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EFFECTS OF INSTRUCTIONAL CONSTRAINTS ON HUMAN FIXED‐INTERVAL PERFORMANCE
Author(s) -
Buskist W. F.,
Bennett R. H.,
Miller H. L.
Publication year - 1981
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.1981.35-217
Subject(s) - computer science , interval (graph theory) , artificial intelligence , cognitive psychology , psychology , mathematics , combinatorics
Several groups of human subjects were exposed to a variety of experimental conditions involving a fixed‐interval 27‐second schedule of reinforcement in compound with instructions to constrain in the number of responses within the interreinforcement interval and/or the duration of the experimental session. One group was further exposed to a contingency involving the placement of responses within the IRI. A diversity of patterns of performance was observed, including those typically associated with animal subjects exposed to FI schedules. Generally, the imposition of instructions to minimize session duration reduced post‐reinforcement pausing and increased overall reinforcement density from those levels obtained with only instructions to expend a given number of responses per reinforcer. The results are seen to underscore the sensitivity of human fixed‐interval performance and the contribution of extra‐experimental contingencies.