Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior logoLink to Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
. 2004 Nov;82(3):329–355. doi: 10.1901/jeab.2004.82-329

Steps and pips in the history of the cumulative recorder.

Kennon A Lattal 1
PMCID: PMC1285015  PMID: 15693527

Abstract

From its inception in the 1930s until very recent times, the cumulative recorder was the most widely used measurement instrument in the experimental analysis of behavior. It was an essential instrument in the discovery and analysis of schedules of reinforcement, providing the first real-time analysis of operant response rates and patterns. This review traces the evolution of the cumulative recorder from Skinner's early modified kymographs through various models developed by Skinner and his colleagues to its perfection in the 1950s, and then into the 1960s when it proliferated as different scientific instrument companies began marketing their own models of the cumulative recorder. With the rise of digital computers, the demise of the cumulative recorder as a scientific instrument was inevitable; however, the value of the cumulative record as a monitoring device to assess schedule control of behavior continues. The cumulative recorder remains, along with the operant conditioning chamber, an icon of Skinner's approach to psychology.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.8 MB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Carman J. B. A template for estimating response rates. J Exp Anal Behav. 1968 Jul;11(4):465–466. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1968.11-465. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Catania A. Charles. The watershed years of 1958-1962 in the Harvard Pigeon Lab. J Exp Anal Behav. 2002 May;77(3):327–345. doi: 10.1901/jeab.2002.77-327. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Dinsmoor J. A. Academic roots: Columbia University, 1943-1951. J Exp Anal Behav. 1990 Sep;54(2):129–149. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1990.54-129. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dinsmoor K. A special tribute to Ralph Gerbrands. J Exp Anal Behav. 1987 Nov;48(3):513–514. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1987.48-513. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Emley G. S., Hutchinson R. R., Hallin E. R., Kiraley S. A convenient method for physical storage of cumulative records. J Exp Anal Behav. 1971 Mar;15(2):248–248. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1971.15-248. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FERSTER C. B. The use of the free operant in the analysis of behavior. Psychol Bull. 1953 Jul;50(4):263–274. doi: 10.1037/h0055514. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. GILBERT T. F. Fundamental dimensional properties of the operant. Psychol Rev. 1958 Sep;65(5):272–282. doi: 10.1037/h0044071. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. HERRICK R. M. PLOTTING AND ANALYZING CUMULATIVE RESPONSE CURVES IN OPERANT CONDITIONING STUDIES. J Exp Anal Behav. 1965 Jan;8:59–65. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1965.8-59. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. HURWITZ H. M. A bidirectional cumulative recorder. J Exp Anal Behav. 1961 Oct;4:331–336. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1961.4-331. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Harrison J. M., Abelson R. M. The maintenance of behavior by the termination and onset of intense noise. J Exp Anal Behav. 1959 Jan;2(1):23–42. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1959.2-23. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Herrnstein R. J. On the law of effect. J Exp Anal Behav. 1970 Mar;13(2):243–266. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1970.13-243. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Keller J. V. Modifying the Gerbrands cumulative recorder to produce histograms. J Exp Anal Behav. 1974 Mar;21(2):381–382. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1974.21-381. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kulli J. C., Bogrow P. A. A cumulative recorder for experiments on concurrent schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1971 Nov;16(3):381–383. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1971.16-381. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. LEKRONE R., MARMASSE C., FERSTER C. B., HOLTZMAN E. An automatic paper folder. J Exp Anal Behav. 1963 Apr;6:269–270. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1963.6-269. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. LINDSLEY O. R. An easily copied ink for graphic recorders. J Exp Anal Behav. 1958 Jan;1:14–14. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1958.1-14. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Lattal K. A. Response-reinforcer dependence and independence in multiple and mixed schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1973 Sep;20(2):265–271. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1973.20-265. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Michael J. Statistical inference for individual organism research: mixed blessing or curse? J Appl Behav Anal. 1974 Winter;7(4):647–653. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1974.7-647. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Millner E. C. A simple mechanical uptake roller for cumulative recorder data. J Exp Anal Behav. 1970 Sep;14(2):199–200. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1970.14-199. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Morris Edward K., Smith Nathaniel G. On the origin and preservation of cumulative record in its struggle for life as a favored term. J Exp Anal Behav. 2004 Nov;82(3):357–373. doi: 10.1901/jeab.2004.82-357. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Morse W. H., Dews P. B. Foreword to Schedules of reinforcement. 1957. J Exp Anal Behav. 2002 May;77(3):313–317. doi: 10.1901/jeab.2002.77-313. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Poling A. The ubiquity of the cumulative record: a quote from Skinner and a frequency count. J Exp Anal Behav. 1979 Jan;31(1):126–126. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1979.31-126. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. RUSSELL I. S. Cumulative recorder ink. J Exp Anal Behav. 1961 Jan;4:24–24. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. SNAPPER A. G., VERHAVE T., HERMAN R. L. PEN FOR CUMULATIVE RECORDER. J Exp Anal Behav. 1964 Nov;7:422–422. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1964.7-422. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Schmidt Michael A., Chakrabarti Anjan K., Kehrer Chris, Pfeninnger Dana, Brook Robert D., Kaciroti Niko, Duvernoy Claire, Killeen Anthony A., Rajagopalan Sanjay. Interactive effects of the ACE DD polymorphism with the NOS III homozygous G849T (Glu298-->Asp) variant in determining endothelial function in coronary artery disease. Vasc Med. 2003;8(3):177–183. doi: 10.1191/1358863x03vm486oa. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Skinner B. F. Farewell, My LOVELY! J Exp Anal Behav. 1976 Mar;25(2):218–218. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1976.25-218. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Skinner B. F. ON THE CONDITIONS OF ELICITATION OF CERTAIN EATING REFLEXES. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1930 Jun 15;16(6):433–438. doi: 10.1073/pnas.16.6.433. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Skinner B. F. What is the experimental analysis of behavior? J Exp Anal Behav. 1966 May;9(3):213–218. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1966.9-213. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Van Sommers P. A cumulative recorder for student use. J Exp Anal Behav. 1967 May;10(3):299–300. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1967.10-299. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Verhave T. NEW INK FOR CUMULATIVE RECORDERS. J Exp Anal Behav. 1958 Jan;1(1):56–56. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1958.1-56. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior are provided here courtesy of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior

RESOURCES