Choice as a Function of Stimulus Change

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to determine whether rats will select the T-maze alternative that has been changed between exposure and test trials when the change is one of pattern as opposed to brightness. Both experiments indicate that, with adequate adaptation to the maze and test situation prior to the test trial, rats do respond to temporal change in pattern. In the second experiment it was found that the more spatially complex stimulus was selected significantly more often on Trial 1 than was the simple patterned stimulus. The results of these experiments indicate that stimulus change, whether spatially or temporally induced, will elicit approach responses.