Skip to main content
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior logoLink to Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
. 1971 Sep;16(2):233–239. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1971.16-233

Delayed reinforcement in a multiple schedule1

Donald M Wilkie
PMCID: PMC1333873  PMID: 16811544

Abstract

Three rats and a pigeon were first trained on a two-component multiple schedule in which reinforcement in the two components occurred immediately after a response. Later, reinforcement in one component was delayed by a few seconds. During both stages of the experiment, reinforcement was scheduled by equal variable- (pigeon) or random-interval (rats) schedules in the two components. The main effect of the delayed reinforcement was to increase the rate of responding in the unchanged (non-delay) component. This behavioral contrast effect did not appear in all cases to be dependent upon a reduction in the rate of responding or the frequency of reinforcement in the delay component. This finding suggests that a reduction in response rate and/or reinforcement frequency in one component of a multiple schedule may not be a necessary prerequisite for the occurrence of behavioral contrast. This finding is, however, consistent with an explanation that suggests that behavioral contrast results from the introduction of a less-preferred condition in one component of a multiple schedule, since it is known that animals “prefer” immediate to delayed reinforcement.

Full text

PDF
233

Selected References

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

  1. BRETHOWER D. M., REYNOLDS G. S. A facilitative effect of punishment on unpunished behavior. J Exp Anal Behav. 1962 Apr;5:191–199. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1962.5-191. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bloomfield T. M. Behavioral contrast and relative reinforcement frequency in two multiple schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1967 Mar;10(2):151–158. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1967.10-151. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. CATANIA A. C. Behavioral contrast in a multiple and concurrent schedule of reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav. 1961 Oct;4:335–342. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1961.4-335. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chung S. H. Effects of delayed reinforcement in a concurrent situation. J Exp Anal Behav. 1965 Nov;8(6):439–444. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1965.8-439. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Millenson J. R. Random interval schedules of reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav. 1963 Jul;6(3):437–443. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1963.6-437. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Nevin J. A. Differential reinforcement and stimulus control of not responding. J Exp Anal Behav. 1968 Nov;11(6):715–726. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1968.11-715. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. 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]
  8. Reynolds G. S., Limpo A. J. On some causes of behavioral contrast. J Exp Anal Behav. 1968 Sep;11(5):543–547. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1968.11-543. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Terrace H. S. Discrimination learning, the peak shift, and behavioral contrast. J Exp Anal Behav. 1968 Nov;11(6):727–741. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1968.11-727. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Weisman R. G. Some determinants of inhibitory stimulus control. J Exp Anal Behav. 1969 May;12(3):443–450. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1969.12-443. [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