Ebook: Spontaneous Alternation Behavior

A wide variety of species, including human beings, exhibits a remarkably reliable behavior pattern, known as spontaneous alternation behavior (SAB), that has intrigued researchers for over seven decades. Though the details may vary depending on species and setting, SAB essentially entails first choosing one member of a pair of alternatives and then the other, without instructions or incen­ tives to do so. Spontaneous alternation is manifested even in the early trials of a discrimination-learning experiment, where only one of the choices is reinforced. Indeed, that was the setting in which SAB was first noted (Hunter, 1914). Rein­ forcement contingencies, evidently, are superimposed, not on a random sequence of choices, but on a potent, systematic behavior pattern. This book is the first to be devoted entirely to SAB and closely related phenomena, such as habituation and exploration. The literature on SAB is vast, covering a host of questions ranging from the cues that guide alternation to its phylogenetic and ontogenetic generality, its relation to learning and motivation, and its neurochemical substrates. In separate chapters we take up each of the major issues, reviewing what is known about the several facets of SAB and revealing areas of ignorance. The chapter authors were encouraged to discuss their own research where pertinent, some of it as yet unpublished, indeed some conducted specifically for this volume.

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This volume is the first account devoted entirely to spontaneous alternation behavior (SAB), a behavior pattern exhibited by a variety of species. Because of its reliability and simplicity, spontaneous alternation behavior has been of special interest to biobehavioral researchers as an indicator of basic psychological processes, such as memory, perception, and motivation, as well as the neural mechanisms underlying these phenomena. Topics include the phylogeny and ontogeny of SAB, its relation to learning, drive, and emotionality, and brain systems and neurochemical factors in SAB. Of special interest is a contribution offering practical advice on conducting this type of research. Despite its apparent simplicity, SAB remains a fascinating and sometimes elusive phenomenon.

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This volume is the first account devoted entirely to spontaneous alternation behavior (SAB), a behavior pattern exhibited by a variety of species. Because of its reliability and simplicity, spontaneous alternation behavior has been of special interest to biobehavioral researchers as an indicator of basic psychological processes, such as memory, perception, and motivation, as well as the neural mechanisms underlying these phenomena. Topics include the phylogeny and ontogeny of SAB, its relation to learning, drive, and emotionality, and brain systems and neurochemical factors in SAB. Of special interest is a contribution offering practical advice on conducting this type of research. Despite its apparent simplicity, SAB remains a fascinating and sometimes elusive phenomenon.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Historical Overview....Pages 1-17
The Search for Cues and Motives....Pages 19-38
Phylogenetic Comparisons....Pages 39-57
SAB, Reward, and Learning....Pages 59-71
Spontaneous Alternation Behavior and the Brain....Pages 73-108
Neurochemical and Neuroanatomical Correlates of Behavioral Habituation and Sensitization: An Overview and Elaboration of Animal Experimentation....Pages 109-130
Ontogeny of Spontaneous Alternation Behavior....Pages 131-144
Using SAB as a Tool: Advice from a Veteran....Pages 145-159
Back Matter....Pages 161-211

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This volume is the first account devoted entirely to spontaneous alternation behavior (SAB), a behavior pattern exhibited by a variety of species. Because of its reliability and simplicity, spontaneous alternation behavior has been of special interest to biobehavioral researchers as an indicator of basic psychological processes, such as memory, perception, and motivation, as well as the neural mechanisms underlying these phenomena. Topics include the phylogeny and ontogeny of SAB, its relation to learning, drive, and emotionality, and brain systems and neurochemical factors in SAB. Of special interest is a contribution offering practical advice on conducting this type of research. Despite its apparent simplicity, SAB remains a fascinating and sometimes elusive phenomenon.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Historical Overview....Pages 1-17
The Search for Cues and Motives....Pages 19-38
Phylogenetic Comparisons....Pages 39-57
SAB, Reward, and Learning....Pages 59-71
Spontaneous Alternation Behavior and the Brain....Pages 73-108
Neurochemical and Neuroanatomical Correlates of Behavioral Habituation and Sensitization: An Overview and Elaboration of Animal Experimentation....Pages 109-130
Ontogeny of Spontaneous Alternation Behavior....Pages 131-144
Using SAB as a Tool: Advice from a Veteran....Pages 145-159
Back Matter....Pages 161-211
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