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BRAIN‐STIMULATION INTENSITY, RATE OF SELF‐STIMULATION, AND REINFORCEMENT STRENGTH: AN ANALYSIS THROUGH CHAINING 1
Author(s) -
Hawkins T. Daryl,
Pliskoff Stanley S.
Publication year - 1964
Publication title -
journal of the experimental analysis of behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.75
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1938-3711
pISSN - 0022-5002
DOI - 10.1901/jeab.1964.7-285
Subject(s) - reinforcement , stimulation , chaining , brain stimulation , lever , intensity (physics) , psychology , brain stimulation reward , schedule , neuroscience , computer science , developmental psychology , physics , social psychology , central nervous system , optics , nucleus accumbens , quantum mechanics , operating system
Reinforcement strengths of different intensities of brain stimulation were assessed by means of a two‐member behavioral chain. A variable interval schedule of 30 sec was the first‐member, and five lever presses, each rewarded with stimulation, was the second. It was found that response rate on the VI schedule continued to increase beyond the intensity value which produced peak rate on the second‐member, self‐stimulation lever. It was concluded (1) that brain‐stimulation reinforcement strength cannot be assessed adequately by means of self‐stimulation rate, and (2) the chaining technique employed in the present experiment appears promising as an analytical tool in brain‐stimulation research. Finally, some aspects of the data suggested a fatigue or stimulation‐adaptation phenomenon.