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The influence of passive pre-exposure on escape from a Morris pool

The influence of passive pre-exposure on escape from a Morris pool
The influence of passive pre-exposure on escape from a Morris pool
In 3 experiments rats were preexposed to the landmarks that surround a Morris pool by being placed on a submerged platform within the pool. They were then required to escape from the pool by swimming to the platform, which was in a location that had not been used during preexposure. Preexposure facilitated subsequent escape from the pool, provided that the platform was not moved during preexposure and the relative position of the landmarks to each other remained constant throughout preexposure. In contrast, if during preexposure the platform was moved from session to session (Experiment 1), or the array of landmarks was altered unsystematically from trial to trial (Experiments 2 and 3), then subsequent learning to escape from the pool was disrupted. These findings suggest that the effects of preexposure to the landmarks in a Morris pool is determined by whether or not they are of relevance for identifying the location of the platform. When they are relevant, then subsequent learning is facilitated, but when they are irrelevant, then subsequent learning is disrupted.
0097-7403
186-195
Pearce, John M.
0448ba7f-c537-41ce-8c45-14c869414c88
Roberts, Amanda D.L.
b0492491-672f-4a6b-bce1-142dde310763
Redhead, Edward S.
d2342759-2c77-45ef-ac0f-9f70aa5db0df
Prados, José
58a566d5-6f68-4764-bdf6-183a1bdece62
Pearce, John M.
0448ba7f-c537-41ce-8c45-14c869414c88
Roberts, Amanda D.L.
b0492491-672f-4a6b-bce1-142dde310763
Redhead, Edward S.
d2342759-2c77-45ef-ac0f-9f70aa5db0df
Prados, José
58a566d5-6f68-4764-bdf6-183a1bdece62

Pearce, John M., Roberts, Amanda D.L., Redhead, Edward S. and Prados, José (2000) The influence of passive pre-exposure on escape from a Morris pool. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behaviour Processes, 26 (2), 186-195.

Record type: Article

Abstract

In 3 experiments rats were preexposed to the landmarks that surround a Morris pool by being placed on a submerged platform within the pool. They were then required to escape from the pool by swimming to the platform, which was in a location that had not been used during preexposure. Preexposure facilitated subsequent escape from the pool, provided that the platform was not moved during preexposure and the relative position of the landmarks to each other remained constant throughout preexposure. In contrast, if during preexposure the platform was moved from session to session (Experiment 1), or the array of landmarks was altered unsystematically from trial to trial (Experiments 2 and 3), then subsequent learning to escape from the pool was disrupted. These findings suggest that the effects of preexposure to the landmarks in a Morris pool is determined by whether or not they are of relevance for identifying the location of the platform. When they are relevant, then subsequent learning is facilitated, but when they are irrelevant, then subsequent learning is disrupted.

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More information

Published date: 2000

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 18291
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/18291
ISSN: 0097-7403
PURE UUID: f71d9b47-f943-4d3c-a8d8-d07a9cb160a2
ORCID for Edward S. Redhead: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7771-1228

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Date deposited: 18 Jan 2006
Last modified: 09 Jun 2023 01:35

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Contributors

Author: John M. Pearce
Author: Amanda D.L. Roberts
Author: José Prados

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