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Mauricio R. Papini

Department of Psychology
Texas Christian University
Box 298920
Fort Worth, TX 76129
Tel. 817-257-6084
email:m.papini@tcu.edu

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"Comparative Psychology:
Evolution and Development of Behavior"
(Second Edition, 2008).



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First edition, 2002.

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Japanese translation, 2005.

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Spanish translation, 2009.


Learning and the Emotional Modulation of Behavior

I am interested in the comparative neuroscience of anxiety and frustration. Animals are tested under conditions involving surprising incentive loss and their adjustment is assessed both behaviorally and physiologically. Surprising incentive loss is a source of emotional modulation that may lead to behavioral suppression, drive induction, changes in agonistic behavior, release of stress hormones, and modulation of pain sensitivity. Some of the mechanisms underlying adjustment to unexpected incentive loss are hypothesized to be unique to mammals. Comparative research indicates that the type of adjustment observed in relatively more conservative vertebrates is purely cognitive, lacking the emotional tone commonly observed in analogous experiments with mammals. The goal of this research is to contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of learning mechanisms, the interface between learning and emotion, and the neurobehavioral basis of emotional disorders.


Prospective graduate students ~ PhD Program in Experimental Psychology

Stipends are available on a competitive basis, for up to 5 years of funding.
Next application cycle: January, 2010 (to start in August, 2010).
email: m.papini@tcu.edu
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Lines of research on surprising incentive loss (selected references)


(1) Behavioral studies

Norris, J. N., Daniel, A. M., & Papini, M. R. (2008). Spontaneous recovery of consummatory behavior, but not of consummatory successive negative contrast. Learning and Motivation, 39, 296-312.
[PDF version]
Daniel, A. M., Wood, M., Pellegrini, S., Norris, J. N., & Papini, M. R. (2008). Can contextual cues control consummatory successive negative contrast? Learning and Motivation, 39, 146-162.
[PDF version]
Pellegrini, S., & Papini, M. R. (2007). Scaling relative incentive value in anticipatory behavior. Learning and Motivation, 38, 128-154.
[PDF version]
Papini, M. R., & Pellegrini, S. (2006). Scaling relative incentive value in consummatory behavior. Learning and Motivation, 37, 357-378.
[PDF version]
Bentosela, M., DŽAmbros, M. A., Mustaca, A. E., & Papini, M. R. (2006). Consummatory successive negative contrast in young and middle-aged rats. International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 6, 291-300.
[PDF version]
Mustaca, A. E., & Papini, M. R. (2005). Consummatory successive negative contrast induces hypoalgesia. International Journal of Comparative Psychology, 18, 255-262.
[PDF version]
Stout, S., Boughner, R. L., & Papini, M. R. (2003). Reexamining the frustration effect in rats: Aftereffects of surprising reinforcement and nonreinforcement. Learning and Motivation, 34, 437-456.
[PDF version]


(2) Neurobiological studies

Ruetti, E., Justel, N., Mustaca, A. E., & Papini, M. R. (2009). Posttrial corticosterone administration enhances the effects of incentive downshift: Exploring the boundaries of this effect. Behavioral Neuroscience, 123, 137-144.
[PDF version]
Wood, M., Norris, J. N., Daniel, A. M., & Papini, M. R. (2008). Trial-selective effects of U50,488H, a kappa-opioid receptor agonist, on consummatory successive negative contrast. Behavioural Brain Research, 193, 28-36.
[PDF version]
Kamenetzky, G. V., Mustaca, A. E., & Papini, M. R. (2008). An analysis of the anxiolytic effects of ethanol on consummatory successive negative contrast. Advances in Latin American Psychology, 26, 135-144.
[PDF version]
Bentosela, M., Ruetti, E., Muzio, R. N., Mustaca, A. E., & Papini, M. R. (2006). Administration of corticosterone after the first downshift trial enhances consummatory successive negative contrast. Behavioral Neuroscience, 120, 371-376.
[PDF version]
Wood, M., Daniel, A. M., & Papini, M. R. (2005). Selective effects of the delta opioid receptor agonist DPDPE on consummatory successive negative contrast. Behavioral Neuroscience, 119, 446-454.
[PDF version]
Pellegrini, S., Wood, M., Daniel, A. M., & Papini, M. R. (2005). Opioid receptors modulate recovery from consummatory successive negative contrast. Behavioural Brain Research, 164, 239-249.
[PDF version]
Portavella, M., Torres, B., Salas, C., & Papini, M. R. (2004). Lesions of the medial pallium, but not of the lateral pallium, disrupt spaced-trial avoidance learning in goldfish (Carassius auratus). Neuroscience Letters, 362, 75-78.
[PDF version]
Thomas, B. L., & Papini, M. R. (2001). Adrenalectomy eliminates the extinction spike in autoshaping with rats. Physiology and Behavior, 62, 543-547.
[PDF version]


