WITHIN-SESSION CHANGES IN OPERANT RESPONDING WHEN GERBILS (MERIONES-UNGUICULATUS) SERVE AS SUBJECTS

Recent research has demonstrated that rate of responding frequently ch anges in a robust and systematic manner during experimental sessions i n which organisms engage in operant responding. One potential cause fo r these changes in response rate is that levels of exploration change during experimental sessions and that high levels of exploration inter fere with operant responding. Several studies have shown that gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) explore at a constant rate during experimental sessions. The present study examined the response pattern produced by gerbils responding for food delivered by several simple schedules of reinforcement. Results indicated that robust changes (between 200 and 400%) in response rate occurred during the experimental sessions. Thes e data argue against a role for exploration in the production of withi n-session changes in operant response rate.