Extinction of conditioned sexual responses in male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica): Role of species-typical cues

• Published in: Journal of comparative psychology (1983) Vol. 117; no. 1; p. 87
• Main Authors: Krause, Mark A, Cusato, Brian, Domjan, Michael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington American Psychological Association 01-03-2003
• Subjects: Animal cognition; Sexuality; Wildfowl; Japan
• ISSN: 0735-7036; 1939-2087

The authors examined how a conditioned stimulus (CS) that included species-typical cues affected the acquisition and extinction of conditioned sexual responses in male quail ( Coturnix japonica ). Some subjects were conditioned with a CS that supported sexual responses and included a taxidermic head of a female quail. Others were conditioned with a similar CS that lacked species-typical cues. Pairing the CSs with access to live females increased CS-directed behavior, with the head CS eliciting significantly more responding than the no-head CS. Responding to the head CS persisted during the 42-day, 126-trial extinction phase; responses to the no-head CS extinguished. Responding declined when the cues were removed or the subjects were sexually satiated. Possible functions and mechanisms of these effects are discussed. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]