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TIMEOUT AS A REINFORCER FOR ERRORS IN A SERIAL POSITION TASK
Author(s) -
Redd William H.,
Sidman Murray,
Fletcher F. Garth
Publication year - 1974
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.1974.21-3
Subject(s) - timeout , reinforcement , computer science , task (project management) , session (web analytics) , error detection and correction , sequence (biology) , serial position effect , psychology , speech recognition , cognitive psychology , algorithm , social psychology , recall , computer network , free recall , biology , management , world wide web , economics , genetics
After learning to press keys in a predetermined serial position sequence, with timeouts scheduled as a consequence of errors, monkeys developed stereotyped errors. As soon as a new trial started, the animals would make an error. On trial after trial, they pressed the same incorrect key at the first member of the sequence, even though they had previously learned the sequence. First‐member errors occurred even when sequences of fully bright keys marking correct choices were presented. When timeout was eliminated as a consequence of one first‐member error, subjects switched to an error that did produce the timeout. When all first‐member errors failed to produce timeout the monkeys ceased responding. Both prefeeding and reduction in reinforcement density resulted in stereotyped errors occurring earlier in the session.