The role of stimulus combinations in the repeated assessment of resurgence.

ABSTRACT

The current study examined the role of stimulus combinations on the repeated assessment of resurgence. Using a within-session resurgence procedure, rats were exposed to different conditions, each with distinct stimulus combinations (AAA, ABA, ABB, ABC and AAB). Two arrangements of stimulus changes were compared Experiment 1 involved changes in stimulus combinations every five sessions, while Experiment 2 implemented changes every session. Resurgence was observed in both experiments; however, Experiment 2 demonstrated more consistent and repeated resurgence when stimulus combinations changed every session. Notably, the ABA, ABB and ABC conditions showed the highest percentage of sessions in which resurgence was observed. Lastly, the current study extends the application of the within-session resurgence procedure to rats and auditory stimuli, providing a reliable method for assessing resurgence in single subjects under different variable conditions.