Dependence of Learning (Habit) in the Runway on Deprivation Under Three Levels of Sucrose Incentive

Abstract

Acquisition was carried out in a runway apparatus for Ss in each of six conditions in a 2 × 3 factorial design: two drive levels and three levels of concentration of sucrose incentive. Following a 4-wk. period during which all Ss were allowed to reach an inferred common low drive level, Ss were observed in a relearning session. In this session the same incentive conditions prevailed as in acquisition, but all Ss now ran under the low-drive condition. The results in the early relearning trials showed that at all three levels of incentive Ss previously trained under high drive ran faster than Ss trained under low drive. It was concluded that some factor had been learned differentially under the two motivation conditions, but that the data permitted no choice among alternative learned factors.

References

Barry

III . Effects of strength of drive on learning and extinction. J. exp. Psychol., 1958, 55, 473–481.

Brush

F. R.

Goodrich

K. P.

Teghtsoonian

, & Eisman

E. H.

Running speed as a function of deprivation condition and concentration of sucrose incentive. Psychol. Rep., 1961, 9, 627–634.

Campbell

B. A.

, & Kraeling

Response strength as a function of drive level during training. J. comp. physiol. Psychol., 1954, 47, 101–103.

Deese

, & Carpenter

J. A.

Drive level and reinforcement. J. exp. Psychol., 1951, 42, 236–238.

Eisman

E. H.

Theios

, & Linton

Habit strength as a function of drive in a bar-pressing situation. Psychol. Rep., 1961, 9, 583–590.

Kendler

H. H.

Drive interaction: II. Experimental analysis of role of drive in learning theory. J. exp. Psychol., 1945, 35, 188–198.

Kimble

G. A.

Hilgard and Marquis' Conditioning and Learning. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1961.

Lewis

D. J.

, & Cotton

J. W.

Learning and performance as a function of drive strength during acquisition and extinction. J. comp. physiol. Psychol., 1957, 50, 189–194.

Logan

F. A.

Incentive. New Haven: Yale Univer. Press, 1960.

10.

O'kelly

L. I.

, & Heyer

A. W.

Jr. Srudies in motivation and retention: I. Retention of a simple habit. J. comp. physiol. Psychol., 1948, 41, 466–478.

11.

Snedecor

G. W.

Statistical methods. (4th ed.) Ames, Ia: Iowa State College Press, 1946.

12.

Spence

K. W.

Learning and performance in eyelid conditioning as a function of the intensity of the UCS. J. exp. Psychol., 1953, 45, 57–63.

13.

Spence

K. W.

Behavior theory and conditioning. New Haven: Yale Univer. Press, 1956.