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Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior logoLink to Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
. 1964 Jan;7(1):27–36. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1964.7-27

Secondary reinforcement and rate of primary reinforcement1

R J Herrnstein
PMCID: PMC1404366  PMID: 14120136

Abstract

Four pigeons were trained to peck at either of two response-keys. Pecking at either key occasionally produced a secondary reinforcer. Then, in the presence of the secondary reinforcer, further pecking occasionally produced the primary reinforcer, food. The relative rate at which each pigeon pecked to obtain a secondary reinforcer equalled the relative rate of primary reinforcement in its presence.

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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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