Quantifying the instrumental and noninstrumental underpinnings of Pavlovian responding with the Price equation

Abstract

The Price equation is a mathematical expression of selectionist and non-selectionist pressures on biological, cultural, and behavioral change. We use it here to specify instrumental and noninstrumental behaviors as they arise within the context of the Pavlovian autoshaping procedure, for rats trained under reward certainty and reward uncertainty. The point of departure for this endeavor is that some portion of autoshaped behavior referred to as goal-tracking appears instrumental—a function of resource attainment (the individual approaches the location where the unconditioned stimulus is to be delivered). By contrast, some other portion of autoshaped behavior referred to as sign-tracking is noninstrumental—irrelevant to making contact with the to-be-delivered unconditioned stimulus. A Price equation model is proposed that unifies our understanding of Pavlovian autoshaping behavior by isolating operant and respondent influences on goal-tracking (instrumental) and sign-tracking (noninstrumental) behavior.