LONG ANSWER 2

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM HABITUATION OF THE RATS’ STARTLE RESPONSE TO A LOUD NOISE?

SHORT-TERM HABITUATION: PRODUCES RAPID HABITUATION IN RATS. STARTLE RESPONSE RECOVERS AFTER AN INTERTRIAL INTERVAL.

 

LONG-TERM HABITUATION: PRODUCES LESS HABITUATION IN SHORT RUN, BUT NONE OF THE HABITUATION IS LOST DURING THE ITI.

 

WHY DO WE THINK SHORT-TERM HABITUATION IS LEARNING RATHER THAN FATIGUE?

-       SHORT-TERM HABITUATION IS LEARNING BECAUSE OF STIMULUS-SPECIFICITY. CHANGE OF STIMULUS LEADS TO DISAPPEARANCE OF HABITUATION, MEANING IT IS NOT FATIGUE THAT IS LOWERING THE NUMBER OF RESPONSES, IT IS HABITUATION.

DOES A SHORT TIME SPACING OF BETWEEN TRIALS (3SECS) ENCOURAGE SHORT-TERM HABITUATION OR LONG-TERM HABITUATION?

-       SHORT TIME SPACING ENCOURAGES SHORT-TERM HABITUATION BECAUSE IT LEADS TO A BIGGER AND FASTER DECREASE IN THE STARTLE RESPONSE WITHIN A SINGLE TESTING SESSION COMPARED TO LONGER INTERVALS.

DEFINE SENSITIZATION?

-       A LEARNING PROCESS THAT DECREASES THRESHOLD MAKING IT EASY FOR STIMULI TO PRODUCE RESPONSES.  SENSITIZATION IMPROVES AN ANIMAL’S LIKELIHOOD OF DETECTING AND RESPONDING TO SIGNIFICANT EXTERNAL EVENTS.

HOW MIGHT WE TURN HABITUATION INTO SENSITIZATION OF THE RATS’ STARTLE RESPONSE.

-       CHANGE STIMULUS TO A STRONGER OR AVERSIVE STIMULUS (PERHAPS A LOUD NOISE OR A STRONGER SHOCK).

-       MAKING THE BOX VERY NOISE INITIALLY, SO THAT WHEN THE TONE OCCURS IT IS PAIRED WITH AN ALREADY LOUD BOX THAT WILL STARTLE THE RAT MORE AND MORE EACH TIME.