Repeated reversals of concurrent olfactory discriminations in rats: A search for functional equivalence

Mason, Madeleine G.; Dyer, Katherine H.; Bruce, Katherine; Galizio, Mark

doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104535

Cited by 1 publication

(14 citation statements)

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“…As the experiment progressed, we began to observe the indiscriminate responding at the onset of each session noted by Mason et al (2021). This was manifest by low Block 1 DIs, which prevented subjects from meeting the reversal criteria.…”

Section: Reversalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, Dube et al (1993) failed to demonstrate functional classes using the repeated reversals procedure in rats using auditory stimuli. However, rats did not complete many reversals (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10) A more recent study with rats (Mason et al, 2021) conducted repeated reversals with olfactory stimuli, as rats show rapid discrimination learning and learning-set formation with odors (e.g., Nigrosh et al, 1975;Slotnick, 2001). Mason et al trained rats with two sets of six different odor stimuli and showed that repeated reversals with these stimuli resulted in rapid learning consistent with learning set formation.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…However, Mason et al found that rats required exposure to all the stimuli after a reversal before discrimination appeared. Mason et al (2021) noted that one possible explanation for these performances was that rats were showing a form of learning set (win-stay, lose-shift) such that at the beginning of the session, if responding to a given stimulus resulted in reinforcement, high rates of responding would occur on subsequent presentations of that stimulus, but if no reinforcement occurred, no or low response rates would be made to that stimulus. If this "win-stay, loseshift" pattern of behavior developed separately for each of the 12 stimuli, then the particular stimuli that comprised the positive and negative sets would be irrelevant.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…If the Mason et al (2021) interpretation is correct, it suggests that more direct observation of functional classes might be possible given some procedural changes. For example, the indiscriminate responding at the onset of the session suggests the need for a different strategy for assessing transfer of function.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Although subjects had not yet encountered these delayed stimuli with the reversed contingencies, in both studies they tended to respond in accord with the reversed contingencies on first presentation, thus providing evidence for functional equivalence. The present experiments applied this delayed stimulus probe strategy to the concurrent discrimination reversal procedures used by Mason et al (2021). In Experiment 1, two sets of six odor stimuli were trained and some reversal sessions were arranged such that only 10 stimuli (five from each set) were presented at the beginning of the session.…”

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Functional equivalence classes in rats: Repeated olfactory discrimination reversals and delayed stimulus probes

Galizio

Lawson

Shaw

et al. 2023

J Exper Analysis Behavior

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The simultaneous matching‐to‐sample procedures that are widely used to study stimulus equivalence in human participants have generally been unsuccessful in animals. However, functional equivalence classes have been demonstrated in pigeons and sea lions using a concurrent repeated reversal discrimination procedure. In this procedure, responding to one set of stimuli is reinforced but responding to a different set is not and the set associated with reinforcement is changed with multiple reversals during the experiment. The experiments reported here were designed to assess whether functional equivalence classes could be demonstrated in rats using similar techniques. Rats were initially trained with two sets of olfactory stimuli (six odors/set). Following many reversals, probe reversal sessions were conducted in which rats were exposed to a subset of the members of each set and, later in the session, the withheld stimuli were introduced. Responding to these delayed probe trials in accord with the reversed contingencies constituted transfer of function. There was some evidence of transfer in Experiment 1, but the effects were relatively weak and variable. Experiment 2 introduced procedural changes and found strong evidence of transfer of function consistent with the formation of functional equivalence classes. These procedures offer a promising strategy to study symbolic behavior in rodents.

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Section: Reversalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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