Abstract
Four rats were exposed to variable-interval schedules specifying a range of different reinforcement frequencies, using sucrose of two different concentrations and distilled water as the reinforcer. With sucrose, the rates of responding of all four rats were increasing negatively accelerated functions of reinforcement frequency, the data conforming closely to Herrnstein's equation; this was also true of the data from three of the four rats when distilled water was used as the reinforcer. The values of both constants in Herrnstein's equation were related to the sucrose concentration: the asymptotic response rate decreased, and the reinforcement frequency corresponding to the half-maximal response rate increased, with decreasing sucrose concentration.
Keywords: Herrnstein's equation, response rate, reinforcement frequency, sucrose concentration, variable interval, lever press, rats
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Bradshaw C. M., Szabadi E., Bevan P. Behavior of humans in variable-interval schedules of reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav. 1976 Sep;26(2):135–141. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1976.26-135. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Bradshaw C. M., Szabadi E., Bevan P. Effect of punishment on human variable-interval performance. J Exp Anal Behav. 1977 Mar;27(2):275–279. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1977.27-275. [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]
- Catania A. C. Self-inhibiting effects of reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav. 1973 May;19(3):517–526. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1973.19-517. [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]
- Shimp C. P. Probabilistically reinforced choice behavior in pigeons. J Exp Anal Behav. 1966 Jul;9(4):443–455. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1966.9-443. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Staddon J. E. On Herrnstein's equation and related forms. J Exp Anal Behav. 1977 Sep;28(2):163–170. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1977.28-163. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WILKINSON G. N. Statistical estimations in enzyme kinetics. Biochem J. 1961 Aug;80:324–332. doi: 10.1042/bj0800324. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]