A long-term study of the impulsive choices of Lewis and Fischer 344 rats.

Contemporary analyses of choice were implemented to analyze the acquisition and maintenance of response allocation in Lewis (LEW) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats. A concurrent-chains procedure varied the delay to the larger reinforcer (0.1, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 s). Delays were presented within sessions in ascending, descending, and random orders. Each condition lasted 105 days, and the entire data set was analyzed to obtain discounting functions for each block of 15 sessions and each food delivery across delay components. Both a hyperbolic-decay model and the generalized matching law described well the choices of LEW and F344 rats. Estimates of discounting rate and sensitivity to the immediacy of reinforcement correlated positively. The slope of the discounting function changed with presentation orders of the delays to the larger reinforcer. Extended training reduced differences between the LEW and F344 rats in discounting rates, sensitivity to the immediacy of reinforcement, and estimates of the area under the curve. We concluded that impulsive choice can change as a function of learning and is not a static property of behavior that is mainly determined by genetic and neurochemical mechanisms. Choosing impulsively may be an advantage for organisms searching for food in rapidly changing environments.

Promoting Reciprocal Relations across Subfields of Behavior Analysis via Collaborations.

Several barriers may inhibit the growth of behavior analysis as a more integrated and collaborative field. Two such barriers are siloed environments that reinforce a basic-applied distinction, and a lack of translational research pathways. We describe the perils of silos, and elaborate on potential solutions to increase reciprocal relations among subfields in behavior analysis. We promote a five-tiered system to classify research in behavior analysis, and discuss literature on cultivating effective intra and cross-disciplinary collaborations, including using the framework of metacontingencies to understand collaborations. We also propose quantitative and qualitative measures to examine whether the potential solutions increase intra and interdisciplinary interactions. These measures include bibliometric (e.g., citations across fields), sociometric (e.g., social network analysis), and narrative analysis. We apply some of these measures to publications from 2011-2022 from the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior and Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, and argue that behavior analysis overall may benefit from a more collaborative approach. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40614-023-00386-x.

Murray Sidman and Patient H. M.: The role of behavior analysis in the emergence of collaborative modern neuroscience.

The intersection of the lives of 2 essential individuals in science, behavior analyst Murray Sidman (1923-2019), and Henry G. Molaison also known as Patient H.M. (1926-2008), warrants examination as it highlights the role of behavior analysis and other disciplines in the emergence of modern neuroscience and a collaborative approach to science. This paper describes the historical context and content of two publications by Sidman in which Molaison served as a research participant. The goal of the present paper is to emphasize this little-known facet of Sidman's rich career and to highlight the pioneering role of behavior analysis, and particularly the work of Murray Sidman, in the emergence of collaborative modern neuroscience.

Visual reinforcement in the female Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens.

Operant conditioning with Betta splendens (Bettas) has been investigated extensively using males of the species. Ethological studies of female Bettas have revealed aggressive interactions that qualitatively parallel those between male Bettas. Given these similarities, four experiments were conducted with female Bettas to examine the generality of a widely reported finding with males: mirror-image reinforcement. Swimming through a ring was reinforced by a 10-s mirror presentation. As with males, ring swimming was acquired and maintained when mirror presentations were immediate (Experiments 1, 2, and 3) and delayed (Experiment 4). The failure of conventional extinction (Experiments 1 and 2) and response-independent mirror presentations (Experiment 3) to maintain responding confirmed the reinforcing properties of mirror presentation. These results extend previous findings of mirror images as reinforcers in males of the same species and illustrate a complementarity between behavioral ecology and the experimental analysis of behavior.

Response acquisition with delayed reinforcement in Lewis and Fischer 344 rats.

Previous work has shown neurochemical and behavioral differences between Lewis rats and Fischer 344 rats. Some of this work suggests that there might be differential sensitivity to delayed reinforcement between the two strains. To further explore this possibility, Lewis (n=8) and Fischer 344 (n=8) rats were exposed to a response-acquisition task with a non-resetting 20s delay to reinforcement. A tandem fixed-ratio 1, fixed-time 20s schedule of reinforcement was programmed for one of two levers; presses on the alternate lever had no programmed consequences. A greater number of Lewis rats (5/8) acquired lever pressing compared to the Fischer 344 rats (2/8). Future work with these strains may lead to a better understanding of the genetic and/or neurochemical factors involved in temporal control of behavior.

Combinations of response-reinforcer relations in periodic and aperiodic schedules.

Key pecking of 4 pigeons was studied under a two-component multiple schedule in which food deliveries were arranged according to a fixed and a variable interfood interval. The percentage of response-dependent food in each component was varied, first in ascending (0, 10, 30, 70 and 100%) and then in descending orders, in successive conditions. The change in response rates was positively related to the percentage of response-dependent food in each schedule component. Across conditions, positively accelerated and linear patterns of responding occurred consistently in the fixed and variable components, respectively. These results suggest that the response-food dependency determines response rates in periodic and aperiodic schedules, and that the temporal distribution of food determines response patterns independently of the response-food dependency. Running rates, but not postfood pauses, also were positively related to the percentage of dependent food in each condition, in both fixed and variable components. Thus, the relation between overall response rate and the percentage of dependent food was mediated by responding that occurred after postfood pausing. The findings together extend previous studies wherein the dependency was either always present or absent, and increase the generality of the effects of variations in the response-food dependency from aperiodic to periodic schedules.

Effects of unsignaled delays of reinforcement on fixed-interval schedule performance.

