HORN OF PLENTY CONDITIONS VERSUS GRADUAL DIMINUTION OF REWARD SUPPLY WITH EXTENDED TRAINING

3 groups of 10 male Sprague-Dawley rats each received 24 acquisition trials in a runway followed by 10 extinction trials. Horn of plenty (HOP) Ss received 1 consumable pellet per acquisition trial. Diminishing food supply (DFS) Ss received 1 consumable pellet per trial plus a number of unconsumable pellets, the number ran faster and then diminishing from 23-0 pellets as acquisition progressed. The DFS Ss 1st ran faster and then slower relative to HOP Ss as acquisition progressed. The DFS Ss returned almost to the operant level by the 1st extinction trial. A 3rd group was run primarily to clear up an anomaly from an earlier study by G. D. Jensen and R. P. Rey, (see 42:4). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.