Stimulus intensity in sensory preconditioning of rats

Examined the sensory preconditioning (SPC) analogs to UCS and CS intensity in 2 experiments with male hooded rats (N= 144). In Exp. I, Ss received S1-S2 (light and tone, counterbalanced) pairings with 1 of 3 different intensities of S2, followed by conditioned emotional response (CER) training to S2. Suppression of drinking by S1 (SPC groups) and S2 (CER groups) was tested. Amount of SPC was not significantly affected by S2 intensity, but the strength of the CER was an increasing function of S2 (CS) intensity. In Exp. II, amount of SPC was a monotonically increasing function of S1 intensity. Results are interpreted in terms of the similarities and differences between SPC and classical conditioning. (French summary) (16 ref.)