Transfer of inhibition and facilitation mediated by the original target stimulus

An autoshaping paradigm with pigeon subjects was used to study two-types-of modulation: facilitation and inhibition. In each paradigm, a diffuse stimulus signaled when a keylight would be reinforced. Transfer of that diffuse stimulus to a different keylight was assessed after the response-evoking power of the original keylight had been altered in the presence of a different modulator. That alteration of the original target produced a specific change in the transfer of modulators trained with that target. The results are interpreted as suggesting that transfer to another target stimulus is partly mediated by the association of the original target with the reinforcer. They are inconsistent with at least one version of a configurai cue interpretation.