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Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior logoLink to Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
. 1974 Jul;22(1):91–101. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1974.22-91

Chained concurrent schedules: reinforcement as situation transition1

William M Baum
PMCID: PMC1333245  PMID: 16811791

Abstract

Pigeons' pecks at two white response keys (initial-link situation) occasionally turned both keys red (terminal-link situation). When the two keys were red, pecks occasionally produced food, after which the keys were again white. In both situations, a changeover delay prevented the response-produced outcome from immediately following a change of responding from either key to the other. In the initial-link situation, the ratio of pecks at the keys closely paralleled the ratio of transitions into the terminal-link situation produced by the pecks, conforming to the well-known matching relation. In the terminal-link situation, the peck ratios deviated from the matching relation toward indifference. Overall response rate and rate of changeover were generally higher in the terminal-link situation than in the initial-link situation. The finding of matching in the initial-link situation supports a definition of reinforcement as situation transition. The differences in performance between the two situations, viewed in the light of other recent findings, suggest that the effects of a changeover delay depend on the overall reinforcing value of the choice alternatives.

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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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