Contextual Conditioning System

Our contextual conditioning systems were designed to allow the user to study classical Pavlovian conditioning paradigms while switching the environmental context in which stimuli are delivered and responses elicited. The environment an animal is in while being conditioned is now recognized as an important factor in determining the acquisition of conditioned responses. This approach allows the investigator to examine the affect of environmental context on the strength of association between conditional stimuli and conditioned responses. In addition, phenomenon such as the renewal effect can be studied by examining the impact of context on extinguishment of conditioned responses. Add-on modules can easily be incorporated into the context conditioning chambers, such as levers, self-administration assemblies, stimulus lights, etc.

System Highlights

• Investigate the affect of environmental context on the strength of association between conditional stimuli (CS) and conditioned responses (CR). 
  
  
• Each system allows the user to study CS-CR relationships in nine distinct contexts.
  
  
• The user can change the test chamber between three different rear wall and ceiling patterns and three different floor patterns.

Contrasting environmental conditions are created with varying rear wall and ceiling patterns, grid floor construction, lighting and background noise. The three rear wall and ceiling patterns are black stripes, blue dots, and clear. The clear panel may be modified by the researcher, if desired. The three floor patterns are standard 0.1875" (4.8 mm) grid rods, staggered 0.1875" (4.8 mm) grid rods, and alternating 0.50" (1.3 cm) large and 0.1875 (4.8 mm) small grid rods. All grid rods are on 0.615" (1.6 cm) centers.