Delayed response alternation: Effects of stimulus presentations during the delay interval on response accuracy of male and female Wistar rats

Abstract

The present experiment was designed to investigate the effect of stimulus presentations during the delay interval of an operant delayed spatial response alternation procedure on the response accuracy of male and female Wistar rats. Subjects were exposed to three different delay intervals (5, 10, and 20 sec) during each experimental session. Response accuracy decreased for both males and females as the duration of the delay interval increased. Performance improved over sessions for both sexes. The presentation of stimuli during the delay interval differentially affected the behavior of males and females. Performance of males decreased at all delay intervals when stimuli were presented, whereas no differences in the response accuracy of females were observed. © 1988, The Psychonomic Soceity, Inc.. All rights reserved.