Abstract
In human subjects, discrimination learning with errors results in active responding incompatible with the reinforced response. The direction of such incompatible behavior is opposite to that of the reinforced response. Responding occurs only during the stimulus correlated with extinction. The frequency of active non-responding is maximal shortly after the start of discrimination training (the time at which the frequency of errors decreases most rapidly) and approaches zero as discrimination training continues. The magnitude of behavioral contrast is not related systematically to the number of errors. Instead it is related directly to the frequency of active non-responding. Active non-responding appears to be motivated by the aversiveness of self-produced frustration, in the sense that active non-responding allows the subject to avoid the aversiveness of non-reinforced responding.
Full text
PDF
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- AMSEL A. Frustrative nonreward in partial reinforcement and discrimination learning: some recent history and a theoretical extension. Psychol Rev. 1962 Jul;69:306–328. doi: 10.1037/h0046200. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- AMSEL A. The role of frustrative nonreward in noncontinuous reward situations. Psychol Bull. 1958 Mar;55(2):102–119. doi: 10.1037/h0043125. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Azrin N. H., Hutchinson R. R., Hake D. F. Extinction-induced aggression. J Exp Anal Behav. 1966 May;9(3):191–204. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1966.9-191. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LATIES V. G., WEISS B., CLARK R. L., REYNOLDS M. D. OVERT "MEDIATING" BEHAVIOR DURING TEMPORALLY SPACED RESPONDING. J Exp Anal Behav. 1965 Mar;8:107–116. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1965.8-107. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- REYNOLDS G. S. Behavioral contrast. J Exp Anal Behav. 1961 Jan;4:57–71. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1961.4-57. [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]