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AN INTERRESPONSE TIME ANALYSIS OF VARIABLE‐RATIO PUNISHMENT
Author(s) -
Lande Stephen D.
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.1981.35-55
Subject(s) - reinforcement , punishment (psychology) , facilitation , shock (circulatory) , psychology , statistics , schedule , intensity (physics) , variable (mathematics) , mathematics , social psychology , computer science , medicine , physics , neuroscience , quantum mechanics , operating system , mathematical analysis
An interresponse time analysis was used to study the effects of variable‐ratio punishment schedules on the temporal pattern of reinforced responding. Twelve pigeons responded on a baseline variable‐interval schedule of food reinforcement. A variable‐ratio ten schedule of electric shock punishment was then introduced. The shock intensity was systematically increased to the highest intensity at which responding could be maintained. At this intensity, the mean variable‐ratio value was increased and then decreased. Variable‐ratio punishment resulted in an increased relative frequency of very short unreinforced interresponse times (response bursting). Increased response bursting accounted for instances of response rate facilitation. In addition, shock was followed by interresponse times of decreasing mean length over the first several responses after shock.