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PERCENTAGE REINFORCEMENT OF FIXED‐RATIO AND VARIABLE‐INTERVAL PERFORMANCES 1
Author(s) -
McMillan John C.
Publication year - 1971
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.1971.15-297
Subject(s) - timeout , reinforcement , schedule , interval (graph theory) , variable (mathematics) , audiology , psychology , computer science , statistics , mathematics , social psychology , combinatorics , medicine , mathematical analysis , operating system
Twenty to seventy per cent of the reinforcements scheduled for pigeons' fixed‐ratio 80 performances were replaced by a 4‐sec timeout. Pauses after reinforced ratios were unchanged at 80% reinforcement, but were lengthened at lower reinforcement percentages. Pauses after nonreinforced ratios were shorter than post‐reinforcement pauses. When 50% of the reinforcements arranged by a variable‐interval 60‐sec schedule were replaced by a 4‐sec timeout, pauses after reinforcement omission increased. Both frustrative nonreward and reinforcement aftereffects notions can explain the fixed‐ratio results; neither easily explains the variable‐interval data.