Article,
Visual reinforcement, habituation, and prior social experience of Siamese fighting fish
Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, (1970)
Abstract
An operant response reinforced by presentation of a mirror image was performed by male Siamese fighting fish which had been dominant in pair encounters with conspecifics; males which had experienced subordination performed the operant less frequently. When a mirror was continuously present a response which turned off the mirror was acquired by naive Ss. Ss whose aggressive displays had habituated during lengthy cohabitation with conspecifics performed the operant more frequently when it was followed by escape from a mirror image than when mirror presentation followed the response. Implications for reinforcement theories are discussed.
