Surprising nonreward and response effort: Extinction after progressive-ratio training in rats and pigeons

• Published in: Learning and motivation Vol. 72; p. 101676
• Main Authors: Conrad, Shannon E., Guarino, Sara, Papini, Mauricio R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Elsevier Inc 01.11.2020; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Animal behavior; Animal cognition; Animal training; Birds; Breakpoints; Extinction; Extinction behavior; Frustration; Frustration theory; Progressive ratio; Reinforcement; Strengthening/weakening principle; Surprising nonreward; Progressive ratio; Extinction; Surprising nonreward; Strengthening/weakening principle; Frustration
• ISSN: 0023-9690; 1095-9122
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lmot.2020.101676

Rats and pigeons exhibit different extinction profiles after instrumental acquisition with large vs. small rewards. In rats, extinction is faster after large-reward training, but in pigeons, extinction is faster after small-reward training. Two experiments extended these findings to a progressive-ratio schedule with acquisition training with two reward magnitudes administered either between or within subjects. Both rats and pigeons, under both between- and within-subject conditions, exhibited higher breakpoints (the last completed ratio) when responding for 5 pellets per ratio vs. 1 pellet per ratio. However, between-subject training yielded faster extinction after training with 5 pellets than 1 pellet for rats, but the opposite trend for pigeons. Extinction effects were eliminated in within-subject training for rats, but remained unchanged for pigeons. These results are discussed in the context of frustration theory and the strengthening/weakening principle of learning.