Facilitation of Acquisition of a Visual Discrimination by Differential Outcomes

Westbrook, Madie

Publication

Facilitation of Acquisition of a Visual Discrimination by Differential Outcomes

Westbrook, Madie

Date

2020

Additional date(s)

2020-05-19

Abstract

Past research has shown that receiving different rewards for separate responses results in faster acquisition compared to receiving the same reward for both responses. This is known as the differential outcomes effect. The current study investigated whether using a visual discrimination with differential outcomes improved discrimination learning in rats. This was completed by training rats to press one lever (e.g., on the left side of the chamber) when presented with a flashing light and press a different lever (e.g., on the right side of the chamber) when presented with a steady light. The experimental group received sugary water as reinforcement for pressing one lever and chocolate pellets for pressing the other while the control groups either received only sucrose or only chocolate pellets. Differential outcomes should result in faster acquisition in the experimental group. The rats that received differential outcomes performed better than the control sucrose group but the control pellet group, receiving only chocolate pellets, achieved the fastest acquisition. This suggests the quality of the reinforcer may overshadow the differential outcomes effect if only one of the two outcomes is less preferred.