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HOMOGENEOUS CHAINS, HETEROGENEOUS CHAINS, AND DELAY OF REINFORCEMENT
Author(s) -
Lattal Ken A.,
CrawfordGodbey Cynthia L.
Publication year - 1985
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.1985.44-337
Subject(s) - reinforcement , chain (unit) , schedule , homogeneous , computer science , operant conditioning , psychology , social psychology , mathematics , combinatorics , physics , astronomy , operating system
Three pigeons responded on two‐component chain schedules in which the required response topography in the initial and terminal links was similar (a homogeneous chain) or dissimilar (a heterogeneous chain). Key‐peck responding in the initial link under a variable‐interval 60‐second (VI 60) schedule produced a terminal link in which, in different conditions, either key pecking or foot treadling was reinforced according to a VI 60 schedule. Multiple VI 60 VI 60 schedules, in which the responses required in the chain schedules were maintained by primary reinforcement in the two components, preceded and followed each type of chain. These multiple schedules were used to ensure that both responses occurred reliably prior to introducing the chain schedule. Key‐peck response rates in the initial link of the chain consistently were higher during the homogeneous chain than during the heterogeneous chain. These results illustrate that intervening events during a period separating an operant response from primary reinforcement influence that operant, independently of the delay between the response and reinforcement.