(3) Comparative studies

Pellegrini, S., Lopez-Seal, F., & Papini, M. R. (2008). Scaling relative incentive value: Different adjustments to incentive downshift in PIGEONS and RATS. Behavioural Processes, 79, 182-188.
[PDF version]
Daneri, M. F., Papini, M. R., & Muzio, R. N. (2007). TOADS learn to anticipate and avoid hyperosmotic saline solutions. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 121, 419-427.
[PDF version]
Muzio, R. N., Ruetti, E., & Papini, M. R. (2006). Determinants of extinction in terrestrial TOADS (Bufo arenarum). Learning & Motivation, 37, 346-356.
[PDF version]
Papini, M. R., Thomas, B. L., & McVicar, D. G. (2002). Between-subject PREE and within-subject reversed PREE in spaced-trial extinction with PIGEONS. Learning and Motivation, 33, 485-509.
[PDF version]
Mustaca, A. E., Bentosela, M., & Papini, M. R. (2000). Consummatory successive negative contrast in MICE. Learning and Motivation, 31, 272-282.
[PDF version]
Papini, M. R. (1997). Role of reinforcement in spaced-trial operant learning in PIGEONS. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 111, 275-285.
[PDF version]
Ishida, M., & Papini, M. R. (1997). Massed-trial overtraining effects on extinction and reversal performance in TURTLES (Geoclemys reevesii). Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 50B, 1-16.
[PDF version]
Papini, M. R., Mustaca, A. E., & Bitterman, M. E. (1988). Successive negative contrast in the consummatory behavior of DIDELPHID MARSUPIALS. Animal Learning and Behavior, 16, 53-57.
[PDF version]


(4) Reviews

Papini, M. R. (2006). Role of surprising nonreward in associative learning. Japanese Journal of Animal Psychology, 56, 35-54.
[PDF version]
Papini, M. R., Wood, M., Daniel, A. M., & Norris, J. N. (2006). Reward loss as psychological pain. International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 6, 189-213.
[PDF version]
Papini, M. R. (2003). Comparative psychology of surprising nonreward. Brain, Behavior and Evolution, 62, 83-95.
[PDF version]
Papini, M. R. (2002). Pattern and process in the evolution of learning. Psychological Review, 109,186-201.
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Papini, M. R., & Dudley, R. T. (1997). Consequences of surprising reward omissions. Review of General Psychology, 1, 175-197.
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Papini Lab

Current graduate students:
Jacob N. Norris
Leonardo A. Ortega

Recent PhDs from the lab and their first position after graduating:
Alan M. Daniel (2008; postdoctoral fellow at Rutgers University, NJ)
Michael D. Wood (2006; Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, MD)
Robert L. Boughner (2003; assistant professor at Rogers State University, OK)
Steven C. Stout (2001; postdoctoral fellow at Binghamton University, NY)
Brian L. Thomas (2001; postdoctoral fellow at University of Massachussetts-Amherst, MA)


Courses

30433-Experimental Psychology: Motivation
30473-Comparative Psychology
50603-Contemporary Learning Theory
60553-Conditioning and Learning


http://personal.tcu.edu/~papini/index.htm
Last updated: 1/Jul/2009
Copyright © 1996, TCU Psychology Department
Page maintained by Mauricio R. Papini