Abstract
In two experiments a multiple-response repertoire of four free-operant responses was developed with university students as subjects using monetary gain as reinforcement. Following baseline, one of the responses was reduced either by making monetary loss contingent upon it (response cost) or by removing it from the repertoire (response restriction). In Experiment 1 a multielement baseline design was employed in which baseline and restriction or response-cost contingencies alternated semirandomly every 3 minutes. In Experiment 2 a reversal design was employed (i.e., baseline, restriction or response cost, then baseline), and each response required a different amount of effort. Both experiments had the following results: (a) The target response decreased substantially; (b) most nontarget responses increased, and the rest remained near their baseline levels; and (c) no support was found for Dunham's hierarchical, most frequent follower, or greatest temporal similarity rules. For several subjects, the least probable responses during baseline increased most, and the most probable responses increased least. Furthermore, in Experiment 2, responses with the lowest frequency of reinforcement increased most (for all 7 subjects), and those with the greatest frequency of reinforcement increased least (for 5 subjects).
Keywords: response cost, response restriction, multiple-response repertoire, variable-interval schedules, response force, multielement baseline, reversal design, time allocation, humans
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- BRETHOWER D. M., REYNOLDS G. S. A facilitative effect of punishment on unpunished behavior. J Exp Anal Behav. 1962 Apr;5:191–199. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1962.5-191. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bernstein D. J., Ebbesen E. B. Reinforcement and substitution in humans: a multiple-response analysis. J Exp Anal Behav. 1978 Nov;30(3):243–253. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1978.30-243. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bradshaw C. M., Szabadi E., Bevan P. The effect of punishment on free-operant choice behavior in humans. J Exp Anal Behav. 1979 Jan;31(1):71–81. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1979.31-71. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Catania A. C., Reynolds G. S. A quantitative analysis of the responding maintained by interval schedules of reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav. 1968 May;11(3 Suppl):327–383. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1968.11-s327. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Deluty M. Z. Choice and the rate of punishment in concurrent schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1976 Jan;25(1):75–80. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1976.25-75. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Dunham P. J., Grantmyre J. Changes in a multiple-response repertoire during response-contingent punishment and response restriction: Sequential relationships. J Exp Anal Behav. 1982 Jan;37(1):123–133. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1982.37-123. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Dunham P. J. Some effects of punishment upon unpunished responding. J Exp Anal Behav. 1972 May;17(3):443–450. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1972.17-443. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Findley J. D. Preference and Switching under Concurrent Scheduling. J Exp Anal Behav. 1958 Apr;1(2):123–144. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1958.1-123. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Herrnstein R. J. Formal properties of the matching law. J Exp Anal Behav. 1974 Jan;21(1):159–164. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1974.21-159. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 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]
- Killeen P. R. Stability criteria. J Exp Anal Behav. 1978 Jan;29(1):17–25. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1978.29-17. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nevin J. A., Mandell C., Atak J. R. The analysis of behavioral momentum. J Exp Anal Behav. 1983 Jan;39(1):49–59. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1983.39-49. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- REYNOLDS G. S. Behavioral contrast. J Exp Anal Behav. 1961 Jan;4:57–71. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1961.4-57. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Takahashi M., Iwamoto T. Human concurrent performances: The effects of experience, instructions, and schedule-correlated stimuli. J Exp Anal Behav. 1986 May;45(3):257–267. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1986.45-257. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]