Abstract
Pigeon subjects received training of a diffuse stimulus as either a conditioned inhibitor or a conditioned facilitator of a keylight signal for food. The ability of these diffuse stimuli to modulate responding was then assessed with two other keylights that were undergoing discrimination reversal. At a point where responding was equivalent for the two targets, the modulators had a greater impact on the target undergoing extinction than on the target undergoing acquisition. These results have implications for the nature of modulation and extinction.
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This research was supported by National Science Foundation Grant BNS-88-03514 to R.A.R. and National Institute of Mental Health postdoctoral training Grand MH 09896 to D.S.
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Swartzentruber, D., Rescorla, R.A. Modulation of trained and extinguished stimuli by facilitators and inhibitors. Animal Learning & Behavior 22, 309–316 (1994). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209839
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209839