ASSOCIATIONS OF MULTIPLE OUTCOMES WITH AN INSTRUMENTAL RESPONSE

In 4 experiments, rats learned initial response-outcome (R-O) associations in an instrumental training task. Experiments 1 and 2 examined the effects on those R-O associations of subsequent or concurrent training of the response with another outcome. Experiments 3 and 4 examined the effects of subsequent nonreinforcement of the response. In each case, the R-O association was assessed by the successful transfer of a discriminative stimulus that had signaled that same outcome earned by a different response. In each experiment, additional training of the response either with another outcome or with nonreinforcement had little effect on the original R-O association.