The Influence of an Appetitive Conditioned Stimulus on Interval Timing Behavior

<p>Pavlovian incentive motivation provides a theoretical framework on the basis of which experiments can be designed to examine the effects of motivational variables on timing behavior. The Pavlovian-Instrumental transfer (PIT) paradigm is a prototype for studying Pavlovian incentive motivation. The current study examined the effect of a Pavlovian appetitive conditioned stimulus (CS) on timing performance, based on the PIT paradigm. Nine pigeons were exposed to pairings of a 120-s conditioned stimulus (flashing or steady houselight) and unconditioned stimulus (food). The pigeons were then trained on the peak procedure (FI 30 s). In a subsequent testing phase, the effect of the CS on the performance during non-reinforced probe trials was assessed by embedding probe trials within the CS. The major effect of the CS on timing performance was to increase the time at which pigeons stopped responding on the embedded probe trials. One likely mechanism that could account for the finding of this experiment is that the motivational property of a CS changes the threshold that is applied to the decision mechanism in an information-processing clock model.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York

Year dc:date.available

2014

Author dc:creator

• Jacobs, Joseph Daniel

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Bruce L. Brown

• Other Psychology
• Psychology
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Incentive Motivation
• Interval Timing

Repository record dc:identifier

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/501

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:gc_etds-1500