Abstract
Pigeons chose between an immediate 2-second reinforcer (access to grain) and a 6-second reinforcer delayed 6 seconds. The four pigeons in the control group were exposed to this condition initially. The four experimental subjects first received a condition where both reinforcers were delayed 6 seconds. The small reinforcer delay was then gradually reduced to zero over more than 11,000 trials. Control subjects almost never chose the large delayed reinforcer. Experimental subjects chose the large delayed reinforcer significantly more often. Two experimental subjects showed preference for the large reinforcer even when the consequences for pecking the two keys were switched. The results indicate that fading procedures can lead to increased “self-control” in pigeons in a choice between a large delayed reinforcer and a small immediate reinforcer.
Keywords: delay of reinforcement, amount of reinforcement, self-control, fading, key pecking, pigeons
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Ainslie G. W. Impulse control in pigeons. J Exp Anal Behav. 1974 May;21(3):485–489. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1974.21-485. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ainslie G. Specious reward: a behavioral theory of impulsiveness and impulse control. Psychol Bull. 1975 Jul;82(4):463–496. doi: 10.1037/h0076860. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Baum W. M., Rachlin H. C. Choice as time allocation. J Exp Anal Behav. 1969 Nov;12(6):861–874. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1969.12-861. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Chung S. H., Herrnstein R. J. Choice and delay of reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav. 1967 Jan;10(1):67–74. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1967.10-67. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FERSTER C. B. Sustained behavior under delayed reinforcement. J Exp Psychol. 1953 Apr;45(4):218–224. doi: 10.1037/h0062158. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Keller J. V., Gollub L. R. Duration and rate of reinforcement as determinants of concurrent responding. J Exp Anal Behav. 1977 Sep;28(2):145–153. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1977.28-145. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MISCHEL W., GILLIGAN C. DELAY OF GRATIFICATION, MOTIVATION FOR THE PROHIBITED GRATIFICATION, AND RESPONSES TO TEMPTATION. J Abnorm Psychol. 1964 Oct;69:411–417. doi: 10.1037/h0048918. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MOORE R., GOLDIAMOND I. ERRORLESS ESTABLISHMENT OF VISUAL DISCRIMINATION USING FADING PROCEDURES. J Exp Anal Behav. 1964 May;7:269–272. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1964.7-269. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mackay H. A., Brown S. M. Teaching serial position sequences to monkeys with a delayed matching-to-sample procedure. J Exp Anal Behav. 1971 May;15(3):335–345. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1971.15-335. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mischel W. Theory and research on the antecedents of self-imposed delay of reward. Prog Exp Pers Res. 1966;3:85–132. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Neuringer A. J. Effects of reinforcement magnitude on choice and rate of responding. J Exp Anal Behav. 1967 Sep;10(5):417–424. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1967.10-417. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rachlin H., Green L. Commitment, choice and self-control. J Exp Anal Behav. 1972 Jan;17(1):15–22. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1972.17-15. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sidman M., Stoddard L. T. The effectiveness of fading in programming a simultaneous form discrimination for retarded children. J Exp Anal Behav. 1967 Jan;10(1):3–15. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1967.10-3. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- TERRACE H. S. Discrimination learning with and without "errors". J Exp Anal Behav. 1963 Jan;6:1–27. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1963.6-1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]