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TWO TEMPORAL PARAMETERS OF FOOD POSTPONEMENT 1
Author(s) -
Smith James B.,
Clark Fogle C.
Publication year - 1972
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.1972.18-1
Subject(s) - interval (graph theory) , food delivery , zoology , food science , mathematics , toxicology , biology , business , marketing , combinatorics
Rats were trained to press a lever under schedules of food postponement. In the absence of lever presses, food was delivered periodically (food‐food interval). Responses initiated a second interval (response‐food interval) that was reset by each additional response. Performance was first studied at different response‐food intervals with the food‐food interval fixed at 30 or 60 sec, or 10 min. Response‐food intervals were examined in ascending order and then recovery was studied at shorter intervals. Finally, the food‐food interval was manipulated with response‐food interval fixed at 30 sec. At food‐food intervals of 30 and 60 sec, responding first increased and then decreased as the response‐food interval increased. At the 10‐min food‐food interval, responding decreased with increasing response‐food interval. In general, very low rates of responding occurred when the response‐food interval was 60 sec or more and when it equalled or exceeded the food‐food interval. However, responding was maintained in one animal when the food‐food interval was decreased from 120 to 15 sec with the response‐food interval at 30 sec. Results, in terms of several dependent variables, are compared with data on shock avoidance. Effects of response‐independent and response‐produced food and shock are discussed.