COMPARISON OF OMISSION WITH EXTINCTION IN RESPONSE ELIMINATION IN RATS

Compared the efficiency and durability of elimination of a free operant in 54 male albino rats resulting from omission training (OT) and extinction training (ET). Exp. I revealed more rapid response elimination with ET but greater durability of response elimination with OT. Exp. II investigated the hypothesis that the discriminative effect of reinforcement was responsible for the less efficient response elimination with OT and the greater durability of OT effects in Exp. I. Results of Exp. II supported the discriminative reinforcement hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.