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FIXED‐RATIO DISCRIMINATION: EFFECTS OF INTERMITTENT REINFORCEMENT
Author(s) -
Lydersen Tore
Publication year - 1977
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.1977.28-203
Subject(s) - reinforcement , interval (graph theory) , statistics , fixed effects model , mathematics , confidence interval , psychology , combinatorics , social psychology , panel data
Four pigeons had discrimination training that required the choice of a left side‐key after completing a fixed‐ratio 10 on the center key, and a right side‐key choice after fixed‐ratio 20. Correct choices were reinforced on various fixed‐interval, fixed‐ratio, random‐interval, and random‐ratio schedules. When performance was examined across successive 15‐second intervals (fixed‐interval and fixed‐ratio schedules) accuracy was high in the first 15‐second interval, decreased in one or several of the next 15‐second intervals, and then increased again as reinforcement was approached. When performance was examined across correct trials on fixed‐interval and fixed‐ratio schedules, accuracy was lowest immediately after reinforcement, followed by a systematic increase in accuracy as the number of correct choices increased. These patterns were due primarily to errors on fixed‐ratio 20 trials. Systematic accuracy patterns did not occur on random‐interval or random‐ratio schedules. The results indicate that when choice patterns differed on fixed‐interval and fixed‐ratio schedules, the differences were due to the method of data analysis.