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QUASI‐REINFORCEMENT: CONTROL OF RESPONDING BY A PERCENTAGE‐REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULE 1
Author(s) -
Neuringer Allen J.,
Chung ShinHo
Publication year - 1967
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.1967.10-45
Subject(s) - reinforcement , blackout , schedule , stimulus (psychology) , stimulus control , psychology , computer science , cognitive psychology , social psychology , neuroscience , power (physics) , physics , electric power system , quantum mechanics , nicotine , operating system
When a variable‐interval schedule of reinforcement was segmented into small fixed‐interval components, with reinforcements following some components and brief blackouts following the others, rate of responding doubled and a positively accelerated pattern within each component was obtained. Presented according to this percentage reinforcement paradigm, the blackouts approximated the functions of a food reinforcer. These effects occurred only when the behavior sequence required to produce reinforcement was identical to that required to produce blackout. The quasi‐reinforcing effects of these blackout stimuli suggest that a neutral stimulus need not occasion or accompany a primary reinforcer to acquire reinforcing properties.