Retention of A Light-dark Discrimination in Rats of Different Ages

Byron A. Campbell and Julian Jaynes, and J.R. Misanin, Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1968, 66, 2, 467-72.

Abstract: 140 young and 131 adult rats were trained to the same level in a light-dark discrimination for food reinforcement with lever pressing as the instrumental response. Different groups of both ages were tested for retention 0, 1, 38, 75, and 150 days after original training. Young rats showed poorer retention of both discrimination and basic instrumental responses. Adult rats showed a reminiscence-like increase in the overall frequency of bar pressing at longer retention intervals.