Abstract
Three experiments used concurrent-chains procedures to examine the effects of reinforcement delay, number of reinforcers, and terminal-link duration on preference. In Condition 30 of Experiment 1, food was delivered after 30 seconds in each 150-second terminal link, with four additional food deliveries occurring at 30-second intervals in one of the links. In Condition 5, food was delivered after 5 seconds in each 25-second terminal link, and the four additional reinforcers were delivered at 5-second intervals. Preferences for the multiple-food chain were greater in Condition 30. In Experiment 2, the terminal link(s) providing only one reinforcer terminated immediately after delivery of the reinforcer. Preferences for the multiple-food chain were smaller than in Experiment 1. In Condition 5 of Experiment 3, food was delivered after 5, 75, 100, 125, and 150 seconds in one 150-second link and after 5 seconds in the other. Condition 50 differed only in that the first (or only) reinforcer in each link was delivered after 50 seconds instead of after 5 seconds. Preferences for the multiple-food chain were greater in Condition 50. Results of Experiments 1 and 2 do not correspond to results obtained by Moore (1979).
Keywords: choice, concurrent chains, conditioned reinforcement, number of reinforcers, delay of reinforcement, terminal-link duration, rate of reinforcement, key peck, pigeons
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Baum W. M. Choice, changeover, and travel. J Exp Anal Behav. 1982 Jul;38(1):35–49. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1982.38-35. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Baum W. M. The correlation-based law of effect. J Exp Anal Behav. 1973 Jul;20(1):137–153. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1973.20-137. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Davison M. C., Temple W. Preference for fixed-interval schedules: an alternative model. J Exp Anal Behav. 1973 Nov;20(3):393–403. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1973.20-393. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fantino E., Herrnstein R. J. Secondary reinforcement and number of primary reinforcements. J Exp Anal Behav. 1968 Jan;11(1):9–14. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1968.11-9. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HERRNSTEIN R. J. SECONDARY REINFORCEMENT AND RATE OF PRIMARY REINFORCEMENT. J Exp Anal Behav. 1964 Jan;7:27–36. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1964.7-27. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hursh S. R., Fantino E. Relative delay of reinforcement and choice. J Exp Anal Behav. 1973 May;19(3):437–450. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1973.19-437. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Killeen P. R. Incentive theory: II. Models for choice. J Exp Anal Behav. 1982 Sep;38(2):217–232. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1982.38-217. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LOGAN F. A. DECISION MAKING BY RATS: DELAY VERSUS AMOUNT OF REWARD. J Comp Physiol Psychol. 1965 Feb;59:1–12. doi: 10.1037/h0021633. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Moore J. Choice and number of reinforcers. J Exp Anal Behav. 1979 Jul;32(1):51–63. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1979.32-51. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Neuringer A. J. Delayed reinforcement versus reinforcement after a fixed interval. J Exp Anal Behav. 1969 May;12(3):375–383. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1969.12-375. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Shull R. L., Spear D. J., Bryson A. E. Delay or rate of food delivery as determiners of response rate. J Exp Anal Behav. 1981 Mar;35(2):129–143. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1981.35-129. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Squires N., Fantino E. A model for choice in simple concurrent and concurrent-chains schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1971 Jan;15(1):27–38. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1971.15-27. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Stubbs D. A., Pliskoff S. S. Concurrent responding with fixed relative rate of reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav. 1969 Nov;12(6):887–895. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1969.12-887. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Zeiler M. D. Fixed and variable schedules of response-independent reinforcement. J Exp Anal Behav. 1968 Jul;11(4):405–414. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1968.11-405. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]