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AVOIDANCE OF TIMEOUT FROM RESPONSE‐INDEPENDENT REINFORCEMENT 1
Author(s) -
D'Andrea Thomas
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.1971.15-319
Subject(s) - timeout , computer science , avoidance learning , psychology , neuroscience , computer network
Responses on a lever by rats postponed scheduled timeouts, or periods during which the delivery of response‐independent food was withheld. The effects of a number of experimental variables were examined and the conclusions drawn are that the functional relations describing free‐operant avoidance of timeout from response‐independent reinforcement are similar to those for avoidance of electric shock and that both phenomena are sensitive to the same parametric manipulations. Results suggest that high frequency of food delivery in timein maintains a higher rate of timeout avoidance than low frequency. The evidence argues against an interpretation in terms of adventitious food‐reinforcement of the timeout avoidance response. Finally, the effects of scheduling timeouts independently of responding and of omitting timeouts confirm the view that timeouts can be aversive and may act as punishment for responding.