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RESPONDING UNDER DISCRETE‐TRIAL FIXED‐INTERVAL SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT 1
Author(s) -
Schneider Bruce A.,
Neuringer Allen J.
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.1972.18-187
Subject(s) - reinforcement , schedule , interval (graph theory) , statistics , operant conditioning , mathematics , computer science , psychology , combinatorics , social psychology , operating system
A fixed‐interval schedule of reinforcement was modified by dividing each interval into 4‐sec trial periods. No more than one response could occur during each trial because the operandum was inactivated for the remainder of any trial in which a response occurred. For example, under a 28‐sec schedule, no more than seven responses could be emitted between reinforcements. Probabilities of responding by pigeons under six values of this discrete‐trial fixed‐interval schedule were best described by a two‐state model: responding was either absent or infrequent immediately after reinforcement; then, at some variable time after reinforcement, there was an abrupt transition to a high and constant probability of responding on each trial. Performances under the discrete‐trial procedure were less affected by uncontrolled sources of variance than performances under equivalent free‐operant fixed‐interval schedules.