Higa, J. J., & Pierson, D. (1998).
Temporal control in rats: Analysis of nonlocalized effects from short interfood intervals.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior,
70, 35-43.
The present experiment analyzed temporal control of
postreinforcement pause duration during within-session changes in
the criterion for reinforcement (interfood interval, IFI).
Analysis of interval-by-interval changes in the pause revealed
localized and nonlocalized effects from short intervals that
caused specific changes in performance. In Phase 1, rats were
presented with five consecutive 15-s IFIs intercalated into a
series of 60-s IFIs. The 15-s set decreased the pause in adjacent
and more remote 60-s intervals. In Phase 2, two sets of 15-s
intervals were intercalated. The spacing between the two sets
varied so that 0, 5, 10, or 15 60-s IFIs separated the sets. The
postreinforcement pause tracked all changes in the IFI duration,
and the localized effect from a short set extended beyond the
next interval to the next few 60-s IFIs. Effects from one set,
however, did not combine with a second set: Changes in the pause
after two sets were the same regardless of the spacing between
sets.
Key words: temporal control, dynamics, nonlocalized effects,
interfood interval, postreinforcement pause, lever press, rats