Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2002

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MA

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

David W. Schaal.

Committee Co-Chair

B. Kent Parker

Committee Member

Barry Edelstein

Abstract

The present experiment examined the effects of intertrial interval and d-amphetamine on pecking of pigeons maintained by an interval bisection task. The side-tracking group responded based on the location of the key and the color-tracking group responded based on the color of the key. Intermediate stimulus durations were tested, separated by either a 10- or 100-s intertrial interval and a range of d-amphetamine doses and saline were administered. Acquisition of performance in the side-tracking group occurred in fewer sessions relative to the color-tracking group. In both groups, the proportion of long responses increased as a function of stimulus duration. These functions were shifted to the left in the side-tracking group relative to the color-tracking group. Increasing the intertrial interval shifted the functions to the right in the side-tracking group and did not affect performance in the color-tracking group. d-Amphetamine did not produce consistent effects on performance.

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