Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior logoLink to Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
. 1980 Nov;34(3):263–272. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1980.34-263

Local contrast and maintained generalization.

J M Hinson, J C Malone Jr
PMCID: PMC1333005  PMID: 7452131

Abstract

Pigeons received variable-interval reinforcement for key pecking during presentations of horizontal and vertical line-orientation stimuli, while pecks during five intermediate orientations were extinguished. Lowest peck rates were observed during presentations of negative stimuli adjacent to the positive orientations while peck rate during 45 degrees (the intermediate negative orientation) was relatively high, i.e., there were negative contrast shoulders. When peck rates were manipulated in the positive orientations, peck rate in neithboring orientations changed in the opposite direction. Contrast shoulders faded after prolonged training. A second type of contrast, local contrast, was correlated with similarity of preceding stimulus and different average peck rates during different stages of the discrimination process. The data suggest that sequential local contrast accompanying the formation of a discrimination contributes to the form of generalization gradients. Blough's model of stimulus control predicts the changes in gradient form described here, but may not accurately depict the underlying process responsible for gradient form.

Full text

PDF
266

Selected References

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

  1. Blough D. S. Generalization gradient shape and summation in steady-state tests. J Exp Anal Behav. 1969 Jan;12(1):91–104. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1969.12-91. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Farthing G. W. Behavioral contrast with multiple positive and negative stimuli on a continuum. J Exp Anal Behav. 1974 Sep;22(2):419–425. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1974.22-419. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. GUTTMAN N., KALISH H. I. Discriminability and stimulus generalization. J Exp Psychol. 1956 Jan;51(1):79–88. doi: 10.1037/h0046219. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. HANSON H. M. Effects of discrimination training on stimulus generalization. J Exp Psychol. 1959 Nov;58:321–334. doi: 10.1037/h0042606. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. HONIG W. K., THOMAS D. R., GUTTM AN N. Differential effects of continuous extinction and discrimination training on the generalization gradient. J Exp Psychol. 1959 Aug;58:145–152. doi: 10.1037/h0048484. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hinson J. M., Malone J. C., McNally K. A., Rowe D. W. Effects of component length and of the transitions among components in multiple schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1978 Jan;29(1):3–16. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1978.29-3. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. KALISH H. I., GUTTMAN N. Stimulus generalization after equal training on two stimuli. J Exp Psychol. 1957 Feb;53(2):139–144. doi: 10.1037/h0047916. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. KALISH H. I., GUTTMAN N. Stimulus generalization after training on three stimuli: a test of the summation hypothesis. J Exp Psychol. 1959 Apr;57(4):268–272. doi: 10.1037/h0046433. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Malone J. C. Local contrast and Pavlovian induction. J Exp Anal Behav. 1976 Nov;26(3):425–440. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1976.26-425. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Malone J. C., Staddon J. E. Contrast effects in maintained generalization gradients. J Exp Anal Behav. 1973 Jan;19(1):167–179. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1973.19-167. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Malone J. C. Stimulus-specific contrast effects during operant discrimination learning. J Exp Anal Behav. 1975 Nov;24(3):281–289. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1975.24-281. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Nevin J. A., Shettleworth S. J. An analysis of contrast effects in multiple schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1966 Jul;9(4):305–315. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1966.9-305. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Pierrel R. A generalization gradient for auditory intensity in the rat. J Exp Anal Behav. 1958 Oct;1(4):303–313. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1958.1-303. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. REYNOLDS G. S. Contrast, generalization, and the process of discrimination. J Exp Anal Behav. 1961 Oct;4:289–294. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1961.4-289. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Shimp C. P., Wheatley K. L. Matching to relative reinforcement frequency in multiple schedules with a short component duration. J Exp Anal Behav. 1971 Mar;15(2):205–210. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1971.15-205. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Todorov J. C. Component duration and relative response rates in multiple schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1972 Jan;17(1):45–49. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1972.17-45. [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