Response repetition in pigeons: pharmacological and behavioral specificity

Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1986;90(4):475-81. doi: 10.1007/BF00174064.

Abstract

Using a reinforcement schedule that arranges random sequences of reinforcements over two response keys, low and high probabilities of repetition of non-reinforced responses were generated in two groups of pigeons (n = 3 per group) by varying the probability of reinforcement for responding on the key to which reinforcement was assigned. Unlike rats, the pigeons did not show a tendency to repeat just-reinforced responses, but showed a strong position bias, that was reduced by additional feeding and extinction, but not by any of the drug treatments. Apomorphine increased response repetition, irrespective of the control probability of repetition; d-amphetamine increased low probabilities of repetition, but decreased high probabilities. Chlordiazepoxide and scopolamine selectively decreased high probabilities of repetition; phencyclidine and pentobarbital selectively increased low probabilities of repetition. Morphine, haloperidol, chlorpromazine, additional feeding, and extinction did not affect repetition of non-reinforced responses. Extinction increased perseveration, whereas drug effects on perseveration were not observed. Drug-induced changes of patterning of responses as exemplified herein by drug-induced alterations of repetitiveness may be relevant to the interpretation of drug effects upon performance brought about by other behavioral processes such as discrimination.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apomorphine / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Apomorphine / pharmacology*
  • Chlordiazepoxide / pharmacology
  • Columbidae
  • Conditioning, Operant / drug effects*
  • Dextroamphetamine / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Dextroamphetamine / pharmacology*
  • Extinction, Psychological
  • Pentobarbital / pharmacology
  • Phencyclidine / pharmacology
  • Reinforcement Schedule
  • Satiation
  • Scopolamine / pharmacology

Substances

  • Chlordiazepoxide
  • Scopolamine
  • Pentobarbital
  • Phencyclidine
  • Apomorphine
  • Dextroamphetamine