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Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior logoLink to Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
. 1982 Mar;37(2):183–197. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1982.37-183

Independence of response force and reinforcement rate on concurrent variable-interval schedule performance

Ian Hunter, Michael Davison
PMCID: PMC1333133  PMID: 16812264

Abstract

Five pigeons were trained over 43 experimental conditions on a variety of concurrent variable-interval schedules on which the forces required on the response keys were varied. The results were well described by the generalized matching law with log reinforcement ratios and log force ratios exerting independent (noninteractive) effects on preference. A further analysis using the Akaike criterion, an information-theoretic measure of the efficiency of a model, showed that overall reinforcement rate and overall force requirement did not affect preference. Unlike reinforcement rate changes, force requirement increases did not change the response rate on the alternate key, and an extension of Herrnstein's absolute response rate function for force variation on a single variable-interval schedule is suggested.

Keywords: concurrent schedules, reinforcement rate, response force, choice, contrast, pecking, pigeons

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Selected References

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

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