue of debate among animal learning theorists concerns the specification of the nature of the association(s) underlying learning. A selective review of learning theories including those proposed by Hull, Spence, Adams and Dickinson, Bindra, Capaldi, and Logan provides a brief background on the historical antecedents of current theories, as well as outlining current theoretical approaches to the problem of "what is learned". A review of the pertinent literature that has examined the role of S-R and S-S effects in instrumental learning tasks includes research on observational learning, latent extinction, nonresponse learning, transfer of control, and intertrial reward and nonreward placements in irregular and regular reinforcement schedules. These data are consistent with a view that S-S effects may be the sole basis of learning in most instrumental tasks. This interpretation was further tested by examining the role of the instrumental response (S-R effects) in serial pattern learning tasks. A series of four experiments tested rats on a serial anticipation task where the list of items consisted of a fixed sequence of reward magnitudes. In Experiments 1 and 2, subjects received the list items using a successive phase design (goal box placement phase--runway training phase). The placement procedure produced effective serial pattern expectancies as evidenced by positive transfer when phrasing occurred at the list boundary and negative transfer when it did not (Experiment 1). The placement procedure also resulted in positive transfer effects as a direct function of the congruency of patterns across the two phases (Experiment 2). Experiment 3 varied the amount of runway and placement experience in the same phase and demonstrated that performance was comparable in groups equated for pattern experience rather than runway experience. Experiment 4, using the aforementioned successive phase design to further explore the basis of placement efficacy, demonstrated larger positive transfer effects in a group receiving start and goal box placements than in groups receiving just goal box placements or fractional response goal box placements. The implications of these results for S-R and S-S theories was discussed.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Psychology|Experiments

COinS