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Density dependent extinction : phase II
(1993)In two separate experiments, an 8 rat 8 station operant arena was used to study resistance to extinction to test learning and optimal foraging theories of behaviour. The learning theory, called the generalized decrement ... -
Observation of behavioral principles in baseball performance
(1984)Three studies were done to demonstrate that formalized sports can be used to test or observe the operation of psychological phenomena. Major league baseball was chosen as the representative sport, in part because of ... -
Operant conditioning of spitting behaviour in the archer fish (Toxotes jaculator)
(1989)The archer fish, Toxotesjaculator, has the ability to knock insects out of the air by spitting at them. Although many studies have been done using the archer fish, it has never been considered from the operant conditioning ... -
Qualitative differences in the effects of food and water on learned behavior
(1973)Experimental interest for the present research stemmed from the traditionally accepted notion that qualitatively different reinforcers, such as food and water, have similar effects on learning. The present investigation ... -
Risk sensitive foraging by rats in the operant arena
(1988)The operant arena was used as the framework in which to study the theory of risk-sensitivity, A small colony of hooded rats was exposed to increasing work demands while given the choice between simultaneous fixed ratio ... -
Risk-sensitivity in a rat population under interval schedules of reinforcement : open and closed economies
(1995)A group consisting of eight male Hooded rats was tested for risk-sensitive foraging preferences in an eight station operant arena, under conditions of open and closed economies. The group could choose to forage at either ... -
Social facilitation of extinction in rats
(1991)Theories of resistance to extinction such as the generalized decrement theory (GDT) have been largely based on research involving isolated individuals. In the natural environment however, extinction, like acquisition ... -
Use of musical reinforcement to improve practice behaviors of competitive swimmers
(1989)The rationale for the study was to determine if music could be used as an effective reinforcer for increasing appropriate practice behaviors, and reduce problem behaviors in the competitive swimming environment. The ... -
Variable interval schedule control of dispersion and density
(1984)The effects of Variable Interval (VI) schedules of reinforcement on the dispersion patterns and aggregate densities of a small population of rats was studied. Eight male rats were permanently housed in an arena in which ... -
Variable ratio schedule control of dispersion in a patchy environment
(1989)Current ecological theory suggests that foraging animals are controlled by the distribution and abundance of food resources. Contemporary ecological research focuses on optimizing resources through the maximization of ...