The partial reinforcement effect and competing behavior in a latent learning situation

Rats were given partial or consistent reinforcement in a runway while satiated. They were then extinguished while deprived. Measures of runway halts and reversals indicated that the reinforcement groups differed in the frequency of competing behavior during both acquisition and extinction. Spontaneous recovery from competing responses was observed. Results were, in most cases, consistent with an earlier study where Ss were trained while deprived.