ANALYSIS OF THE ONGOING BEHAVIOR OF RATS IN NON-MATCHING-TO-SAMPLE - IMPROVED ACQUISITION AND PERFORMANCE IS RELATED TO FACILITATION OF INVESTIGATION

In a non-matching-to-sample task. rats were trained according to the conventional procedure in which the displacement of the sample object resulted in food reinforcement and termination of the sample period. Compared to these animals, rats given a longer duration sample period, and rats not reinforced with food for displacing the object in the sample period, improved their rate of acquisition and their accuracy of performance. Detailed behavioral observations indicated that improved discrimination was related to increased investigation of the objects in the sample period. reduced side preferences. and an inclination to examine both objects in the test period. The results suggest that more accurate performance was related to the generalization of sampling habits from the sample period to the test period.