Skip to main content
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior logoLink to Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
. 1971 Jan;15(1):41–48. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1971.15-41

Sequence schedules of reinforcement1

M Jackson Marr
PMCID: PMC1333779  PMID: 16811488

Abstract

The performance of pigeons was studied under a second-order schedule composed of fixed-interval components, each of which was associated with a different discriminative stimulus, the stimuli occurring in a fixed order. In one condition, food presentation followed the completion of the fourth component. This was designated a fixed-ratio sequence schedule. In another condition, responses in the first component completed after a fixed time were reinforced. This was designated a fixed-interval sequence schedule. Although the stimulus order and maximum reinforcement frequency were identical under the two schedules, considerably more responding occurred under the fixed-interval sequence schedule in all components. Relatively few food presentations occurred after responding during any but the terminal components of the fixed-interval sequence schedule, a feature independent of the parameter values investigated. In addition, while a pattern of increased responding between food presentations prevailed under both schedules, under the fixed-interval sequence schedule the rate in the terminal component was frequently less than in the penultimate component. The fixed-interval sequence schedule appeared to have several properties of simple fixed-interval schedules.

Full text

PDF
41

Selected References

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

  1. Byrd L. D., Marr M. J. Relations between patterns of responding and the presentation of stimuli under second-order schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1969 Sep;12(5):713–722. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1969.12-713. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Crossman E. K. Pause relationships in multiple and chained fixed-ratio schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1968 Mar;11(2):117–126. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1968.11-117. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. FINDLEY J. D. An experimental outline for building and exploring multi-operant behavior repertoires. J Exp Anal Behav. 1962 Jan;5(Suppl):113–166. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1962.5-s113. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. HERRNSTEIN R. J., MORSE W. H. A conjunctive schedule of reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav. 1958 Jan;1:15–24. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1958.1-15. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. KELLEHER R. T., FRY W. T. Stimulus functions in chained fixed-interval schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1962 Apr;5:167–173. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1962.5-167. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. KELLEHER R. T., FRY W., COOK L. ADJUSTING FIXED-RATIO SCHEDULES IN THE SQUIRREL MONKEY. J Exp Anal Behav. 1964 Jan;7:69–77. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1964.7-69. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. KELLEHER R. T., GOLLUB L. R. A review of positive conditioned reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav. 1962 Oct;5:543–597. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1962.5-s543. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. THOMAS J. R. MULTIPLE BASELINE INVESTIGATION OF STIMULUS FUNCTIONS IN AN FR CHAINED SCHEDULE. J Exp Anal Behav. 1964 May;7:241–245. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1964.7-241. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Thomas J. R., Stubbs A. Stimulus control of temporally spaced responding in second-order schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1967 Mar;10(2):175–183. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1967.10-175. [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