COMPETING EXPLORATION AND PRE-ADAPTATION IN THE COURSE OF LIGHT-CONTINGENT BAR PRESSING OVER TIME

ATTEMPTED TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE ON THE COMPETITION HYPOTHESIS OF THE COURSE OF LIGHT-CONTINGENT BAR PRESSING (LCBP) OVER TIME WHICH SUGGESTS THAT WHETHER LCBP INCREASES OR DECREASES OVER TIME IS A FUNCTION OF THE EXTENT EXTRANEOUS STIMULI PROVIDE COMPETITION WITH THE LIGHT CHANGE FOR THE ANIMAL'S EXPLORATION. IN ORDER TO MANIPULATE THE COMPETITIVENESS OF EXTRANEOUS STIMULI, ALBINO RATS WERE GIVEN EITHER 0, 1, 3, OR 7 DAYS OF PREADAPTATION TO THE APPARATUS WHICH WAS EITHER SIMPLE OR COMPLEX IN VISUAL DESIGN. LIGHT CHANGES WERE EITHER LARGE OR SMALL. THE RESULTS ARE CONSONANT WITH THE HYPOTHESIS. (FRENCH SUMMARY)