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BEHAVIORAL CONTRAST AS A FUNCTION OF THE TEMPORAL LOCATION OF REINFORCEMENT 1
Author(s) -
Williams Ben A.
Publication year - 1976
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.1976.26-57
Subject(s) - contrast (vision) , reinforcement , function (biology) , computer science , psychology , artificial intelligence , cognitive psychology , social psychology , biology , evolutionary biology
Pigeons were trained on a multiple variable‐interval variable‐interval schedule of reinforcement. One component was then changed to a variation of a fixed‐interval schedule in which the same rate of reinforcement was obtained as previously but the location of the reinforcer was fixed within the component. The effects of different temporal locations were compared. An increase in response rate for the unchanged variable‐interval component (behavioral contrast) occurred when the reinforcer was located in the middle or at the end of the FI component, but response suppression occurred when it was located at the beginning of the component. The pattern of results cannot be explained by any previous theories of contrast. The overall response rates, and the pattern of local rates within the components, were consistent with the hypothesis that the major determinant of the contrast effect was the transition to a lower reinforcement rate following the unchanged component.