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Contrast Effects as a Function of Differential Preadaptation

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Date Issued:
1967
Summary:
The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which preadaptation to differential brightness magnitude affects responses to a constant postadaptation stimulus. Twenty-four male albino rats, one hundred and tweny days old, were divided into four groups and differentially preadapted in Skinner-boxes to 236.90, 77.25, 22.87, and 1.27 apparent foot-candles for 10 minutes, without access to a bar. Immediately following this period the Ss were allowed to respond under continuous reinforcement to a postadaptation stimulus of 236.90 apparent foot-candles. Measurement in terms of bar pressing indicated that the four groups extinguished differentially over six days. The control group, for whom the discrepancy bwtween preadaptation magnitude and postadaptation stimulus remained zero, was found most resistant to extiction during this period. Additionally, increases in the discrepancy between the pre- and postadaptation magnitudes led to experimental groups. The implications of these data for the proposition of stimulus definitions in terms of behaviorally effective magnitudes were discussed.
Title: Contrast Effects as a Function of Differential Preadaptation.
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Name(s): Henke, Peter G.
Adamson, Robert E., Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Psychology
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 1967
Date Issued: 1967
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 46 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which preadaptation to differential brightness magnitude affects responses to a constant postadaptation stimulus. Twenty-four male albino rats, one hundred and tweny days old, were divided into four groups and differentially preadapted in Skinner-boxes to 236.90, 77.25, 22.87, and 1.27 apparent foot-candles for 10 minutes, without access to a bar. Immediately following this period the Ss were allowed to respond under continuous reinforcement to a postadaptation stimulus of 236.90 apparent foot-candles. Measurement in terms of bar pressing indicated that the four groups extinguished differentially over six days. The control group, for whom the discrepancy bwtween preadaptation magnitude and postadaptation stimulus remained zero, was found most resistant to extiction during this period. Additionally, increases in the discrepancy between the pre- and postadaptation magnitudes led to experimental groups. The implications of these data for the proposition of stimulus definitions in terms of behaviorally effective magnitudes were discussed.
Identifier: FA00012588 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1967.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Subject(s): Adaptability (Psychology)
Extinction (Psychology)
Psychophysiology
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00012588
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
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Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.