Key pecking of pigeons was maintained by a fixed-interval (FI) 61-s schedule. The effects of resetting and nonresetting unsignaled delays of reinforcement then were examined. The resetting delay was programmed as a differential-reinforcement-of-other-behavior schedule, and the nonresetting delay as a fixed-time schedule. Three delay durations (0.5, 1 and 10s) were examined. Overall response rates were decreased by one and 10-s delays and increased by 0.5-s delays. Response patterns changed from positively accelerated to more linear when resetting or nonresetting 10-s delays were imposed, but remained predominantly positively accelerated when resetting and nonresetting 0.5- and 1-s delays were in effect. In general, temporal control, as measured by quarter-life values, changed less than overall response rates when delays of reinforcement were in effect. The response patterns controlled by FI schedules are more resilient to the nominally disruptive effects of delays of reinforcement than are corresponding overall response rates.

6-Hydroxydopamine lesions in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats exposed to a peak-interval procedure

Impaired temporal control is symptomatic of several neurological disorders; recently, it has been implicated in schizophrenia. An animal model of schizophrenia using 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) infused to the medial pre-frontal cortex (mPFC) was employed to examine its effects on temporal control. Twelve rats were trained on a peak-interval procedure (PIP) until stable patterns of behavior were obtained. Rats infused with 6-OHDA responded less during peak trials and their peak functions were flatter than sham rats. These results are consistent with similar studies with transgenic mice with increased striatal dopamine D2 receptor activity. Lesions in the mPFC decreased motivation to respond in a PIP. These effects may be considered analogous to negative symptoms of schizophrenia...

6-Hydroxydopamine lesions in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats exposed to a peak-interval procedure

Impaired temporal control is symptomatic of several neurological disorders; recently, it has been implicated in schizophrenia. An animal model of schizophrenia using 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) infused to the medial pre-frontal cortex (mPFC) was employed to examine its effects on temporal control. Twelve rats were trained on a peak-interval procedure (PIP) until stable patterns of behavior were obtained. Rats infused with 6-OHDA responded less during peak trials and their peak functions were flatter than sham rats. These results are consistent with similar studies with transgenic mice with increased striatal dopamine D2 receptor activity. Lesions in the mPFC decreased motivation to respond in a PIP. These effects may be considered analogous to negative symptoms of schizophrenia.(AU)

Incluindo dados fisiológicos na ciência do comportamento: uma análise crítica / Including physiological data in a science of behavior: a critical analysis

A posição dos analistas do comportamento sobre a inclusão de dados fisiológicos na análise do comportamento varia. David Schaal, um analista do comportamento contemporâneo, apontou vantagens de tal inclusão para a análise do comportamento em quatro pontos: (a) identificação de mecanismos de retenção do condicionamento operante; (b) a fisiologia dá explicações quando as descrições não são suficientes; (c) elucidação de mecanismos celular e neural de reforçamento e (d) caracterização de alterações degenerativas no cérebro. O presente artigo proporciona discussões futuras desses pontos se eles realmente representam uma vantagem `a análise do comportamento. É argumentado e exemplificado que a análise do comportamento e a neurociência não são multuamente exclusivas. Por fim, as condições sob as quais a inclusão de dados fisiológicos na análise do comportamento representa uma vantagem à área são delineadas.(AU)

The position of behavior analysts on the inclusion of physiological data in behavior analysis varies. David Schaal, a contemporary behavior analyst, addressed advantages of such inclusion to behavior analysis in four points: (a) identification of retention mechanisms of operant conditioning; (b) physiology provides explanations when descriptions are not sufficient; (c) elucidation of cellular and neural mechanisms of reinforcement; and (d) characterization of degenerative alterations in the brain. The present paper provides further discussion of these points as to whether they truly represent an advantage to behavior analysis. It is argued and exemplified that behavior analysis and neuroscience are not mutually exclusive. Finally, the conditions under which the inclusion of physiological data in behavior analysis represents an advantage to the field are delineated.(AU)

Incluindo dados fisiológicos na ciência do comportamento: uma análise crítica / Including physiological data in a science of behavior: a critical analysis

A posição dos analistas do comportamento sobre a inclusão de dados fisiológicos na análise do comportamento varia. David Schaal, um analista do comportamento contemporâneo, apontou vantagens de tal inclusão para a análise do comportamento em quatro pontos: (a) identificação de mecanismos de retenção do condicionamento operante; (b) a fisiologia dá explicações quando as descrições não são suficientes; (c) elucidação de mecanismos celular e neural de reforçamento e (d) caracterização de alterações degenerativas no cérebro. O presente artigo proporciona discussões futuras desses pontos se eles realmente representam uma vantagem `a análise do comportamento. É argumentado e exemplificado que a análise do comportamento e a neurociência não são multuamente exclusivas. Por fim, as condições sob as quais a inclusão de dados fisiológicos na análise do comportamento representa uma vantagem à área são delineadas.

The position of behavior analysts on the inclusion of physiological data in behavior analysis varies. David Schaal, a contemporary behavior analyst, addressed advantages of such inclusion to behavior analysis in four points: (a) identification of retention mechanisms of operant conditioning; (b) physiology provides explanations when descriptions are not sufficient; (c) elucidation of cellular and neural mechanisms of reinforcement; and (d) characterization of degenerative alterations in the brain. The present paper provides further discussion of these points as to whether they truly represent an advantage to behavior analysis. It is argued and exemplified that behavior analysis and neuroscience are not mutually exclusive. Finally, the conditions under which the inclusion of physiological data in behavior analysis represents an advantage to the field are delineated.