Effects Of String Length On The Organization Of Rat String-Pulling Behavior

Author ORCID Identifier

Ashley Blackwell: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7668-5198

Douglas Wallace: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4428-1268

Publication Title

Animal Cognition

ISSN

14359448

E-ISSN

14359456

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The string-pulling paradigm has been adapted to investigate many psychological phenomena across a range of animal species. Although varying string length has been shown to influence performance, the nature of the representation remains to be determined. Across three experiments, rats were shaped to pull string to receive food reinforcement. Either string length or reinforcement rate was manipulated to examine the influence on string-pulling behavior. Experiment 1 demonstrated that varied string length was sufficient to elicit an odor discrimination. Subsequent experiments provided evidence that varying string length (Experiment 2) and reinforcement rate (Experiment 3) produced qualitatively distinct patterns of string-pulling behavior. In Experiment 2 rats that received a long string were more likely to pull in the probe string to the end, yet no differences were observed in approach time between short and long groups. However, in Experiment 3 rats that received low reinforcement were less likely to pull in the probe string to the end and were slower to approach the string to begin pulling. These results are consistent with rats using temporal and motivational characteristics to guide responding during string-pulling behavior.

First Page

415

Last Page

425

Publication Date

2-7-2020

DOI

10.1007/s10071-020-01349-4

PubMed ID

32030537

Keywords

Discrimination, Movement kinematic, Odor, Probe trials, Reinforcement rate, Time

Department

Department of Psychology

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